Redditch-based Samuel Taylor Ltd (STL — www.samueltaylor.co.uk) has secured its first significant contract to support vehicle electrification. The company manufactures precision-stamped components and assemblies, specialising in the bonding of bi-metals in the development of battery busbar technology.

Electric vehicles (EV) and hybrid electric vehicles (HEV) rely on robust electric motor drives, large-capacity battery packs, power inverters and the efficient distribution of power from charging source to battery and then throughout the vehicle.

Busbars, which comprise a system of electrical conductors for collecting and distributing current, provide the means to efficiently distribute power to the cells themselves and onto the vehicles’ various sub-systems.

After promoting its busbar technology for smart metering at several trade shows, STL won the contract from a leading automotive technology company.

Sales manager Carl Siviter said: “We already made high-precision busbars and contacts used in smart metering applications, so it was relatively straightforward to leverage this know-how to focus on busbars for electric vehicles.

"Several innovative techniques have been used in the final tool design, which will allow for a significant level of flexibility and cost savings.

"As well as our stamping operations, STL is known for its rolled bi-metal strip manufacture, and we have several projects targeted at metal composite strips, which in future may also be used in EV busbar designs.”