The automotive component supplier Mahle says it is reorienting itself “in light of the transformation in the automotive industry.” Electrification and thermal management, as well as components for high-efficiency green internal combustion engines, are at the core of the corporate strategy Mahle 2030+.
Mahle says it considers sales potential for the company in connection with electric cars to be three times as high as with internal combustion engines. In the 2022 financial year, sales grew by 14% to €12.4 billion (approx. $13.66 billion). The group recorded an operating profit. In the current financial year, Mahle says it expects further growth in sales and higher profitability. In 2022, the technology group received new orders for more than €11 billion (approx. $12.2 billion), about half of which are not dependent on the internal combustion engine. The strongest growth was experienced in the business units of thermal management (+16%) and electronics and mechatronics (+13%) – both especially relevant for e-mobility. Double-digit growth was also recorded in the business units connected with the internal combustion engine, as well as in spare parts and accessories business, Mahle says.
Within the framework of its electrification strategy, the company says it is focusing mainly on electric drives and smart charging. Mahle says two new types of electric motors have attracted a strong response from customers: the superior continuous torque (SCT) electric motor, which can deliver high power continuously; and the magnet-free contactless transmitter (MCT) electric motor, which requires no rare earth elements and works efficiently without wear, the company says. In Mahle chargeBIG, the company says it has a “tried and tested charging solution for parking lots available in the marketplace.” In addition, Mahle is working on wireless charging together with Siemens.
Mahle says it is among the world’s largest suppliers of high-efficiency modular thermal management systems for drivetrains and interior comfort. In the case of electric cars, the value creation potential for thermal management is significantly higher than with the internal combustion engine, the company says, with electric compressors playing a key role. The latest electric compressor developed by Mahle has a rating of up to 18 kilowatts. Another product the company says it deems successful is the battery cooling plate, which allows fast charging, long ranges and a long service life for sensitive lithium-ion batteries, Mahle says. Mahle also offers its heat pump systems, which it says helps reduce the energy consumption of an electric vehicle, allowing the use of smaller, less costly batteries.
In the field of classical drive systems, Mahle says it supports more green internal combustion engines powered by hydrogen and synthetic fuels.
