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Kautex Textron GmbH & Co. KG, a Textron Inc. company, has announced a significant business win with a leading automotive original equipment manufacturer (OEM). The order is for a full-BEV (Battery Electric Vehicle) thermoplastic composite lower battery housing unit, which is a key component of the company’s innovative Pentatonic battery enclosure product line.
Key Highlights
- Kautex has secured an order from a leading automotive OEM for its full-BEV lower battery housing.
- The component is part of the Kautex Pentatonic battery enclosure portfolio, which facilitates EV production.
- The thermoplastic solution offers advantages over metal, including lower cost, higher functional integration, and a reduced carbon footprint.
- This marks the second major business win for the award-winning Pentatonic product line.
- The component will be used on a major BEV platform that spans multiple vehicle brands.
Innovative Pentatonic Battery Solutions
The Kautex Pentatonic product line provides lightweight and customizable solutions for the growing EV market. Made from thermoplastic composite or composite-metal hybrids, these products are designed to enhance the thermal management of the battery pack. Furthermore, their lightweight properties contribute to improved vehicle performance and an extended driving range.
The lower battery housing is a critical safety component, designed to seal and protect the vehicle’s battery. It meets extensive structural requirements and stringent thermal standards, including crush and bottom impact testing, as well as both external and internal fire tests.
Compared to conventional metal alternatives, this thermoplastic composite solution offers numerous benefits. It achieves a lower cost by reducing the number of components through high functional integration, resulting in a leaner bill of material. The material itself helps lower the part’s carbon footprint, while the lightweight design contributes to reducing carbon emissions during vehicle operation. This multi-material approach also ensures excellent corrosion resistance without compromising performance over the vehicle’s lifespan.
A Milestone Achievement
Joerg Rautenstrauch, President & CEO of Kautex, noted that this order from a leading automotive OEM marks a significant milestone for the company. He emphasized that the innovative BEV lower housing is a testament to the team’s dedication to providing cutting-edge solutions that meet the highest standards of safety, performance, and sustainability. The win is seen as a reflection of the team’s hard work, creativity, and unwavering focus on delivering customer value.
This contract is Kautex’s second Pentatonic business win. Its first success came in January 2023 for a full-BEV underbody protection skid plate, which entered serial production in 2024. The Pentatonic portfolio has received numerous accolades, including the SPE Grand Innovation Award in Europe and the Lingxuan and Gasgoo Innovation Awards in China. Kautex has also validated the performance of its Pentatonic enclosures by deploying three on-road test vehicles in the US, Japan, and Europe, which have collectively covered over 100,000 miles across various terrains and conditions.
About Kautex Textron and Textron Inc.
Kautex is a Tier One automotive supplier with 30 plants in 13 countries. The company is a pioneer in designing and manufacturing fuel systems, engine camshafts, and industrial packaging. For the new era of mobility, Kautex is expanding its portfolio to include thermoplastic composite battery systems and cleaning systems for assisted and autonomous vehicles.
Textron Inc. is a multi-industry company known for its global network of aircraft, defense, industrial, and finance businesses. Textron’s powerful brands include Bell, Cessna, Beechcraft, Pipistrel, Jacobsen, Kautex, Lycoming, E-Z-GO, and Textron Systems.
For more information, visit www.textron.com.
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