Auto manufacturers have ambitious plans to roll out more than a hundred new battery-powered models in the
next five years. European OEM Volvo even announced to only launch hybrid, plug-in hybrid or full electric cars
starting 2019.

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The Electric Vehicles Initiative (EVI), for example, is a multi-government policy forum established under the Clean Energy Ministerial (CEM), dedicated to accelerating the introduction and adoption of electric vehicles worldwide. In 2017, the CEM announced a new campaign to speed up the deployment of electric vehicles and target at least 30 percent new electric vehicle sales by 2030, including passenger cars, LCVs (light commercial vans), buses and trucks. This goal is encapsulated in the simple formula, "EV30@30".
Tearing down remaining barriers
Today, the automotive industry and governments have successfully addressed many issues associated with
the advent of electric vehicles. Limited range, high investments compared to non-EV cars and concerns about
the charging infrastructure are amongst the biggest barriers to switch. Manufacturers of electric motors for
hybrid and electric vehicles are facing, for example, increasing pressure to develop smaller, more efficient
high-power density motors that can support and replace the tractive power previously supplied by the internal
combustion engine (ICE) – and can do so cost-effectively. For instance, a study by the DoE in 2012 into mass
adoption requirements for EVs and HEBVs forecast that power density has to double and the cost of
manufacture in electric motors must come down by 88% (source: DoE, US Department of Energy) in order to
make this technology commercially viable.
Various challenges come with power density increases on this scale, where substantial downsizing is the goal
and where thermal management can play a crucial role. So, how can advanced electrical insulation systems
based on high-performance polymers such as VICTREX™ PEEK in a thin film format called APTIV™ films
address these challenges? And how can they contribute to a viable and cost-effective solution without
compromising performance and reliability? Possible answers will soon be explored by James Bonnett
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About the author
Chris Slowinski, Key Account Manager Automotive, Victrex
Chris Slowinski joined Victrex in 2016 after 22 years of
experience with North American OEM’s and tiers. His business development career spans a wide diversity of
products including chassis, powertrain, exterior trim, glazing and exterior lighting.
Since joining Victrex, Chris has focused his activities on the developing EV and HEV markets, specifically in electric
powertrain for light and commercial vehicles. He also is responsible for developing applications for traditional PAEK
products. Chris holds a BSME from the Milwaukee School of Engineering and an MBA from Northern Illinois
University.
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