Stuttgart/Germany, July 14, 2021
- Center of Automotive Management and Pricewaterhouse Coopers present MAHLE with two awards
- Battery immersion cooling takes second place in “Alternative drives” category
- Smart air conditioning system ranked third in “Interior and interface” category
- MAHLE CEO Michael Frick: “Our technologies are shaping the sustainable mobility of the future”
The Center of Automotive Management and consulting firm Pricewaterhouse Coopers have honored technology group MAHLE with the AutomotiveINNOVATIONS Award 2021 in two different categories. The immersion cooling for batteries took second place in the “Alternative Drives” category, while the smart air conditioning systems with integrated fine-particulate sensors came third in the “Interior and Interface” category. The jury evaluated a total of 293 innovations from 80 automotive suppliers. “We’re driving forward the transformation with all our might. Our focus is primarily on the areas of e-mobility and hydrogen. In view of this, we’re extremely pleased with this double success. It acknowledges how comprehensively MAHLE is shaping the mobility of tomorrow,” said Michael Frick, CFO of the MAHLE Group and CEO ad interim.
MAHLE is working specifically on the topic of battery cooling to accelerate the market penetration of battery-powered mobility. To allow for fast charging, the temperature in the battery cell needs to be evenly distributed and must not rise too sharply. In the “Alternative Drives” category, the jury was therefore particularly impressed by the fact that immersion cooling significantly shortens the charging time of electric car batteries. As a result, these batteries can be much smaller, making electric cars cheaper and more resource-efficient, while improving their acceptance as a full-fledged, climate-neutral alternative to vehicles with combustion engines.
In the smart air conditioning system, a winner in the “Interior and Interface” category, the developers relocated the fine-particulate sensor directly into the airflow of the main module. The measuring systems can thus react quickly and precisely to changing pollution levels and use the appropriate cleaning strategy to keep the cabin air clean. This, in turn, is part of a holistic interior concept from MAHLE that encompasses comfort, safety, infotainment, and individualization. The interior is a key differentiating factor, especially for electric vehicles. Whereas the focus used to be on engine characteristics, today it is on the overall experience of drivers and passengers.
These successes are underpinned by MAHLE’s commitment to the transformation process and the consistent alignment of the Group’s research and advanced engineering activities. More than 80 percent of research and development investment goes into alternative drive technologies—and the figure is rising. The focus is primarily on the areas of e-mobility and hydrogen.
Since 2012, the Center of Automotive Management and Pricewaterhouse Coopers have been awarding prizes for the most outstanding innovative achievements in the automotive industry. A study based on the Center of Automotive Management’s innovation database was used for the decision-making process behind the AutomotiveINNOVATIONS Award 2021. This year’s award ceremony will take place on July 15, 2021, as part of the Digital Automotive Talk virtual live event hosted by ZDF talk show host Markus Lanz.
Contacts in MAHLE Corporate Communications:
Ingo Schnaitmann
Spokesperson Corporate
Phone: +49 711 501-13185
E-mail: Contact by email
Christopher Rimmele
Product, Technology, and Aftermarket Communications Spokesman
Phone: +49 711 501-12374
E-mail: Contact by email
