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IDTechEx Analyzes the Opportunities and Barriers Facing 3D Printing for Electric Vehicles

BOSTON, March 21, 2024 — (PRNewswire) — The electric vehicle (EV) market experienced another exciting year of growth in 2023. Following a 62% increase in electric car sales in 2022 compared to 2021, IDTechEx predicts a 16% increase in global sales for 2023. However, growth was somewhat constrained during the year due to the performance of plug-in hybrids (PHEVs) in Europe, particularly in the first half of 2023, partly attributed to subsidy reductions in Germany. Nevertheless, many agree that EVs represent the future of the automotive industry, particularly for passenger cars.

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With EVs representing a US$3.5 trillion revenue opportunity by 2044, according to IDTechEx forecasts, it is unsurprising that the additive manufacturing (AM) industry is building excitement for this application area. After all, capturing even a fraction of the electric vehicle manufacturing supply chain would yield considerable revenue and growth for the AM industry. However, this begs the question: given 3D printing's unique benefits, what are its true opportunities for electric vehicle production? And where will AM face the most difficulties? These questions are discussed on an application-by-application basis in IDTechEx's new report, " 3D Printing and Additive Manufacturing 2024-2034: Technology and Market Outlook", which combines IDTechEx's unique expertise in 3D printing and electric vehicles. This article takes a higher-level look at those opportunities and barriers facing AM for EV production.

AM players see opportunities for AM in EV production:

As discussed in many interviews with key printer manufacturers and materials suppliers in additive manufacturing, there are several opportunities for AM to provide value to EV manufacturing supply chains, such as:

The barriers facing 3D printing's application in electric vehicles

However, as noted by key end-users, AM faces many challenges in its application in EVs, particularly in its application for production components:

AM making inroads with electric vehicle production?

Despite these challenges, the AM industry is still seeing progress in its penetration into the electric car market. One of the biggest stories of 2023 in the 3D printing industry was Tesla pushing forward with "gigacasting", a process of using massive casting machines to make large individual parts for their EVs' underbodies. A key component of this process involves sand binder jetting to produce casting cores. With other automotive OEMs, like Toyota, now looking at incorporating gigacasting into their own supply chains, this new application represents the future potential for 3D printing to make a meaningful impact on the electric vehicle market.

IDTechEx 3D printing market forecasts

IDTechEx's latest report, "3D Printing and Additive Manufacturing 2024-2034: Technology and Market Outlook", carefully segments the market by eighty different forecast lines across seventeen different technology categories, four major material categories, and eight material subcategories. For further information on this market, including 150 interview-based profiles of market leaders and start-ups, technology comparison studies, business model analysis, and granular 10-year market forecasts, please see the IDTechEx report. 

For more information on this report, including downloadable sample pages, please visit www.IDTechEx.com/3DP.

For the full portfolio of 3D printing research available from IDTechEx, please visit www.IDTechEx.com/Research/3D.

About IDTechEx:

IDTechEx provides trusted independent research on emerging technologies and their markets. Since 1999, we have been helping our clients to understand new technologies, their supply chains, market requirements, opportunities and forecasts. For more information, contact  Email Contact or visit  www.IDTechEx.com

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