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Manufacturing was conducted by Volkswagen and Toshiba using 100% Brazilian technology
Volkswagen Trucks and Buses (VWCO) in partnership with CBMM (Brazilian Company of Metallurgy and Mining) formalized an agreement to develop and manufacture niobium-based batteries for electric vehicles. One of the advantages of the Brazilian technology is the charging of electric cars in up to six minutes.
Video: Government Representatives and Niobium Battery Creators Informing About the Technology
The venture is expected to elevate Brazil’s position in the automotive segment through the union between the vehicle manufacturer and CBMM, a company dedicated to the development of new technologies using niobium.
This project is the result of nearly four years of research in Japan, in partnership with the Toshiba technology conglomerate.
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In light of the announcement, President Jair Messias Bolsonaro (without party) celebrated the development of the niobium-based battery and emphasized Brazil’s important role in this process.
The country is the largest holder of the mineral in the world. About 90% of the planet’s niobium reserves are located in Brazilian lands, according to the Federal Government.
“100% national technology: Brazil presents the world’s first niobium battery that will allow electric cars to recharge in 6 minutes. Volkswagen and Toshiba have already closed a partnership to commercialize the technology,” Bolsonaro posted on social media.
According to Volkswagen, the start of operations with the niobium-based batteries will be dedicated to electric buses, manufactured by the company itself. This is because these vehicles are larger and have scheduled routes, requiring fast charging.
According to the announcement, Toshiba is already developing new niobium-based battery cells, which should be ready by December of this year.
VW also stated that it will begin testing only next year and still expects a functional model of an electric vehicle using niobium-based batteries to be ready by the end of 2022.
During this period, the manufacturer will analyze the data and direct the studies on application in vehicles. The company is also responsible for the recharging infrastructure, driver training, and safety guidelines.
The multinational reported that currently the research for the utility of niobium in vehicle batteries is focused on serving commercial fleets.
However, it did not rule out the possibility of investments that develop niobium batteries intended for private cars.
What is Niobium?
Niobium is a chemical element, identified by the symbol Nb and atomic number 41 and atomic mass 92.9 u.
As a transition element, niobium belongs to group 5 of the periodic table. The metal was discovered in 1801 by English chemist Charles Hatchett, but it was not until the mid-20th century that the element began to gain greater prominence.
Due to its ability to alter the properties of other materials, the properties of niobium today have numerous applications, such as in cars, aircraft turbines, bridge and building structures, magnetic resonance imaging devices, pacemakers, space probes, rockets, gas pipelines, electronic components, and batteries.
How is Niobium Extracted?
Niobium is found in ores, such as columbite and tantalite, unlike other elements found abundantly in nature.
Niobium is identified in these minerals in the form of the stable isotope 93 Nb; however, it is estimated that there are at least 28 radioisotopes already synthesized, with mass volumes ranging from 83 to 110 u.
Brazil contains most of the niobium available on the planet. The country is also responsible for the largest share of the commercialization of this metal.
In 1965, the federal government authorized the Brazilian Company of Metallurgy and Mining (CBMM), in partnership with the American government, to explore the niobium reserves found in Brazilian soil.
This occurred due to the lack of proven use of this element in Brazilian territory.
Years later, CBMM began acquiring the portion that belonged to the Americans and gained control over the global commercialization of niobium.
Despite the abundance of niobium in the country, the federal government does not obtain significant returns for the national treasury. This happens because it is sold at a low cost compared to other metals, such as gold.
The precious metal, for example, is sold for double the market value of niobium.
Furthermore, niobium is also a substitutable metal. This means that it can be applied in place of other metals in alloys instead of niobium.
Another detail that hampers the commercialization of niobium is the fact that we sell the raw material without providing any added value to the extracted metal.
What are the Advantages of this Mineral?
The main advantages of niobium are high thermal and electrical conductivity, ductility, malleability, and high resistance to heat, wear, and corrosion.
These characteristics provide the metal with the ability to enhance the properties of materials, making them more efficient.
As a result, niobium is currently applied in various sectors, making important technological contributions. For example:
Mobility
Niobium is essential for technological innovations focusing on developing smarter and more resilient materials, ensuring lightness, performance, efficiency, and greater safety in the mobility sector.
Energy
Among the contributions of niobium to the energy sector, the generation and consumption of clean energy, safe batteries, and fast charging with greater lifespan and energy density can be highlighted.
Additionally, the metal ensures more efficient storage solutions as a result of using materials formulated from niobium technology to guarantee a future powered by renewable energy.
Structural
Niobium helps to solve complex engineering challenges, enabling material economy and efficiency. Projects with more modern structures promote greater design freedom and safety, with increased resistance and sturdiness, in a more sustainable way.
Niobium is a wealth of Brazil, with a significant need for better valuation, and the investment from Volkswagen in partnership with CBMM opens an important precedent for the future of the country’s economy.
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