Maxion and Novelis unveil 35% lighter aluminum battery housing for electric trucks and buses

Maxion Structural Components and Novelis have jointly developed Maxion InVolt, a battery housing for electric commercial vehicles stamped from rolled aluminum using a new alloy created for the application.

The companies say the InVolt housing is about 35% lighter than an extruded aluminum housing built to the same technical requirements. The design can be adapted to different vehicle sizes, from light to heavy commercial vehicles, and the companies are aiming it at global markets.

Weight is a central constraint for battery-electric buses and trucks. Stamped aluminum is already widely used across the automotive industry, and Maxion says that, compared with current processes, the stamped approach is more cost-effective and allows easier access to internal components for maintenance.

Aluminum’s combination of low weight and impact absorption suits the safety and performance demands of electric commercial vehicles, according to Novelis, which supplied the raw-material expertise. Aluminum is repeatedly recyclable without loss of properties, and Novelis says that recyclability can reduce greenhouse gas emissions by up to 95%.

“With over 40 years of experience in the automotive sector, Novelis is focused on co-creating innovative and customized solutions to meet the demand for more sustainable mobility,” said Daniele Albagli, Vice President of Sales for Novelis South America.

“The development of this solution represents a crucial step in our strategy to reduce the weight of electric commercial vehicles and, consequently, contribute to reducing CO₂ emissions without compromising vehicle load capacity,” said Marco Tulio Ricci, Global Director of Innovation and Engineering at Maxion Structural Components.

Source: Maxion Structural Components