H B Fuller : The Shift to Electric Vehicles (EV)

In recent years, the demands for sustainability, a circular economy and renewable energy in the automotive industry have being increasing throughout the globe, and electric vehicles (EVs) have been at the forefront of these conversations for consumers and businesses alike. This rising demand has caused a surge in EV sales and production. So, how does a shift to electric vehicles affect you and your personal life?

Demand for Electric Vehicles

In 2021, the sale of electric vehicles doubled, jumping to a record6.6 million cars sold.This rapid growth has continued into 2022 and is due in part to sustained policy support. According to the International Energy Agency's Global EV Outlook for 2022, overall public spending on subsidies and incentives for electric vehiclesdoubled to 30 billion US dollars in 2021. This spending increase is mainly attributed to the ambitious electric vehicle plans from various countries, (with the most recent being the Inflation Reduction Act from the United States) over the coming decades and the movement towards a sustainable future where gas vehicles become obsolete.

The overall global goal is to switch all gas-powered vehicles to electric vehicles in order to lower total emissions in the atmosphere. The set agreement for this switch is to move all new car sales to zero-emission cars and vans globally by 2040. A total of32 countries have agreed to the declaration, and while the United States has not officially joined, a few individual states (California, New York and Washington) have pledged their support. In addition, several automakers have also joined the declaration, including Ford, General Motors, Mercedes, Jaguar Land Rover and Volvo. This agreement itself indicates that the demand for electric cars has never been higher, and thus, so is the ambition to transition into a circular economy.

Types of Electric Vehicles

The demand for electric vehicles does not stop at cars, but also extends to local transportation. The estimated value of the electric bus market in 2021 was $17.41 billion U.S. dollars, and is estimated to reach $50.99 billion U.S. dollars by 2030. This increase has also been incentivized by governments who implemented tax benefits for electric bus manufacturers and original equipment manufacturers (OEMs). This push towards zero-emission and electric power mass transit vehicles also aims to reduce high levels of pollution and emissions of carbon and greenhouse gases.

In addition to public transportation, this surge in electric vehicles has also increased the need for electric trucks. Due to the rising gasoline, fuel, diesel and petrol prices, electric trucks are being sought after more than ever. In fact, in 2021, it was estimated that the electric truck market was valued at $1.9 billion U.S. dollars, and now is expected to increase in value to $15.6 billion U.S. dollars by 2030.

Many companies and consumers are switching to electric trucks, not just because they generate lower CO2 emissions, but because they require less maintenance, run much quieter than conventional gasoline engine trucks and perform more efficiently. Furthermore, companies that have switched to electric trucks have also noticed an increase in employee satisfaction, as employees tend to appreciate their companies' goals towards sustainability.

A Global Push Towards Electric Vehicles

Europe

After years of growth in the electric vehicle market, nations across the globe agree that decreasing emissions worldwide is a top priority, and new electric vehicle sales have spread across the world. The leading market in 2020 was Europe, which surpassed China. Europe led new EV registrations with 1.4 million, while China followed with 1.2 million.This upset was possibly due to the European Union's CO2 emission standards that were implemented in 2020, as the standard limits the average CO2 emissions per kilometer driven by new cars. Additionally, manyEuropean governments increased subsidy schemes for EVs as part of stimulus packages.

China

In 2021, China once again gained dominance over the EV market due to several factors. Compared to2020, China's sales of electric vehicles increased by 2 million units, and by the end of in 2021, approximately 3.2 million electric vehicles were sold. This rapid growth reflects the role of the Chinese government when it comes to sustainability, consumer adaptability and diverse OEM product offerings. This surge in sales is also partly due to Chinese "homegrown" start-ups (including XPeng Motors, NIO Inc., and Li Auto Inc.), which have contributed 60% of sales.

In addition to the push from the government, the consumer base in China is more prepared to transition to electric vehicles. Most of the Chinese population had no prior car ownership experience, which makes them fresh targets for these new waves of vehicles. Additionally, OEMs are offering the cars at multiple price points to make owning an electric vehicle possible for everyone. All these factors have made China the leading market for electric vehicles and an example-setting structure for countries worldwide.

India

The Indian automotive industry is thefifth-largest in the world and is expected to become the third-largest due to its rapid population increase.The Indian government is working toward moving to adopt EVs in the country, so the government added a few programs to incentivize people to switch to EVs.

1. Faster Adoption & Manufacturing of (Hybrid &) Electric Vehicles (FAME): Launched in 2015 to promote growth and early adoption of EVs and hybrid vehicles. This program brought success and has been extended until 2024 to continue the growth and push towards EVs and hybrids in the country.
2. Production Linked Incentive for Advanced Chemistry Cell Battery Storage (PLI-ACC): introduced in India and is expected to boost India's battery industry.
3. Battery Swapping Policy:This policywas implemented to create widespread charging areas in major cities, which are necessary for a full transition into an electric vehicle system.

