The Growing Market of Electric Vans
Electric van manufacturing has become a significant sector in recent years.
Experts predict that the global electric van market will be valued at over £25 million by 2030, growing at a CAGR of 21%. This growth is accounted for by favourable government regulations and policies on carbon emission, alongside the rapid adoption and commercialisation of zero-emission cars. Growth in this sector is also particularly well-connected with growth in electric vehicle batteries and charging stations.
Electric vans are increasingly used for mobile inner-city food vendors, bakers, florists and various other ‘last-mile’ delivery services. In addition, larger electric vans and vehicles are used to transport goods and resources by manufacturers, as they have been shown to reduce fleet emissions significantly.
Adhesives & Sealants for Electric Van Manufacturing
Adhesives and sealants play a crucial role in electric van manufacturing by providing unique advantages over traditional bonding mechanisms:
- Lightweighting
- Improved aesthetics
- High structural strength
- Corrosion resistance
- Weather-proofing
Here at Antala, our technical experts have used the following products to successfully facilitate electric van manufacturing. The main applications that can benefit from adhesives and sealants are body in white, body panel construction, sandwich panels, chassis bonding and direct glazing.
BETAMATE 4600F
BETAMATE 4600F is an epoxy adhesive that can be used for chassis bonding within electric vans. It is ideal for use on lightweight pre-treated aluminium sections, increasing operation durability, crash performance and body stiffness. It provides excellent corrosion resistance with good tolerance to oil and lubricants.
BETAMATE 2090
BETAMATE 2090 is an epoxy adhesive, often used with BETAMATE 4600F, to increase crash performance and body stiffness in everything from electric vans to high-performance vehicles. It provides excellent adhesion to steel and pre-treated aluminium. It has been developed for applications that require a high glass transition temperature and fast curing.
BETAMATE 2810
BETAMATE 2810 is a polyurethane adhesive that can be used for body panel construction within electric vans. It has been designed to bond composites, carbon fibre, SMC, plastics, laminates and paints after pre-treatment. Its high G modulus improves the vehicle’s torsional body stiffness. In addition, it decreases production time and allows for thermal expansion and contraction with a joint, without loss of integrity.
BETASEAL 1580
BETASEAL 1580 is a polyurethane adhesive that can be used for direct glazing applications within electric vans. It has successfully been used for glass, carbon fibre and SMC applications. The non-conductive formula reduces interference, making it suitable for windscreens with rain sensors, radio navigation antennas, and heating and demisting systems. The high-modulus formula helps promote the car’s structural integrity and stabilisation to improve the ride, reducing vehicle noises such as rattles and vibrations.
Overall, the right adhesives offer electric van manufacturers and the e-mobility sector as a whole to benefit from extreme strength and durability; whilst meeting the demanding needs of lightweighting to extend vehicle efficiencies. As well as the wide benefits of adhesives, premium lubrication solutions provide a wide range of unique characteristics to tackle the high temperatures, loads and speeds endured by electric vehicles; from reducing noise, vibration and harshness (NVH) to improving vehicle interior quality.
