New Mobility Changes Tomorrow’s World

It’s the biggest change in mobility since the invention of the automobile in 1886. Internal combustion engines, hybrid technology, fuel cells, pure-play electric cars or autonomous driving – the options for traveling from A to B by road are becoming increasingly diverse. Forecasts have several different predictions. Which technology will make the breakthrough at which point in time? One thing, though, is certain: tomorrow’s mobility will bear little resemblance to today’s. “The world is changing and we are keeping a very close eye on those changes. That is why ‘new mobility’ will feature prominently in our strategy for 2018-2020,” explains Dr. Mohsen Sohi, Freudenberg Group CEO, today at the press conference in Bengaluru.

With up to 300 different Freudenberg components found in any given car model, it is not surprising that the German technology group is already actively working with its customers to address the challenges that arise from this mobility shift. Components are found in batteries, engines, charging units and many other elements. Innovative solutions from Freudenberg help make cars safer thanks to state-of-the-art battery components. Filters ensure clean cabin air. A broad-ranging sealing technology portfolio increases useful lifetime and improves thermal management. Cars make less noise thanks to advanced anti-vibration technology and specialty lubricants make them more efficient.

In 2016, Freudenberg generated some 40 percent of its global sales from its activities in the automotive industry – in India about 50 percent. Already today, products are being used in hybrid and electric vehicles. Battery components, including Freudenberg’s Safety Separator, help make cars safer while at the same time extending their service life. A wafer-thin yet extremely durable nonwoven separator, equipped with a functional ceramic material impregnation, keeps the plus and minus poles permanently separated. This minimizes the risk of short circuits or even battery fires while allowing the ions and thus the current to flow freely.

With its wide product portfolio, Freudenberg is the right partner to drive e-mobility in India forward. Today, only 1 percent of 200 million vehicles on Indian roads are e-vehicles. The country is thinking of switching most vehicles to battery power by 2030. Key will be the provision of subsidies driven by a battery leasing strategy. Freudenberg is ready to enter into a close dialogue with its Indian customers, contributing leading-edge expertise built on a long history of supplying battery components.