Figures recently released by the Society of Motor Manufacturers and Traders (SMMT) reveal a significant surge in demand for electric vehicles, reflecting how the electrification of transport is growing in acceptance and adoption. At 1.4% of the total new car market in the UK, electric cars occupy a small proportion of sales but registrations of plug-in cars have increased from 3,500 in 2013 to almost 61,000 at the beginning of May this year, showing that consumers are steadily embracing alternative fuel-powered vehicles.
Preventing power surges and fire
An electric car’s battery is a complex modular construction typically consisting of cells grouped together to form the battery block. Each cell generates heat and electrical voltage that needs to be shielded to ensure user safety, improve battery performance and extend battery life. Double-sided tape and a special film developed by tesa connect the cells and insulate them, ensuring no power surges can occur.
Batteries can also be wrapped in non-flammable products from the tesa range that withstand temperatures up to 150˚C. In one application for example, a major Chinese battery manufacturer is using tesa tape to wrap around the whole of a battery block.
Lightweight materials
Alongside the batteries, which represent a crucial factor in determining a vehicle’s range and cost, vehicle weight and the use of new and lighter materials is another integral part of the move to electric. As the use of composite materials has increased to fulfil this need, so, too, has the adoption of adhesive tapes - contributing to the realisation of better processing efficiencies, reduced weight and improved overall performance, thanks to their easy handling and advanced properties.
Leading in wire harnessing
Another significant area of application development is in system solutions for wire harnessing where typical operating conditions incur the need for encapsulation solutions that provide extreme resistance to high temperatures, abrasion and chemicals, as well as good noise damping properties.
Wire harnessing is now widespread in the majority of hybrid vehicles powered by high performance batteries, and these types of vehicles now represent an increasing proportion of many vehicle fleets across the world.
Designed to protect the wires running through a hybrid vehicle’s engine compartment, tesa 51036 is recommended and used to wrap them. This innovative tape is resistant to heat and abrasion, offers an excellent bond and keeps its bright colouring throughout the vehicle’s entire lifespan as a warning to firefighters not to cut through the cable in the event of an accident.
Synergies between automotive and electronics
Consumer demand and legal requirements are progressively making electronic assistance systems standard items. The components of on-board electronics, such as telematics or in-car entertainment systems, are held in place with tape, as Richard Powell from tesa’s Automotive Technical Sales team comments:
“We have decades of expertise in both the automotive and electronics industries. With our technologically advanced adhesive tapes, including electrically conductive tapes (ECTs), optically clear adhesive tapes (OCAs), and barrier tapes for applications in curved displays, we are in an excellent position for the future of automotive manufacturing.”
In total, more than 75 adhesive tape applications from tesa can be identified in any new car. With products that offer bonding, encapsulating and fixing solutions along with ease of application and reliability as well as added aesthetic benefits and improvements to user comfort, tesa is well positioned as the move to electric vehicles continues to gather pace.
