As the federal government is set to nearly double car and light-duty truck fuel economy standards to the equivalent of 54.5 mpg by 2025, electric vehicle (EV) and hybrid electric vehicle technology will play a vital role—if lingering battery life and overheating issues can be resolved.
Battery packs on EV and hybrid vehicles only store the energy of about 1-2 gallons of gasoline. In addition, energy losses can come from the fasteners that hold the battery packs together. Traditional fasteners have difficulty maintaining electrical conductivity and connectivity with EV and hybrid battery terminals because after extended car vibration and thermal cycling, they typically lose about half of their original clamp load, according to Kevin Peacock, application engineer for Stanley Engineered Fastening, Madison Heights, Mich. (…)
