Thermal insulates can progress OEMs’ lightweighting goals 

One of the consequences of the transition to battery electric vehicles (BEVs) is a substantial increase in vehicle weight. Whereas the performance hatchback Abarth 695 weighs around 1,090kg, the Abarth 500e—a comparable BEV variant—weighs 1,410kg. Weight increases can be even larger proportionally depending on vehicle size: one of the heaviest mass-market BEVs, the full-size pick-up GMC Hummer EV, can weigh upwards of 4,760kg, with an 800V battery pack comprising around 1,310kg. The 2023 GMC Sierra, another full-size pick-up but with an internal combustion engine (ICE), weighs just under 2,700kg. 

While this added weight is largely offset by the superior horsepower and torque enabled by e-motors, actually driving the vehicles still presents several problems. In 2023, Michelin warned that BEVs wear down tyres 20% faster than ICE vehicles, largely due to the greater overall weight. Another issue is safety: European traffic institute Vias warned in 2021 that for every 300kg of additional vehicle weight, the risk of fatal injuries in a collision with other road users increases by 30%.