… A HYBRID INNOVATION SMOOTT PERFORMANCE STARTS WITH THE RIGHT GREASE Electric vehicles (EVs) are rapidly gaining popularity, particularly in China. However, this rise brings new challenges in maintaining their optimal performance. One significant issue is the increased vehicle weight due to the heavy electric car batteries. For instance, a high-end model like the Mercedes EQS 580 4Matic weighs around 3.5 tons. This added weight compared to traditional vehicels with Internal Combustion Engines (ICE) puts extra strain on the drivetrain, especially on the constant velocity (CV) joints that transfer motion and torque to the front wheels. Proper lubrication of CV joints is crucial; otherwise, they wear out quickly and produce undesirable noise. Unfortunately, the existing greases on the market are not adequate for lubricating these new Battery Electric Vehicles (BEV). Novel Hybrid Grease This is where the LAB BU team stepped in. LAB, a pioneer and market leader in calcium sulfonate complex (CSC) greases, recognized the need for a better solution. Although polyurea (PU) greases are commonly used for electric cars, they are not perfect. Kevin Liu, an application engineer at LAB BU in the AADC in Shanghai, noted that the team, led by Wayne Mackwood, head of technology for grease and detergents at LAB BU in West Hill, Canada, had long understood that superior grease for CV joints would be key to entering the large battery electric mobility market, particularly in China. "We aimed to develop a hybrid grease that combines the advantages of our CSC greases with those of PU greases," explains Kevin Liu. The multinational team succeeded, filing a patent for their new PU-CSC hybrid grease in 2018. Major electric car manufacturers, such as the Chinese BYD Group, are currently testing it in the field. "All tests should be completed by the end of this year," says Lucy Li, Head of Application Technology APAC. She and her colleagues are optimistic about the success of their novel hybrid formulation. Wayne Mackwood adds, "We offer exceptional wear protection, low noise, low friction, and a long service life for CV joints. Our PU-CSC grease can handle the higher loads caused by the weight and torque of electric vehicles, where conventional greases fail. Our long-term goal is to become the leading manufacturer of CV joint grease in the battery electric vehicle segment." But that's not all. Su Mi Beack, Head of Product Management for Transportation Additive, envisions further applications for these new greases: "This grease technology serves as a platform from which we can tailor formulations for specific applications. Our technology and sales teams in China are already making inroads into steel manufacturing with products tailored to meet those requirements. We also see potential in the lubrication of industrial electric motors." Mackwood believes that the successful collaboration between colleagues from Canada, the US, and China holds great promise: "It is even conceivable that we could manufacture this new technology using bio-based or other sustainable materials in the future.” For Sarah Korwek, Global Product Manager for Grease, one thing is clear: "Without this new technology development from LAB, these key applications and industries would likely have remained closed to us, along with a major opportunity for growth in this key business segment of LAB." The Innovation Award jury clearly agreed and honored the team for their achievement.