AkzoNobel announced its Powder Coatings business and Chinese electric car-maker NIO received the 2025 Altair Enlighten Award in the Sustainable Product category. The companies co-developed a powder coating that protects EV battery bottom plates and extends service life from five to 15 years.

The product, part of the Interpon A1000 range, reduces coating thickness by 70% and cuts vehicle weight by 2.2 kg. By replacing traditional PVC materials, it saves more than 2,000 tons of material annually and reduces electricity consumption by more than 2 GWh. The coating also has zero VOC emissions and a 95% recycling rate.

In mass production since November 2024, the technology has already been used on about 80,000 NIO EVs. Developed at AkzoNobel’s Shanghai Technology Center and produced at its Changzhou plant, the coating reflects the company’s growing role in EV mobility applications.

This collaboration highlights the role of powder coatings in advancing sustainable technologies for electric vehicles.