E-Mobility (Digital Cycle II)

As an example of multiple studies conducted in the E-mobility environment, Bloomberg NEF 2020 Electric Vehicle Outlook indicates that global annual demand for lithium-ion batteries will exceed 500 Gwh in 2025 (electric passenger and commercial vehicles, electric buses, stationary storage, e-motors and e-components), with average annual growth of over 20% until 2030. The capacity of the main lithium-ion battery mega-factories will reach over 2,000 GWh by 2028.

Industrial companies that develop their activity directly or indirectly in the environment of this trend are adapting their capabilities, using it as a key element of competitiveness in their value propositions. In this round table we will be joined by five benchmark companies that are at the center of the e-mobility equation in Spain:

• Javier Ema - Electrical&Electronics Director at Applus+ Laboratories
• Txema Otero - Sales Director for Spain and Portugal at Irizar eMobility
• Jordi Mestre - eMobility product engineering product director at FICOSA
• Xavier Martín - Tech Director at Wallbox Chargers
• Jordi Aubert - Engineering Director at IDNEO
• Moderator: Juan Antonio Gil

Javier Ema: There are many companies that want to enter the electromobility sector, some need to incorporate technologies they do not have and others need to know the sector better. Technology centers, multi-technology and multi-sectoral, can provide both the vision of the sector and the technology, with multidisciplinary teams that can help companies to enter this field.

 Jordi Aubert: For the first time in history, we understand the car as a device that connects to the electric grid, it becomes another element of the grid, a connected element. We see connectivity as a sine qua non of the electric car for practical purposes. It should not have to be, but it really is, and it is very convenient that it should be. So it also becomes one more thing in the internet of things.

Txema Otero: This whole pandemic situation has caused a revolution within the strategy set by Europe and all those milestones that had been predefined on emissions have been blown up. We have moved overnight to a strategy of decarbonization and digitalization.

Xavier Martín: How do we improve the autonomy of vehicles and how do we improve their charging process? Our approach has been to improve this charging process and see how we can revolutionize it. We are creating bi-directional chargers that change the paradigm a little bit and turn the car into the energy center of a house, being able to feed the residence. This revolutionizes the way home energy management is understood today.

Jordi Mestre: The hub has been the cherry on the cake, where we can have in one place a full capacity for the development of the products we are in charge of. In this case, two product families such as the management of high-voltage batteries and the charging of these same batteries.