Vibracoustic secures OE air spring fitment for XPeng EV

WEINHEIM, Germany—Vibracoustic, a subsidiary of Freudenberg and Co. K.G., has introduced new, two-chamber air springs as an OE fitment for a Chinese electric vehicle.

According to the NVH firm, the switchable air springs are available for the XPeng G9 all-electric SUV.

"Vibracoustic has engineered and supplied multi-chamber air springs to some of the world's largest OEMs," said Jorg Bocking, chief technical officer at Vibracoustic. "It was a pleasure working with the team at XPeng to develop and produce a bespoke two-chamber system that offers the right combination of performance and comfort for the G9.

"We look forward to future collaborations with the XPeng team and wish them much success with this impressive car."

The new Vibracoustic air springs allow for different levels of stiffness to adapt to different loads and road conditions.

The need for innovative suspension designs in EVs is critical, according to Vibracoustic. Increased weight, insulating and protecting the high-voltage battery and more efficiency demands all play a role.

"We are excited to partner with Vibracoustic, a leading supplier of air springs, to provide our customers with a smooth and comfortable ride experience," said Don Guo, vice president of XPeng's Automotive Technology Center. "The G9 model is designed to offer the best of both worlds: performance and efficiency, and we believe that Vibracoustic's air spring is a perfect match for our vision."

Vibracoustic typically works in NVH solutions for passenger vehicles, and the air springs for the large XPeng are for both the front and rear axles.

They maintain a constant level for the vehicle at lower speeds, regardless of load; increase roll stability and lower the car at higher speeds to increase aerodynamic efficiency.

"For BEVs like the G9, they can also optimize airflow under the car for passive battery cooling and to maintain a minimum ground clearance for battery protection," Vibracoustic said. "They can provide the ability to easily modify compression and rebound response rates to suit vehicle and terrain conditions."

Vibracoustic also produced the rear jounce bumpers for the G9, which sit directly on top of the air spring, at Vibracoustic's plant in Wuxi, China.

Vibracoustic saw about $2.9 billion in net sales in 2023.