Industries · Electric vehicles
Copper Alloys for Electric Vehicles: Connectors, Contacts and Busbars
Electric vehicles push high currents through connectors, battery interconnects and busbars that must stay cool, light and reliable under vibration. VAN INTERTRADE supplies Materion beryllium copper for connector springs and clad metal such as Cu/Al/Cu for busbars and battery connectors.
What EV conductors have to handle
A connector contact has to keep its contact force for the life of the vehicle while it carries current and heats up. If the spring relaxes, contact resistance rises and the joint runs hotter still. Busbars and battery interconnects carry high current too, but there weight and copper cost count as much as conductivity.
Trading strength against conductivity
Beryllium copper grades trade strength against conductivity. In the age-hardened condition Materion lists C17200 (Alloy 25) at 25–30% IACS and C17510 (Alloy 3) at 45–60% IACS, and designed C17460 (Alloy 390) to give the conductivity of Alloy 3 or Alloy 174 with the strength of Alloy 25, plus good stress-relaxation resistance.
Materials for electric vehicles
- Beryllium Copper
Connector springs and contacts: C17410 strip, which Materion says conducts about twice as well as brass and survives many mating cycles; C17460 mill-hardened strip for small, high-reliability contacts; and C17510 where conductivity comes first.
- Clad Metal
Cu/Al/Cu for busbars and battery connectors: the aluminium core makes the part lighter and uses less copper, while the copper faces still join and solder like copper.
Sources: materion.com (high-strength-copper-beryllium) · materion.com (high-conductivity-copper-beryllium-alloys)
Frequently asked questions
- Which beryllium copper grade suits EV connectors?
- For spring connector strip, start with C17410 (Alloy 174), which Materion originally designed for automotive and telecom connectors. For more conductivity look at C17510 (Alloy 3), listed at 45–60% IACS, and for conductivity together with high strength, C17460 (Alloy 390).
- Why use Cu/Al/Cu clad metal for busbars?
- The aluminium core makes the busbar lighter and uses less copper, while the copper faces still join and solder as before.
- Can clad metal be made to my drawing?
- Yes. Metals, layer order and thickness ratio can be set to your drawing; send the details for a feasibility check and quotation.
Choosing a material for electric vehicles?
Tell us the part, the grade or form you have in mind, the size and the quantity, and we will send a quotation.