The EU could ban the very chemistry it needs to electrify cars

Electrification is a key enabler of the EU’s Green Deal plan, and the European Commission, Parliament and EU member states have made remarkable commitments to phase out combustion-driven vehicles and move toward full-electric fleets -- as well as an ambition to build a circular EV production system in Europe.

However, a lot remains unknown about how this enormous demand will be met.

The chemicals industry has a clear role to play, given it supplies several technologies critical to building EVs. From components used in electric motors to battery packs, power electronics, technical textiles, heat pumps and cooling systems – these applications rely heavily on fluorinated chemistry, which is now at risk of being banned in Europe.

Earlier this year, the EU published its draft restriction proposal for per- and poly-fluoroalkyl substances (PFAS), which represent thousands of diverse fluorinated chemicals, many of which are essential for modern life.

The draft represents the broadest chemical restriction proposal in the history of the EU and does not consider the vastly different profiles of chemistries included in its scope.

If the proposal were adopted as is, it would have major consequences on the automotive sector, where fluorinated chemistries are vital to everything from EV battery production, faster charging, increased range size, heating and cooling, to sourcing, supply chains, distribution and logistics.

According to a recent socioeconomic analysis, the potential effects of a PFAS ban in mobile air conditioning alone -- where no viable alternatives are available -- were estimated at more than 200 billion euros over a 10 year period (profit and social costs).

Multiply that across all applications and effectively, the proposal could kill Europe’s auto industry.

Fluorinated gases (f-gases) have regrettably been included in scope of the PFAS restriction proposal despite their favorable safety and sustainability profiles.

They not only help keep the interior of the vehicle cool, they also play a crucial role in cooling EV batteries during the charging phase and are also used in heat pump systems -- maximizing EV driving range, while minimizing the weight of battery and air conditioning components.

This breakthrough technology reduces the global warming impact of mobile air conditioning refrigerants by more than 99 percent compared with previous generations of f-gases.

Similarly, fluoropolymers, also in scope of the PFAS ban, represent specialty, high-performance plastics that possess a unique combination of properties needed for electric cars, notably in key components for lithium-ion battery cathodes, as their durability and safety at high voltages allow for them to be used at high temperatures and have excellent adhesion properties.

They are also used as a separator material to enable a steady and safe flow of lithium ions inside the battery. Ultimately, they improve the performance and safety of EV batteries by enhancing the adhesion of the electrode material, reducing the risk of short circuits, and improving the thermal and chemical stability of the separator material.

The lack of alternatives to both f-gases and fluoropolymers underlines their criticality and irreplaceability.

The high level of efficiency, safety and durability of these chemistries make them ideal for demanding situations, such as light-weighting, durability, heat resistance, insulation and thermal management, cooling, and circularity, among others.

Automakers therefore need to have access to technologies derived from these chemistries to tackle the numerous technical challenges they face. If these innovations cannot be used in Europe, this could have severe consequences on the production and availability of EVs.

It’s therefore imperative that all stakeholders interested in building and protecting Europe’s automotive sector make their voices heard, to prevent harmful, non-science-based regulation from impacting the innovation needed for electrifying vehicles.

Fluorinated chemistry can be used safely and responsibly. Not only is it key to EVs, it is critical to combating climate change and creating a more sustainable future for us all.