India also added tax exemptions, reduction of customs, and state-wise reduction of road taxes as initiatives for EV businesses and consumers to switch.

H.B. Fuller Solutions

At H.B. Fuller we are constantly developing and researching new and effective ways to implement sustainability in the products we offer. Therefore, we have joined the development of EV solutions so that EVs can be accessible to all, and we can aid in shifting to a circular economy.

Electric Vehicle

EV Battery Solutions

One of the biggest challenges in producing EVs is ensuring the battery used to power the vehicle is crash resistant, fire resistant, and can provide long-lasting charges. To counteract these challenges, we have producedEV Protect 4006.This latest innovation for battery protection in electric vehicle applications improves battery performance, while alsoproviding stability in vehicle collisions.This allows manufacturers to produce a safer product for both consumers and first responders.

In addition to our EV Protect 4006, we also provide products for battery module and battery pack assembly, including our EV Seal and EV Therm product lines. Thethree sealantswe offer are:

1. EV Seal 500 - provides reseal ability and recyclability, and is a cost-effective solution that the EV industry has been looking for in a gasket.
2. EV Seal 662 - a fast UV-curable adhesive with a high depth of cure. It has excellent adhesion and elasticity and can be used as a form in place (FIPG) or cure in place (CIPG) gasket material.
3. EV Seal 200 - a high-quality, elastomeric single or double component adhesive/sealant based on MS Polymer. This moisture cure technology offers a compromise between an adhesive and a sealant by creating a strong bond and seal for battery pack enclosures.

At H.B. Fuller we also provide a line of EV thermal management adhesive technologies, including:

1. EV Therm 288- a silicone-free gap filler, formulated exclusively for the EV battery environment. This thermal interface material cures at room temperature or accelerated with heat and provides excellent thermal conductivity, electrical insulation, water resistance, corrosion resistance, and impact resistance properties.
2. EV Therm 440 - an innovative thermally conductive structural adhesive that has excellent bond strength to a wide range of substrates and is ideal for cell to cold plate applications.
3. EV Therm 601- a one-component, thermally conductive, flame retardant, electrically insulative, UV curable technology. It is not only designed to meet UL-94 V0 flammability requirements, but it also provides optimum coating at a minimum coating thickness of 150 microns and encapsulation protection for electronic assemblies and components. This material was designed to be thermally conductive and is recommended for use with heatsinks, heat spreaders, cold plate, cooling tubes and other thermal dissipation applications.

EV Interior Solutions

Our high-performanceautomotive interior adhesiveshelp to minimize processing space requirements as well as time required and process complexity to provide lower total cost in use. At H.B. Fuller, we provide instrument panels, dashboards, and door panels for headliners, trunk trim,acoustical materials, and weatherstripping. Additionally, we will partner with you from concept to commercialization. Our broad range of high-performance reactive and thermoplastic hot melt, water-based, solvent-based, and cyanoacrylate adhesives will help solve your leather, synthetic or composite bonding challenges.

EV Exterior Solutions

At H.B. Fuller, our automotive adhesives are designed to meet the strictest requirements set forth by the industry, and we are an ISO / TS 16949-certified company. From rubber bonding applications to adhesives with a quick set time, you can depend on us. We provide industry applications for engines, transmissions, axles, and chassis/ final assembly. Furthermore, we provideexterior lighting adhesivesand lighting electronic component designs, so OEMs and Tier 1 suppliers have efficient manufacturing processes that produce high-performing products.

Automotive Electronic Systems

As anautomotive electronics manufacturer, you want to be confident that you're providing superior products that are poised to meet growth and that help makes driving an all-around safer, more enjoyable experience. From state-of-the-art cameras and radar emergence to lane departure and autonomous cruise control, these companies understand best how these electronic systems work together to identify objects and potential hazards for the drivers. Therefore, we stay on top of emerging automotive electronics adhesive design trends so that your products address consumer demand, some of which include environmental friendliness, high performance, lightweight, compatibility, connectivity, and safety.

Automotive Aftermarket

If you are looking to solve commonautomotive aftermarketissues, count on H.B. Fuller to develop superior automotive adhesives that improve on conventional processes, replace the bulky aftereffects of punching and folding, and open the door for lightweight designs. With tighter seals and stronger bonds, our aftermarket solutions offer improved automotive repair solutions that can fasten synthetic materials and can reduce noise and vibration better than other bonding procedures.

We offer methylmethacrylate (MMAs), cyanoacrylates, high-bond acrylic tapes, MS polymer-based, 1k elastic, and 2k structural polyurethanes to flange sealants, thread lockers, and anaerobic and silicone sealants. We also have a full line of products for a wide range ofautomotive aftermarket applications.

Electric vehicles are gaining rapid traction and will only grow in popularity over the years. As production continues to expand, H.B. Fuller intends to continue researching and developing ways to ease the expansion of electric vehicles worldwide.Contact us todayto find the ultimate solutions for your electric vehicle project.