Fear of the Unknown

Automotive innovation is racing ahead when it comes to electrification. Driven by pressure from current and future emissions standards, new developments are being brought online quicker than ever before. What’s more, these developments are revolutionary, not evolutionary. Rather than refining a few components, whole new systems are being created with a raft of new materials, all of which demand a fresh look at lubrication. Any one of these changes would bring with them a number of unfamiliar challenges. Together, they create a veritable mountain of unknowns and potential risk.
 
Most OEMs are climbing this mountain in relative isolation. Each must navigate a route through uncharted territory, with precious little collective industry wisdom to draw upon. Nor can they delay reaching its peak; emissions legislation demands rapid solutions, yet these still have to be reliable enough to maintain the trust of consumers and protect the reputation of the brand.
 
When speed is king, collaboration is queen. This article explores that developing lubricants in parallel with new hardware and materials can help to identify issues and solutions much earlier, boosting confidence levels and reducing time to market. Can lubricants ease the way to reliability?
 
This article was originally published in the Summer 2021 issue of e-mobility Technology International Magazine.