The two French companies aim to boost electrification research
The aerospace sector, led by Airbus, and the automotive sector, led by Renault, will work together to develop solutions for both companies focused on electrification.
To this end, Airbus and Renault have signed an agreement to research and develop synergies to accelerate both companies’ electrification roadmaps.
As a result of this collaboration, both Airbus and Renault Group engineering teams will join forces to develop new technologies related to energy storage in order to find a solution to the major problem of electric vehicles, that of covering long routes without having to stop to charge the battery.
The cooperation agreement will cover, in particular, technology components related to optimising energy management and improving battery weight, and will look at the best ways to move from current cell chemistries (advanced lithium-ion) to all solid-state designs that could double battery energy density in the 2030 timeframe.
The joint work will also study the full life cycle of future batteries, from production to recyclability, to prepare for the industrialisation of these future battery designs and assess their carbon footprint throughout their entire life cycle.
Gilles Le Borgne, Executive Vice President, Engineering, Renault Group had this to say:
“For the first time, two European leaders from different industries are sharing their engineering expertise to shape the future of hydroelectric aircraft. Aviation is an extremely demanding field in terms of safety and energy consumption, just like the automotive industry. At Renault Group, our 10 years of experience in the electric vehicle value chain gives us some of the strongest feedback from the field and expertise in the performance of battery management systems. Driven by the same ambition to innovate and reduce the carbon footprint, our engineering teams are exchanging with those at Airbus to converge cross-cutting technologies that will enable us to operate hybrid aircraft and develop the vehicles of tomorrow.”
Similarly, Airbus Chief Technical Officer Sabine Klauke commented that:
“This cross-sector partnership with Renault Group will help us mature the next generation of batteries as part of Airbus’ electrification roadmap. Achieving net zero carbon emissions by 2050 is a unique challenge that requires cooperation across sectors, starting today. Bringing together Renault Group’s expertise in electric vehicles with our own track record in electric flight demonstrators will enable us to accelerate the development of the disruptive technologies needed for future hybrid aircraft architectures in the 2030s and beyond. It will also foster the emergence of common technical and regulatory standards in support of the clean mobility solutions needed to achieve our climate goals.”
The original text of this article has been extracted from this link. Thanks.