Electric vehicle, opportunity for automotive equipment and components manufacturers

Electric vehicle is a present subjetc, not a future subject. Public and private agents are making effort to boost an emission-free mobility against climate change.

This new actor, the electric vehicle, means an important paradigm shiftfor many automotive manufacturers, who are investing resources and effort in R+D+I to adapt their production to this new concept of mobility.

According to this point, the equipment and components manufacturers belongingto Autoparts from Spain have avanced in this regard. They have understood paradigm shift as an opportunity.

Grupo Antolin, one of the main specialists in interior parts manufacturing around the world, and member of Autoparts from Spain, is an example. The company assume this kind of mobility as “an area which offers important growing opportunities for Grupo Antolin.” Because of this, the company is developing more integrated products which include more developments in technology and electronics, offering further lighting functions and solutions as well as reducing weight.

In this sense, the company is expanding as it nails down contracts to deliver parts for future global electric vehicles.

This plan includes a new plant in Cuautitlán, Mexico, to provide door panels and instrument panels for an electric vehicle that Ford will make in Mexico for a global market. Likewise, Grupo Antolin is set to supply all models of Volkswagen AG's new electric vehicle platform including electric cars for a growing market in China.

R+D+I devoted to sustainable mobility

Grupo Antolin is an example of the increasing importance that companies specialized in equipment and components manufacturing in Spain are gaining abroad. But there are more members of Autoparts of Spain that are taking on the new challenges of electric vehicle to advance with the society to the change to a new concept of mobility.

Gestamp is another example, company that is developing battery boxes which include multi-material solutions with an aluminium frame and steel modules for the cover, made thinking in a easy and safer reparation process.

Other member os Autoparts form Spain, Icer Brakers, is working in the development of ecological e2 brake pads for electric vehicles, awarded in the Innovation Gallery of Motortec 2019.

Likewise, Doga developes electric traction motors and wheel motors for motorbikes and light vehicles, with a clear focus on sustainable mobility.

Another example is FAE, company that developes components for electric vehicles like sensors, power converters or heating plates for the seat. Moreover, FAE bets for the investigation for future products for hybrid, electric, LPG and even hydrogen vehicles.

With all that, the boom experienced by the Spanish equipment and components industry is due to the productivity and advanced level of modernization of its factories, due to its significant investment in R+D+I and due to the high level of qualification of the workers. All this, focused on reaching high standards of quality, efficiency and competitiveness.