Freudenberg-NOK Sealing Technologies (Freudenberg-NOK), which produces hundreds of gaskets and seals for the Chevy Volt and Nissan Leaf, is helping the industry address another electric vehicle challenge: where to power up when on the road.
 
Freudenberg-NOK, a global producer of elastomeric seals and custom-molded products for the automotive, heavy truck and other industries, has installed an electric vehicle (EV) charging station at its headquarters facility in Plymouth, Mich. The station provides company employees, customers, and visitors with the opportunity to charge plug-in electric or extended range electric vehicles while at work and helps address a crucial market issue – establishing a robust infrastructure to fuel them.
 
Experts maintain that electric vehicle capacity in the U.S. will jump from 100,000 to 1.7 million by 2015 and electric cars will represent a $14 billion industry.*  The
availability of charging stations to fuel these vehicles is increasingly important, notes Dr. Luis Lorenzo, vice president, Advanced Product Engineering, Corporate Functions, Freudenberg-NOK.
 
"Our company wants to aggressively pursue tomorrow's technology solutions today," Lorenzo said. "Innovation and long-term orientation characterize everything we do, and the installation of the electric vehicle charging station is not only groundbreaking and good for the environment but helps with the broader issue of infrastructure development that supports this technology.
 
"We are pursuing sustainable technologies every day and also doing our part to promote their use. This station is part of an emerging infrastructure that will ultimately ensure widespread acceptance of electric cars across the country."
 
Freudenberg-NOK's electric vehicle charging station offers level II charging, which reduces full-cycle charge time from 12-18 hours to 4-8 hours and allows users to significantly reduce gasoline consumption. To accommodate technological advances, the station is "futureproof," and can be upgraded without replacing the entire unit. Freudenberg-NOK is a leader in the development of technologies that are helping its customers meet rigorous vehicle fuel economy and emission standards.
 
The company's groundbreaking Energy Saving Seal (ESS™) technology, for example, significantly reduces energy consumption and improves fuel economy in traditional gasoline engines. Likewise, its MileMaker® commercial vehicle seals operate with over 50 percent less torque than those of its competitors, resulting in more than $1,000 in diesel savings per truck over the life of the seal. 
 
Equally important, the company is pursuing an ambitious product portfolio that addresses the technology needs of all e-mobility vehicles including start/stop, hybrid and full electric cars. As cars like the Leaf and Volt grow in popularity, Freudenberg-NOK specialists are working with automotive manufacturers to develop a next generation of powertrain components that promise both reliability and technological superiority.
 
"Freudenberg-NOK supplies a number of high-quality elastomer components for multiple electric vehicle platforms that improve safety, increase battery life, reduce friction on motors and ultimately, extend the driving range," said Gary Wang, director of sales, Freudenberg-NOK. "We want to be in the forefront of the industry – whether developing groundbreaking new technologies or installing an electric vehicle charging station to support widespread use of new technologies."
 
The Chevrolet Volt is a front-wheel-drive, four passenger Extended-Range Electric Vehicle (E-REV) that uses electricity as its primary energy source and gasoline as its secondary energy source to propel the vehicle.  Energy is stored in a 16 kWh lithium-ion battery pack and delivers 25-50 miles of pure electric driving. When the battery is depleted, an on-board engine generator seamlessly turns on to create additional electricity to power the car for another 344 miles before the need to
refuel or recharge.
 
Nissan LEAF's power train has no tail pipe, and thus no emission of CO2 or other greenhouse gases. A combination of Nissan LEAF's regenerative braking system and innovative lithium-ion battery packs enables the car to deliver a driving range of more than 160km (100 miles) on one full charge. Designed as a four-to-five seat, front-drive C-segment hatchback, the Leaf is designed as an everyday vehicle