Seeking to be ahead of its competitors, Volkswagen entered into a new partnership with CBMM to produce the first car powered by niobium batteries.
In the automakers' race to make electric cars more viable for consumers, Volkswagen Caminhões e Ônibus and CBMM closed an agreement to advance in the dispute. The multinational automaker and the company famous for the production of items that have niobium in their composition, joined in the development of the first Brazilian vehicle powered by niobium batteries. Thus, with the agreement, Volkswagen will be the first automaker in the world to test the batteries that are produced by CBMM in partnership with Toshiba.
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Niobium batteries will enter the Brazilian market in 2023
The agreement provides for CBMM to supply Volkswagen with batteries to be manufactured alongside its vehicles at its plant in Resende.
Once the prototype has evolved, the new vehicle with niobium batteries must be tested continuously, evolving in hours, until it reaches the 24-hour test of operation. With these tests, CBMM estimates that it will have a niobium battery fully prepared to be sold in the automotive market by early 2023.
In total, CBMM forecasts the production of 5 cells, in agreement with Toshiba, to be delivered for testing later this year. In addition to the multinational, CBMM also predicts that the cells will be sent to another 25 assemblers that work with the manufacture of electric vehicles.
CBMM and Volkswagen executives speak
According to the vice-president of CBMM, Ricardo Lima, for the first time the company is installing this solution, which, due to the use of Niobium oxide in the battery anode, will allow the vehicle to charge ultra-fast, which will take less than 10 minutes. .
In addition, it has greater durability, useful life and safety. Not to mention the autonomy of vehicles that reach 350 km, very close to that of a combustion engine. To achieve all these benefits, Volkswagen will create and test vehicles fully adapted with the new batteries at its Development Center.
According to the president of VWCO in Brazil, CBMM will supply the niobium batteries and Volkswagen will test and prove the product's efficiency, in addition to operationalization and productivity in real uses. During this period, Volkswagen will monitor the data in real time, install the ultra-fast charging infrastructure and prepare the entire chain with driver training.
Investment plan that can reach R$ 2 billion
The multinational Volkswagen did not disclose the investment value of the partnership with CBMM, but states that the agreement comprises an investment plan of R$ 2 billion, which will be applied over the next 5 years.
For the automaker, the main attribute of electric vehicles is their efficiency. According to Roberto, the company has many routes being studied to improve sustainability, such as ethanol, fuel cell and CNG.
A study was also carried out that proves that the electric vehicle is the most productive among all alternatives. This is because of the energy generated by sustainable sources such as solar and wind, until it reaches the charger that will be used by cars, there is 75% efficiency, which in fuel cells only reach 25%.
