Components of the Fu tu re
The transformation of the automotive industry is advancing at pace. In this setting, it is self-evident that battery technology has a key role to play. Indeed, if the transition to low-emission or even emission-free mobility is to succeed, registrations of battery electric vehicles will have to pick up speed rapidly. In 2022, ElringKlinger chose Neuffen as the location for its battery business – and is now in the process of expanding its overall capacity just a few years after the facility was inaugurated. The e-mobility site plays a pivotal role in the Group’s strategy.
Jürgen Weingärtner, Senior Vice President Electric Drive and Battery Technology, is brimming with energy. Plans to expand the Neuffen site are in full swing, and the first steps have already been taken. The sheer scale of the project becomes abundantly clear when one looks at the floor plan attached to the flipchart in front of him. The current production space of 14,500 square meters is to be expanded by a further 4,500 square meters. This was prompted by the volume of incoming orders for e-mobility applications. Since 2021, these have added up to around 2.5 billion euros, according to Weingärtner’s calculations. The majority of these are being processed in Neuffen.
The location of the site for emerging technologies is perfect. Just 10 kilometers from the Group headquarters in Dettingen/Erms, cell contacting systems are manufactured on a production line in two shifts – three years after the facility commenced operations. Every week, a large-scale consignment leaves the plant and makes its way to the customer, a global battery manufacturer. By the end of the year, the site will boast four production lines.
4500 m²
the space to be added to the Neuffen site as part of its planned expansion.
Everything under one roof
There is more to Neuffen than just its proximity to ElringKlinger’s headquarters. The scale of the site is another obvious benefit, providing the basis for highly effective operations. All the key departments associated with electric drive units and battery technology are located in Neuffen. It is home to development, quality and project management, and product and manufacturing engineering – with short lines of communication guaranteed. It goes without saying that Jürgen Weingärtner’s office is also located here; like many other staff members, he has a view of the imposing site known as the birthplace of the state of Baden-Württemberg, the ruins of Hohenneuffen Castle.
At its Neuffen site, ElringKlinger is fully focused on developing pioneering solutions tailored to the world of mobility – present and future. Dedicated testing and validation facilities, such as cell, module, and system tests or component validation, are available for the purpose of assessing the various products in their entirety. From development to prototyping, testing, and series production – everything comes together at the site specializing in the technologies of the future. From individual components – such as cell contacting systems, housings, and covers – to complete battery systems. Short development cycles, the complex interaction of individual components and exacting standards with regard to cost-effectiveness and sustainability call for an integrated approach, as Jürgen Weingärtner emphasizes. This is an essential prerequisite for creating intelligent solutions at the highest technological level.
» The Neuffen site is ideally suited to evolving our battery technology products in an effort to retain our strong position in the future. «
Jürgen Weingärtner, Senior Vice President Electric Drive and Battery Technology, ElringKlinger
Extensive testing options
The testing department at the Neuffen site has a special role to play, as ElringKlinger relies primarily on in-house expertise to assure the quality of battery development. Test capacities relating to battery storage and module, cell, and component evaluation at the site for emerging technologies were expanded once again to ensure the continuous expansion of ElringKlinger’s e-mobility portfolio. Alongside high-tech devices for analytical purposes, such as GloveBox, X-ray, and scanning electron microscopes, the Neuffen facility can rely on shakers, hardware-in-the-loop systems, and test benches for cells and battery systems of various designs.
As Jürgen Weingärtner explains, ElringKlinger currently tests and validates battery systems, modules, cells, and components over an area of 2,000 square meters at its Neuffen site. The spectrum of expertise ranges from mechanical tests to electrical and electrochemical tests. The site’s testing capabilities cover methods to ensure that all relevant test specifications and standards are met.
Covering an area of over 1,500 square meters, the prototyping facility is where new technologies, processes, and products are put into practice. It is here that the foundations are laid for successful industrialization and series production, as Weingärtner well knows. The various products are manufactured here in close coordination with the development departments.
The flexible operating lines at the Neuffen plant are designed to ensure product-oriented manufacturing, assembly, and testing, from individual prototypes to small-batch production. Processes such as laser welding, ultrasonic welding, bonding, and many more besides are adapted to the requirements of battery storage systems, battery modules, cell contacting systems, and cell covers. At the end of the process chain, the prototypes and small-batch parts then undergo full end-of-line testing.
1500 m²
Covering an area of over 1,500 square meters, the prototyping facility is where new technologies, processes, and products are put into practice.
Cell contacting system as a key to success
The cell contacting system, which was used in the BMW Group’s first all-electric vehicle, the BMW i3, is one of the first products developed and manufactured by ElringKlinger in the field of battery technology. ElringKlinger cell contacting systems for lithium-ion batteries in various configurations are tailored precisely to customer requirements; they can be fitted directly onto the cell combination and welded together accordingly. Cell contacting systems consist of a plastic carrier frame that accommodates the cell connectors and ensures installability in all tolerance positions. The required voltage and temperature sensors are already built into the systems. In addition, the monitoring electronics (CSC) can also be integrated. Automotive plug systems or screw connectors can be used for the electrical connection to external units.
This component is a major success factor in ElringKlinger’s overall battery strategy. It is destined to find its way from the Neuffen plant to end customers.
Forward-looking business
ElringKlinger has been mass-producing battery components for more than a decade. The company puts its expertise in metal forming and punching technology to good use in the production of cell contacting systems. The development and production process for cell contacting systems is based on the company’s core capabilities, and it is precisely this aspect that allows ElringKlinger to achieve a high proportion of value creation within the Group itself.
Cell contacting systems for the New Class of the BMW Group
ElringKlinger has been awarded a high-volume series production contract by the BMW Group, covering a period of several years. At the Neuffen site, the company produces the latest generation of cell contacting systems for the Neue Klasse series to be launched by the Munich-based manufacturer of premium vehicles. The European start of production (SOP) for this order is scheduled for 2025. This is to be followed by production and delivery for the Asian market.
» ElringKlinger cell contacting systems are tailored precisely to customer requirements; they can be fitted directly onto the cell combination and welded together accordingly. «
Jürgen Weingärtner, Senior Vice President Electric Drive and Battery Technology, ElringKlinger
Major order for battery components
ElringKlinger has received an additional series production order for cell contacting systems from a global battery manufacturer for the series platform of a German premium carmaker, with a total volume in the mid-triple-digit million euro range and a contractual term of around nine years. Production at the Neuffen site for technologies of the future commenced in 2023. This order is also considered an important step for ElringKlinger as it pursues its transformation; it bears testimony the Group’s expertise as a premier supplier of battery components.
