Commercial Vehicles

Despite ever-improving emission standards and increasing fuel efficiency, fossil-fueled internal combustion engines (ICEs) emit exhaust gases. Cars, trucks, construction and agricultural machinery that run on diesel fuel are the source of carbon monoxide (CO), nitrogen oxides (NOx) and particulate matter, for example. These pollute both the environment and people. As the world's leading supplier of mobile emissions control technologies (catalysts), BASF ECMS helps to protect people and the environment with cost-effective exhaust gas purification technologies. BASF's research and development activities are developing new technologies for internal combustion engines to meet increasingly stringent emissions regulations and keep our customers competitive.  

Compliance with strict emission limits, such as Euro VI, is a technical challenge. Exhaust gases such as CO and NOx must be reduced, as must soot. Exhaust gas purification systems for diesel engines consist of several components that work together to improve air quality and increase fuel efficiency. In most cases, a diesel oxidation catalyst (DOC) is installed upstream to remove harmful emissions such as hydrocarbons (HC), followed by a soot filter, then selective catalytic reduction (SCR) and ammonia oxidation catalysts (AMOx) to remove NOx and ammonia. With its commitment to developing chemistry for a sustainable future, BASF is working worldwide to continuously improve exhaust gas purification for internal combustion engines, including for compressed natural gas and hydrogen.  

On the way to climate-neutral mobility, efforts are underway in industry to use hydrogen as a fuel in internal combustion engines (H2-ICE) and fuel cells. The advantage of hydrogen as a fuel is that it can be produced in an environmentally friendly way through the electrolysis of water using renewable energy and its combustion produces almost no hydrocarbon-based exhaust gases. However, an H2-ICE engine still requires an aftertreatment system to meet the very low NOx limits and to avoid hydrogen residues. BASF ECMS has therefore investigated the impact of the higher water content in the exhaust gas of a H2-ICE engine on the components in the aftertreatment system and developed new layouts to meet the required limits and support customers in the introduction of this new propulsion solution. BASF ECMS is also developing catalysts and catalyst-coated membranes (CCM) for hydrogen fuel cells.   

In addition to reducing emissions from ICEs, BASF also focuses on reducing the CO₂ footprint of our products and efficient use of resources through the circular economy. We recently started offering 100% recycled metals from the platinum group for catalyst products under the name Verdium™, which reduces the carbon footprint by up to 97% compared to conventional mining materials. With Verdium™, customers can reduce their Scope 3 emissions and verify their CO₂ reductions. UL Solutions has validated the value chain control and mass balance approach as an independent third party.

Just like any powertrain technology, hydrogen-powered engines require proper thermal management to ensure smooth operations. BASF’s GLYSANTIN^® FC G20^® ELECTRIFIED^® is a coolant especially developed for FCEV (Fuel Cell Electric Vehicles). The product contains a specifically developed and patented low electrical conductivity inhibitor package allowing for optimal protection against corrosion, frost and overheating while maintaining a stable and low electrical conductivity. This is of particular importance and contributes to increased safety of the whole (fuel cell) electric system.

As automotive and commercial vehicle manufacturers strive for sustainable, efficient and powerful electric vehicles (EVs), innovative materials and solutions are more important than ever. From the use of lightweight materials, advanced battery materials and protective coatings to smart solutions developed specifically for electrified and autonomous vehicles, the market and requirements for EVs are evolving rapidly.  

As we move towards more affordable and powerful electric vehicles, innovation in battery material development is needed to enable extended range, shorter charging times, safer and longer-lasting batteries for EVs. BASF is a leading supplier of cathode materials (CAM) for the lithium-ion battery market and supplies the high-performance CAM to the world's largest cell manufacturers and OEMs. With production sites in key EV regions - Asia, Europe and North America - BASF is strategically positioned to provide customized solutions for customers. In addition, the company offers metal sourcing and management as well as closed-loop battery recycling solutions to reduce the carbon footprint of batteries and ensure the supply of critical metals for new batteries. BASF's focus is mainly on the volume and power segment with cathode material technologies such as NCA (nickel-cobalt-aluminum mixed oxide) and NCM (nickel-cobalt-manganese mixed oxide). One of the latest product developments are manganese-rich cathode materials that contain less cobalt at the same performance and lower price.

With the growing popularity of EVs, new challenges arise in the design of platforms and battery systems. BASF's offering includes a customized product portfolio of automotive pretreatment and e-coat solutions. The innovative Oxsilan^® technology forms a thinner and more uniform protective layer on metal surfaces to improve corrosion protection in combination with CathoGuard^® technology. Based on this, the CathoGuard^® portfolio offers solutions to protect car bodies and components made of various metals and is also suitable for battery body covers. By preventing corrosion in and around the battery, BASF's coating solutions help to extend the life and performance of the vehicle.  

Many e-mobility solutions can only be successfully implemented by using highly flexible engineering plastics, polyurethane systems and special elastomers. The individual components and materials must meet high standards during normal driving and in the event of damage or accidents. Therefore, each material used must be carefully evaluated for flame resistance, electrical insulation, thermal conductivity and cooling compatibility. BASF offers various innovative polymer solutions with applications in high-voltage batteries, battery packs, battery modules and for thermal management. Ultramid^®, Ultramid^® Advanced, Ultradur^®, Elastollan^® and the Elastolit^® product family are just a few examples that make high-performance battery components a reality.

BASF is working towards decoupling growth from resource consumption and moving from a linear economy to a circular economy.  ChemCycling^® and the Biomass Balance approach are two ways of using alternative raw materials that are being promoted at BASF. The certified biomass balance approach makes it possible to offer a number of BASF products with a certain proportion of renewable raw materials. ChemCycling^® is a mass balance approach for plastic waste that cannot be mechanically recycled but can be chemically reintroduced into Verbund production via a pyrolysis process. Using a mass balance approach audited by independent auditors, the proportion of bio-based or recycled raw material is allocated to selected products manufactured in the Verbund. BASF's products thus help to save fossil resources and reduce CO₂ emissions while maintaining the same properties.