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Tuesday, 26 April 2022 08:10

There is a need for efficient and sustainable battery transport

Electric vehicles are the future of the global automotive industry. However, transporting batteries used in electric vehicles remains a problem - it is dangerous and expensive. By using CHEP's specialized reusable packaging for batteries, environmental and financial risks are eliminated.

Demand for electric and hybrid vehicles is constantly accelerating. It is driven, among others by growing consumer awareness and environmental legislation. Even in the current pandemic, sales of electric (EV) and hybrid (PHEV) vehicles in Europe have suffered much less than sales of internal combustion cars. Long-term electric vehicle sales forecasts for the post-coronavirus pandemic period foresee a faster recovery in this segment and obtain 42% of the European car market by the year 203.

There are more and more investments in the production of EV / PHEV vehicles. At the same time, batteries are the most expensive and critical component - their cost reaches 25-40% of the total cost of car production. The stringent regulations governing the transportation of batteries place manufacturers and suppliers at considerable risk both in terms of cost and liability.

According to forecasts, lithium-ion batteries will dominate the EV / PHEV market in the next decade.

However, lithium is highly flammable, and large EV batteries can leak and run rapidly if not handled correctly, which can result in environmental and financial losses. For this reason, these components are classified as class 9 of dangerous goods (packing group II), and their transport packaging requires rigorous certification by the United Nations. Batteries must be protected against overheating, stored stably and locked, to avoid exposure to electrically conductive surfaces. Due to such costs, the use of disposable packaging is unprofitable.

That's why CHEP has leveraged its global scale and expertise in working with the automotive industry to develop reusable solutions. Thanks to them, the risk and unnecessary waste are eliminated from the transport of batteries. CHEP's Eurobin and IsoBin are among the most used domestic and international shipping containers in the automotive supply chain.

In addition, CHEP - as the world's largest pooling company for shared reusable media - ensures container quality and continuity of supply regardless of changes in demand.