AUTOMOTIVE | COMPOUNDS


Picking up signals from the EV market


Compounders responding to the demands of electric vehicle applications must balance an expanding range of properties in their materials. Chris Saunders reports on new products


The electric vehicle (EV) industry has entered a new phase of development. While the first trends focused primarily on electrification and range, manufacturers are now concentrating on reducing costs, improving efficiency, enhancing safety, and meeting increasingly demanding sustainability targets, meaning that opportunities now exist far beyond replacing metal with plastic. The automo- tive industry is currently transitioning from 400V to 800V architectures as manufacturers seek to deliver faster charging, greater driving range, and im- proved powertrain efficiency. This move is redefin- ing performance requirements for advanced materials which must now deliver a combination of mechanical strength, flame resistance, thermal management, electrical insulation, and recyclability, all while remaining economically viable for high- volume production.


Higher power density and ultra-fast charging www.compoundingworld.com


generate greater thermal loads across the charging path, battery system, and electric drive compo- nents, so engineers must also maintain insulation, dimensional stability, and long-term reliability under more demanding operating conditions. “The shift to 800V is redefining the role of specialty polymers in electric vehicles,” said Nicolas Batailley, EMEA Business Development Manager at Syensqo. “Engineers are looking for materials that can simultaneously deliver electrical performance, thermal resistance, and long-term durability, while enabling more compact, lightweight designs. That’s where we see innovation in polymer compounds making a real difference for the next generation of high-voltage systems.” Recent material developments further illustrate


this trend. For example, new highly flowable polyphenylene sulphide (PPS) compounds make it possible to produce ultra-thin e-compressor


September 2026 | COMPOUNDING WORLD 47


IMAGE: SHUTTERSTOCK AI


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