Electrical steel market to benefit from growth in electric vehicle production
Electric Vehicles (EV) are set to play a pivotal role in tackling the energy and environmental issues in the transport sector. Automakers are being pushed to develop energy efficient and reliable alternatives in the form of electric vehicles and fuel cell vehicles. So far, electric vehicle sales are growing faster, though from a low base. Major countries such as the US, China and the UK have incentivised the electric vehicles market through subsidies, grants as well as investment in charging infrastructure.
With the rise in electric vehicles production, electrical steel demand would also rise. Electric vehicles market will support non-grain oriented electrical steel (NGOES) market through the use of electric motors while grain-oriented electrical steel to be underpinned through charging infrastructure.
Electrical Motor (EM) is the key part of an electric vehicle which also defines the vehicle efficiency and performance. On average there are a dozen of motors and motor products in a standard C-category car, whereas the numbers can be four-fold in the medium to high-end vehicles. Most low-end auto engines use low-frequency and low-power motors, so the requirements for electrical steel are not high. However, moving from a combustion engine to an electric motor substantially increase demand for non-grain oriented electrical steel.
Electric motors in an EV operate at 10-50 times higher frequency range compared to a conventional motor. To operate at such a higher frequency also requires high-quality non-grain oriented electrical steel. NGOES are used in high-speed motors so when an external magnetic field is applied it generates a very high magnetic flux density which in turn yields the torque of an electrical motor. Torque is the key element in determining the motor’s speed and acceleration.
High grades of non-grain electrical steel help in reducing the core loss problem encountered in electric motors of higher frequencies due to constantly changing directions of the magnetic field. Among other benefits, it also improves power density, which subsequently adds on to motor’s overall efficiency. NGOES are produced in different grades depending on its composition, process, properties and applications.
One of the vital parts of the electric vehicle ecosystem is the charging infrastructure. The increasing global demand for electric vehicles will be the primary catalyst for the rapid rise of EV charging stations. Commodity Inside understands that these charging infrastructures need special transformers which consequently increase demand for GOES through the deployment of charging infrastructure.
About Commodity Inside electrical steel capabilities:
Commodity Inside has a vast experience in the electrical steel industry. In addition to annual reports on electrical steel, it has completed various consulting studies on the electrical steel market. The 2019 edition of Electrical Steel Market Outlook is now available.
Would you want to explore this topic or any other research areas further, please contact us for FREE Consultations at Research@commodityinside.com