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At this year's Shanghai International Auto Show, electric models accounted for 3x1 of the models on display at the Shanghai Auto Show, which was unforeseen in the early years, while large and small electric vehicle start-ups have sprung up in China. The government is helping automakers increase production of electric vehicles through carbon credit programs.

However, in the foreseeable future, the mainstream models that will become the mainstream in the world are not pure electric models, but those 48-volt hybrid models that improve cost efficiency. At the Shanghai auto show, several of the world's major technology suppliers demonstrated their 48v hybrid technology.

Valeo is the first global supplier to build 48-volt hybrid systems in China. French companies estimate that vehicles equipped with such systems will account for 17% of new car sales in china each year by 2023, Francois Marion, president of Valeo china, told reporters at the exhibition.

Valeo began producing 48-volt systems locally in 2017 and plans to produce as many as 5 million cars in China by the end of 2023, Marion said.

Pressure from environmental protection regulation

The main citation for driving the 48-volt system is the country's increasingly stringent fuel economy and emission standards; the NDRC requires automakers to reduce average fleet fuel consumption from 6 litres in 2016 to 5 litres per 100km in 2020. By 2025, carmakers will have to further reduce fuel consumption to 4 litres per 100km. The 48-volt light hybrid system is the best solution in line with regulatory requirements.

By using a combination of fuel-saving technologies such as engine start-stop systems, mild hybrids and electronic turbochargers, the 48-volt system enables automakers to improve fuel economy by 10% to 20%, according to suppliers.

Such technology can significantly reduce development costs, and carmakers can improve existing powertrains without having to redevelop complex plug-in or gas-electric hybrid platforms or pure electric models.

Dr. Gu Jianmin, chief technology officer of Valeo, said that the cost advantage of vehicles using a 48-volt power system in pure electric models will be more prominent. After a 50% cut in local subsidies for new energy in March, the central government will completely abolish the subsidy policy by the end of the year.

The picture shows Geely Jiaji with 48V hybrid system.

48 volts for transition technology

The traditional automobile industry around the world is gradually turning to electrification.

Roelf Braydenbach, chief executive of Germany's Hella Group, said at a press conference at the Shanghai auto show that due to high costs, inadequate charging infrastructure and battery recycling facilities, automakers are unable to convert their product portfolio from electric cars to electric vehicles in a short period of time. He pointed out that in addition to time, automakers also need transition technology to complete the product transformation.

Hella, like Valeo, has also encountered a huge demand for 48-volt light mixing systems in China in the future. Brydenbach said: our customers are investing heavily in this technology, they need a lot of products, and in the next decade, we will see a significant increase in business opportunities for 48-volt light mixing solutions.

In addition to Valeo and Hella, the main technology suppliers of 48-volt light mixing systems are mainstream automotive technology suppliers such as Continental Group, Bosch and Denso. The 48-volt technology will be able to provide the necessary power for China's domestic cars in the next decade, which will provide more energy efficiency.

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