Now and in the future, private transport in urban areas will be characterized by decarbonisation, deprivatisation, and intelligent networking. That means light, comfortable vehicles with more electrical components. Sika is helping to drive this trend with structural and heat-conductive adhesives and products for damping and reinforcing body construction.
is how much global sales of battery-powered electric vehicles have increased during 2022, compared to the year before. The potential for sales of Sika products is significantly higher in electric vehicles than in combustion engine-powered vehicles.
is how much less fuel a combustion-engined vehicle consumes when its weight is reduced by 10%. Using Sika products helps manufacturers make cars lighter.
weight reduction can be achieved if the vehicle body is constructed with lightweight materials. Structural adhesives such as SikaPower® are extensively used to join these new materials.
Lightweight Construction
Systematically using SikaPower® systems can reduce the amount of CO2 emitted by cars with internal combustion engines by 150 kg a year. This structural adhesive technology is the key to multi-material design, an approach that enables car builders to systematically reduce the weight of bodywork. Furthermore, adhesives have other advantages. They increase the stiffness of the car body and therefore make cars safer. Corrosion resistance and service life are also improved. Sika is driving the trend forward by launching adhesives that help make production more efficient by gearing product performance properties to customer's process requirements
Electrification
As electric vehicles, safety systems or even commercial and residential energy storage systems become more widespread, demand is being created for new Sika solutions. One of the reasons for the growing demand is that battery systems generate heat though use, charge and discharge which in turn, creates a risk of overheating, or even fire. By expanding Sika's capabilities in fire prevention and protection mainly through our Advanced Resins unit, we have further strengthened our solutions in this business area.
Sika supplies thermally conductive adhesives, gap fillers and potting materials for use in a range of battery applications. These help ensure the vehicles and buildings of the future will be safe, efficient and will stand the test of time.
Acoustics
The robust combination of Sika's specialized solutions for managing both airborne and structure-borne noise is effectively making cars quieter and less prone to vibrations. These lightweight, industry-leading products enable car manufacturers to build lighter vehicles that emit less CO2 without having to compromise on acoustic comfort. Sika is the clear technology leader in acoustic solutions for body automotive construction.
Strong Sika Growth
The average value of the Sika materials to be found in vehicles is constantly increasing. Sika continues to overperform the automotive market growth.
25 MN
of the 95 million cars built worldwide each year contain Sikaflex®. The primerless, high-performance adhesive is used for direct glazing, composite materials, and interior trims.
21 %
is the average annual rate at which sales of the SikaPower® product family have grown over the past five years. The outlook is good. A study by CAR Research estimates that adhesives will have replaced welding as the preferred bonding technology in automotive manufacturing by 2030 at the latest.