Webasto claims success in EV battery business with new customer orders

German systems supplier Webasto has announced that its electromobility solutions – especially battery systems for EVs - are gaining huge momentum. Since April, it has been producing its first own battery system for passenger cars at the new battery plant in Dangjin, South Korea. The company is exhibiting its entire battery product portfolio and related solution at the upcoming Battery Show Europe in Stuttgart (June 28 to 30).

Webasto is currently supplying passenger car battery systems to Hyundai-Kia Motors Corporation (HKMC) in two different variants, namely the long-range version with a capacity of 68.7 kWh and a basic version that offers 50.9 kWh.

In addition to two large-volume projects for Hyundai-Kia, the Webasto has received its first battery order from a German automaker early this year. An additional plant will be built in Europe to realize this order, according to the press statement.

Overall, the two recent battery orders alone are worth more than one billion euros, overtaking the orders realized in other business areas of the company - namely roof, heating and cooling solutions - for the first time.

The company's standard battery for commercial vehicles, manufactured at its technology plant in Schierling, Germany, can be utilized in both 400- and 800-volt systems depending on the configuration.

Webasto claims that more than 20 customers have now placed their orders for the standard battery system, which combines the price benefits of a scalable mass-market product with the precision fit of a custom solution.

The battery system's robust design also makes the standard battery ideal for use in construction machinery, according to the company. It has recently teamed up with Dutch start-up E.C.E., to convert excavators to electric operation.

Since June, Webasto is also offering the Vehicle Interface Gateway (VIG), which handles the electrical interconnection of the battery systems – as an interface between the standard battery system and the vehicle. This can be used to control up to nine battery packs in a 400-volt system and up to 18 in an 800-volt system, up to a total capacity of 630 kWh.

Thanks to its compact design, VIG is also suitable for vehicles with smaller installation spaces. "Our customers need to be able to design their battery system as flexibly as possible. The VIG offers even more options, especially in terms of space and capacity, to meet the respective requirements," says Sebastian Fuchs, Product Manager Batteries at Webasto.

In addition to battery systems, Webasto will also exhibit the 'Next' charging station at the Battery Show Europe. This facilitates intelligent and efficient electric vehicle charging in private and commercial environments at up to 22 kilowatts (kW), according to the supplier.