Named AdvancedComposite, this project aimed to make the first Portuguese electric vehicle more efficient, by increasing its autonomy through weight reduction and, consequently, reducing the energy consumption stored in the batteries. In addition, this project also sought to improve the thermal management of the vehicle's cabin by simultaneously using more sustainable materials, both in terms of their reuse and their ability to degrade in the environment at the end of the car's life cycle.

For this, after conducting an intense study on this problem, it was necessary to develop a composite material that was not only light but also capable of attenuating the rise and fall of temperature, as well as lowering the maximum temperature recorded in the car's passenger compartment.

Thereby, this project resulted in a lighter composite material capable of improving the thermal management of the vehicle's passenger compartment, which can be applied to various components of the car interior, such as doors, roofs, floors, and pillars.

Figure 1 - Door panel coated with the composite material developed in this project.