The automotive industry questions the viability of electrification goals

By Redação AutoIndústria | 9/27/23 | Translated by Jorge Meditsch

Research performed by ABB Robotics and Automation about automotive production perspectives shows that even the industry considers the electric vehicle adoption goals unreachable in the schedule currently established.

Fifty-nine percent of the interviewed pointed this out, highlighting a series of challenges such as the adaptation to a new battery supply chain, the high investments necessary, raw materials scarcity and the lack of an adequate charging structure and net capacity.

The search made in partnership with the publication Automotive Manufacturing Solutions reveals that only 11% believe that all regional goals to adopt electric vehicles up to 2030-2040 are realistic. For the remaining 82%, the possibility of meeting the schedule is even viable, but to achieve this, a series of still-existent challenges must be overcome.

“The automotive industry is conscious of the pressures and difficulties to fulfill the regional schedules proposed to achieve a total production of electric vehicles,” said Joerg Reger, ABB Robotics’ automotive business global director, at the release of the search to automotive chain representatives.

The executive said that automation is key to ensuring more production efficiency and agility in the quest for the established goals.

“That is why we observe a high demand for our robots, specialized in electric vehicles’ powertrain assembly. These solutions reduce development time, improve flexibility, simplify production, and reduce manufacturing costs.”

Another point of the search was the challenges of adequate to a new battery supply chain. Nineteen percent of the interviewed consider this a relevant hindrance, as 16% are concerned with the high level of investment necessary.

On the other side, the lack of a charging infrastructure was mentioned as the major restriction to battery electric vehicle adoption by more than one-fourth (26%) of the interviewed, as 17% pointed to the high price of the vehicles as the main obstacle in electrics’ acceptance.