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It's nothing new: the automotive industry is evolving towards an electric mobility concept. The objective: to create a more sustainable and environmentally friendly model.   

To understand how Fagor Ederlan is tackling these challenges and changes, we talked to Ángel Lequerica and Ricardo Valoria, the company's new business model developers. In our interview, we discussed the importance of innovation and technology in the company's strategy, the main challenges facing the automotive sector in its transition to electrification, and the company's vision for electric mobility.  

As for the future, Angel and Ricardo tell us about Fagor Ederlan's commitment to sustainability and its firm commitment to innovation and technology in the search for more efficient and environmentally friendly solutions. Battery Pack, the company's innovative project, is a good example of this. With its experience and leadership in the transformation of the sector towards electrification, Fagor Ederlan is positioned as a key player in the path towards a more sustainable and innovative model.  

How will the automotive sector evolve in the coming years and how is Fagor Ederlan prepared to face the changes and challenges that may arise? 

The mobility sector is in full transformation. It is not only evolving towards an electric, shared, connected and autonomous mobility model, but also towards one that is sustainable and environmentally friendly (neutral industry).   

To achieve this, it is essential to develop new technologies and advanced processes that have a lower carbon footprint; such developments are just as important as the development of the electric vehicle and its systems and components.   

Therefore, our strategy is focused on both challenges in order to contribute to the transformation of the sector towards a more sustainable and innovative model. 

What role do innovation and technology play in Fagor Ederlan's strategy? 

Innovation and technological development are crucial for the future of our business. At Fagor Ederlan, we focus on the development of new activities that allow us to follow the transformation of the mobility sector with advanced proposals that meet the needs of the new mobility models. 

We want to reduce the environmental impact of our industrial activity, improving our carbon footprint and developing increasingly efficient and environmentally friendly components, systems and technologies. One example is the ARINN CAST technology, which enables us to manufacture components that meet the highest standards of recyclability without the need to use sand cores. We also develop disc coating technologies that comply with European regulations on particulate emissions during braking.  
 
These proposals are complemented by our innovative activity in the development of new components and systems for electric mobility, which is a priority in our technological development and innovation program. 

What are the biggest challenges facing the automotive sector in the transition to electrification? How is Fagor Ederlan addressing these challenges? 

Reducing the weight of components (lightweighting) and therefore of the vehicle is emerging as one of the main strategies for reducing CO2 emissions from hybrid vehicles and for improving the range of battery electric vehicles. At Fagor Ederlan we are committed to this goal, and therefore we are developing increasingly lighter components, such as bimetallic or aluminum discs, designed specifically for electric mobility applications. We also focus on the manufacture of subframes and electric powertrain components.  

What is Fagor Ederlan's vision in relation to electric mobility? 

Electrification is one of the main decarbonization strategies in the automotive sector. Suppliers play a crucial role and at Fagor Ederlan we have been working on a technology roadmap focused on electric mobility for years. This plan includes initiatives for component lightweighting and solutions for electric powertrain components, as well as the development of new systems for electric vehicles. Our Battery Pack project arises within the framework of this innovative activity.  

Battery Pack: How does Fagor Ederlan's battery proposal differ from those of other manufacturers? What are the main features and benefits of your Battery Pack proposal?  

The Battery Pack project responds to the strategy of developing new systems in the field of electrification for eBus, commercial vehicles, eTruck and other offroad applications. 

Our proposal is aimed at small and medium-sized OEMs of electric vehicles (categories M and N) that cannot meet their needs with large battery suppliers. These manufacturers usually have little flexibility in catalog solutions, little possibility to negotiate commercial conditions, little closeness in the relationship and sometimes uncompetitive prices for their own offer to the market. This situation is due to the inability of large suppliers to adequately serve a constantly growing market.  

Our solution is designed to be compatible with market standards, is intended for short and medium series, and is designed to best suit the application. This provides the possibility to develop electric vehicles without the obligation to adapt them to a predetermined battery. Various locations can be easily placed on the vehicle, allowing for more on-board power and potentially less lead time to get the customized solution.  

Our solution differs from standard catalog products by being lighter and more compact. With minimal thickness, it fits into existing or vehicle anchors and allows for both vertical and horizontal mounting. It is designed for applications with more demanding requirements than simpler applications, and features liquid cooling, R10, R100 and UN 38.3 certifications, as well as the J1939 communications standard, among other features.  
 
What are the next steps of the project and of Fagor Ederlan's electrification technology roadmap?  

 After having developed a first solution oriented to heavy transport vehicles (eBus, eTruck) during the last year, the project has entered the industrialization phase. We are looking for modular and scalable assembly processes that provide flexibility and allow us to provide an adequate response to our customers' projects, starting with prototypes and pre-series up to series production. In relation to the product and complementing our current solution based on NMC chemistry, we have defined a roadmap for the use of other chemistries (LFP), different cell formats and "Cell to Pack" configuration.

How are we experiencing this moment of technological transition in the sector at Fagor Ederlan? 
 
Without a doubt, the future presents challenges, but we are working to transform them into opportunities and to continue offering our customers and the sector the best solutions, committed to development and the achievement of the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals. In this way, we hope that the legacy we leave to future generations will be better and more sustainable.   

In short, at Fagor Ederlan we position ourselves as a company committed to the transformation of the automotive sector towards a more sustainable and innovative model. Our Battery Pack project is an example of our ability to lead the electrification of the sector, responding to the needs of small and medium-sized manufacturers of electric vehicles. Our focus on innovation and technology makes us a key player in the search for more efficient and environmentally friendly solutions.