Over the past decade, electric vehicle (EV) sales have surged, with nearly
one in five cars sold in 2023 being electric. Driven by consumer interest and government support, this growth is expected to continue and will have major implications for the steel industry. As EVs move from a niche market to a significant portion of automotive production, high-strength steels and advanced materials will become more prevalent due to OEMs seeking to reduce vehicle weight while maintaining safety, durability and overall performance.
Charter Steel’s History and Experience in the Automotive Industry
At Charter Steel, we harness our extensive automotive industry experience, coupled with our robust technical team and world-class lab, to support the production of critical EV components. Our dedicated EV team, comprised of technical service engineers (TSEs), automotive experts, strategy specialists and marketing professionals, work together to continually refine processes and deliver high-quality steel solutions. Together, this team is committed to understanding and innovating to meet the evolving needs of the EV market.
Building on our leadership in cold heading, bearing and suspension spring steel, we are now well-versed in SBQ applications, maintaining the same high standards we uphold across all our capabilities.
Introducing SBQ Steel for EV Applications
Our precise production controls help us ensure uniform SBQ solutions with superior mechanical properties and a flawless finish, making them ideal for EV components like battery pack fasteners, gears, planetary shafts, suspension springs and other parts that endure continuous fatigue.
The Charter Steel team is continually seeking ways to evolve our services to meet your needs, leveraging our extensive experience with internal combustion engine (ICE) components to advance into the EV market.
Internal Combustion Engines (ICE) vs. Electric Vehicles (EVs): Steelmaking and Machining
As the automotive industry leans into EVs, Charter Steel is evolving to support new and upgraded components. Rather than simply adapting legacy applications, we focus on finding and creating innovative solutions specifically tailored to the needs of EVs, using data and collaboration to ensure mutual success.
One area we’re closely monitoring is the potential shift from steel to non-ferrous bearings for electric motor shafts and wheel end applications. Due to concerns about magnetic fields, this shift may occur in the future. Although significant changes haven’t been observed yet, we are prepared to innovate steel grades to meet future EV requirements.
In response to the heavier curb weight on EVs due to battery packs, the Charter Steel team collaborated with suspension spring manufacturers to adapt our offerings to include larger diameter rods to support heavier spring designs. Similarly, the fastener landscape is evolving with new requirements for high-strength, battery pack and isolation fasteners. With our extensive expertise and technical capabilities in the fastener market, partnering with us gives you access to solutions for these emerging applications.
Even for considerations that seem to go beyond the scope of steel supply, we ask ourselves how we as a steelmaker can help address new challenges our partners may be facing. For example, since EVs lack traditional transmissions and operate at higher RPMs, they require solutions to help minimize noise and vibration. As we dig into this issue, we are exploring ways to support OEMs in addressing these challenges during machining.
EV Components and Charter Steel’s Commitment to Your Success
Our dedication to high-quality steelmaking ensures that your EV components meet the highest standards. By maintaining strict controls to minimize impurities and nonmetallic inclusions, we aim to enhance the performance and durability of EV components.
As this new market continues to evolve, Charter Steel is dedicated to working with our partners to develop custom solutions, whether for new designs, configurations or other requirements.
If interested in learning more and meeting with our EV team, email cs-evinquiry@chartersteel.com.