As the rise of the electric vehicle (EV) industry continues to shape the automotive landscape around the world, manufacturers and consumers in the US are beginning to adapt. Research published by the Bureau of Labor Statistics reveals electric car sales across the nation rose from 0.2% in 2011 to 4.6% in 2021, with demand only expected to grow in the coming years.
Researchers at S&P Global believe that by 2030, EV sales may account for 40% of total passenger car sales in the nation. Surveyed auto executives believe this figure may end up closer to 50%. Either way, it’s clear that recent advances in EV manufacturing, infrastructure and design are contributing to a significant increase in the popularity of modern electric cars.
As EVs become a more common sight across the nation, manufacturers, dealers and other professionals working in the automotive industry are beginning to factor EV trends into their wider plans. To best understand the impact of these adjustments, the following post explores a variety of prominent trends in EV manufacturing set to reshape the automotive landscape.
New Expectations for Auto Interior Design
Of course, one of the biggest differences between EVs and traditional vehicles involves the way each type of car generates energy. While traditional vehicles must account for the bulky design of internal combustion engines, EVs benefit from comparably streamlined batteries.
Most modern electric vehicles are designed around a concept described by auto engineers as the skateboard platform. A flat battery pack fills up the space underneath the car between the front and rear axles, with small electric motors mounted at the connection to each wheel.
This means much less space is required for bulky mechanical components like driveshafts, transmissions, engines and exhaust systems, enabling designers to make more efficient use of the vehicle’s interior. Typically, this results in more room for passengers inside the vehicle, as well as more storage space in both the rear and front trunks for vehicle owners to utilize.
As EVs become more popular, and this design principle becomes more commonplace, the lack of storage space in traditional vehicles will likely begin to appear outdated. To combat this, manufacturers of traditional and hybrid vehicles will need to identify innovative ways to cut down on the size of components, or accept that the shift to EVs may well be inevitable.
Efficiency Improvements for Auto Factories
The growth of the EV market doesn’t only impact consumers. As more companies explore the development of electric and hybrid vehicles, significant changes to the way that factories and manufacturing facilities are designed are beginning to reshape the automotive industry.
The major design differences between internal combustion engine vehicles and EVs require traditional assembly processes to be reworked. Primarily, as fewer components are needed to power the main mechanisms of EVs, production line and equipment requirements can be reduced. This leads to a simplified assembly process with fewer steps and lower labor costs.
With fewer requirements for dedicated machinery and complicated elements of the assembly process, auto factories can pursue measurable efficiency improvements. This also provides additional space, resources and funds that can be used to enhance wider aspects of facility management. Including manufacturing security, automation and hazard prevention solutions.
While most factories will continue to combine the production of traditional vehicles and EVs for the foreseeable future, it’s hard to imagine most factory operators won’t want to explore a full switch to EV production. If not for the efficiency benefits alone, then for the sizable grants and incentives offered by the US government to ramp up the domestic production of EVs.
Advancements in EV Battery Technology
While the popularity of EVs has grown significantly in recent years, there still remains a fairly large number of Americans who feel apprehensive about switching to fully electric cars. Data reveals anxieties about the logistics and cost of charging an EV rank among consumers’ top concerns. With 56% citing a lack of convenient charging as their top cause for apprehension.
In an effort to both address the concerns of these consumers, and to improve the efficiency of EVs, manufacturers have been constantly refining the way batteries are developed. Some recent advancements positioned to improve the efficiency and longevity of batteries include:
- Solid-state batteries – The switch from liquid to solid electrolytes in new solid-state batteries allows for safer components capable of achieving higher energy densities, ultimately enabling noticeably faster charging times and a longer average battery life.
- Lithium-sulfur batteries – Lithium-sulfur batteries cost far less to produce than their lithium-ion counterparts, while also being able to hold much more energy on a single charge, potentially helping to both reduce EV costs and improve overall battery life.
- Silicon anode batteries – The lithium-ion batteries commonly used in EV production rely on graphite anodes to store charge. Switching to silicon anodes allows for higher energy density in the same amount of space to produce a more efficient component.
While the development of EV batteries that need to be charged less helps to address part of apprehensive consumers’ concerns, even the most efficient EVs will need to be charged at some point. With fast-charging infrastructure for EVs growing by 16% in just the second half of 2023, and the government issuing $623 million in grants to support new developments, it seems much is being done to convince the US public that EVs represent a good investment.
The Future is Electric
There’s still a long way to go before every vehicle on the road is fully or even partly electric. However, it is clear that auto manufacturers, authorities and a large section of the general public believe that the future of the automotive industry will be defined by EV developments.
As the demand for more affordable, efficient and practical EVs continues to grow, it seems inevitable that manufacturers will gradually shift towards EVs as a priority. Some trends in EV manufacturing are already reshaping the automotive landscape, changing expectations for design, production and operability and suggesting a promising future for the EV industry.
