The desire to reduce vehicle emissions, especially in densely populated areas, is driving the replacement of combustion engine-powered cars with electrical vehicles. Most OEMs have introduced fully electrically driven cars to the market in recent years, and they will continue to do so to a great extent in the near future. The prospect for OEMs and Tier-1s in this new segment of the automotive market is extremely positive. Fuel cells as an option for alternative drives are discussed, but batteries seem to be the favored solution in spite of incomplete infrastructure in many countries.
High-voltage batteries are engineered to be vehicle specific or in a building block for passenger cars. The high volume of passenger cars allows customized solutions; alternatively, a platforms concept is applied for the battery analog to other drivetrain components. Delivery trucks, buses, trains, and construction vehicles are produced in much smaller volumes. Modular batteries are the preferred solution here.