SECTOR FOCUS: BASE OILS
Decarbonising the automotive industry is going to be a complex endeavour
Kari Kulmala, Technical Product Manager, Chevron Base Oils Bhaskar Mukherjee, Global Qualification Manager, Chevron Base Oils
The growth in electric vehicle (EV) sales has dominated industry headlines. However EVs are costly to produce, require significant infrastructure development and have a challenging supply chain. Decarbonising the automotive industry will require overcoming significant issues.
The growth in electric vehicle (EV) sales has dominated the industry headlines. Volvo, has pledged to have all electric fleets by 2030, General Motors has said 2035. The highest value automaker in the world is now California- based Tesla, dwarfing the giants of the industry, despite selling only a fraction of the volume of cars.
catalytic converter technology, sustainable fuels and lubricant performance are lowering the carbon impact of ICEs.
Transition takes time and refinement At the turn of the last century electric vehicles were the rage. They were clean, quiet and easy to drive. Innovators took note of their high demand. Thomas Edison, thinking they were the superior mode of transportation worked to build a better battery. Twenty years later electric vehicles were eclipsed by gasoline powered autos that could be driven much farther between “fill-ups”.
Source: International Energy Agency
When was the last time you saw a headline in the trade press touting the latest breakthrough in internal combustion engines? The noise generated by industry headlines can obscure market reality. EVs are costly to produce, require significant infrastructure development and have a challenging supply chain.
Internal combustion engine vehicles (ICE) will continue to rule the roadways for the foreseeable future. Technical advancements in engine designs,
10 LUBE MAGAZINE NO.169 JUNE 2022
Ironically, early ICE producers added batteries to their gasoline vehicles, so they could have the conveniences of electric cars, such as headlights and a horn. A hundred years later electric vehicles re-entered the passenger car market, but they still face some of the same challenges as before, including limited range and lack of infrastructure for refuelling. Also, those with the longest range tend to be very expensive when compared to ICE alternatives. If only Edison would have been as successful with battery technology as he was with the lightbulb!
Electric vehicles are an important link in decarbonising the transportation industry, but they are only one part of the solution.
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