Novelis, a world leader in aluminum rolling and recycling, and Maxion Structural Components, a key producer in the production of automotive structural components in the Americas, jointly developed an innovative battery housing solution for electric commercial vehicles. Developed from stamped rolled aluminum, using a new alloy specially created to meet this demand, the housing combines lightness, safety, and energy efficiency. Targeted at large vehicles such as buses and trucks, the new housing offers a direct answer to the industry’s growing demand for more sustainable and high-performance technologies.
“The development of this solution represents a crucial step in our strategy to reduce the weight of electric commercial vehicles and, consequently, contribute to reducing CO₂ emissions without compromising vehicle load capacity,” said Marco Tulio Ricci, global director of Innovation and Engineering at Maxion Structural Components. “We always work with a focus on anticipating the needs of the automotive industry, offering the best in design, technology, and the use of different materials.”
For the project, Novelis brought its recognized expertise in high-quality, low-carbon aluminum solutions to the partnership. As the largest aluminum recycler in the world, the company provided the ideal raw material expertise to meet the weight, strength, and sustainability requirements needed for automotive applications.
“Aluminum offers a synergy between lightness and impact absorption capability, essential attributes for optimizing the safety and performance of electric commercial vehicles,” said Daniele Albagli, vice president of Sales for Novelis South America. “Not to mention, the metal has enormous circularity potential, being infinitely recyclable, which results in lower energy consumption and less greenhouse gas emissions—up to a 95% reduction. With over 40 years of experience in the automotive sector, Novelis is focused on co-creating innovative and customized solutions to meet the demand for more sustainable mobility.”
The new battery housing, named Maxion InVolt, is versatile and can be adapted to different vehicle sizes, from light to heavy commercial vehicles. The solution is able to serve all global markets, especially North America, where automotive electrification is among the most advanced in the world.
The new technology provides a lighter battery compartment structure — about 35% lighter compared to an extruded aluminum housing with the same technical requirements — and delivers 11% more energy density. The use of stamped aluminum, already widely used in the global automotive industry, brings great competitive advantages over current market processes, such as easy access to replacement parts, maintenance of internal components, and better cost-effectiveness.
With this launch, Maxion, together with Novelis technology, reaffirms its commitment to innovation and sustainability, offering solutions that enhance the performance of electric commercial vehicles and contribute to a greener, more efficient future aligned with the needs of modern mobility.
The project reinforces a significant step in Maxion’s new mobility strategy, as the company continues to invest in structural chassis solutions geared toward electric mobility.
For Novelis, the partnership marks an important and innovative step in diversifying and expanding the automotive market in Americas, a sector where the company already has a strong presence in regions like North America and Europe, with robust and recognized operations.