Technological Breakthroughs and Application Upgrades of Air Spring Shock Absorbers in the New Energy Vehicle Field
With the rapid iteration of new energy vehicles (NEVs) toward "intelligence, lightweight design, and comfort," traditional coil spring shock absorption systems can hardly balance the three core requirements of "range-related energy consumption," "riding experience," and "handling stability." Air spring shock absorbers, leveraging their dynamically adjustable stiffness and height characteristics, not only reduce electrical energy consumption by lowering driving resistance but also enhance riding comfort through precise shock absorption. They have gradually become standard components in mid-to-high-end NEVs. However, the high-voltage environment, range pressure, and complex operating conditions of NEVs pose new challenges to the safety, energy consumption control, and durability of air spring shock absorbers, driving continuous technological breakthroughs and application upgrades.
1. Core Demands of New Energy Vehicles for Air Spring Shock Absorbers
NEVs differ significantly from traditional fuel vehicles in terms of power structure and usage scenarios. Their demands for air spring shock absorbers exhibit the characteristics of "three highs and one low," which can be detailed as follows:
1.1 High Safety Adaptability
The battery packs of NEVs are typically installed under the chassis, with a small ground clearance (only 120–150mm for some models), and the battery pack casings have low impact resistance. Air spring shock absorbers need to provide "dual protection": first, to prevent the chassis from scraping against the ground by precisely controlling stiffness when driving on bumpy roads, thereby protecting the battery pack; second, to quickly release pressure and generate a buffer force in the event of a collision, reducing the transmission of impact force to the battery pack and lowering the risk of battery fires and leakage. For example, one pure electric vehicle brand requires its air springs to release pressure within 0.3 seconds after a collision, while keeping the buffer force between 5,000–8,000N to avoid damaging the battery structure.
1.2 Low Energy Consumption Operation Requirement
Driving range is the core competitiveness of NEVs, and the energy consumption of air spring shock absorbers directly affects the overall vehicle range. Traditional air spring systems rely on on-board air compressors for continuous air supply, consuming 1–2kWh of electricity per hour—equivalent to reducing the driving range by 10–20km. Therefore, air springs for NEVs need to reduce average daily electricity consumption to below 0.5kWh by optimizing their structure and control logic. Additionally, when the vehicle is traveling at high speeds, lowering the body height reduces wind resistance, further cutting energy consumption (data shows that for every 10mm reduction in body height, high-speed driving energy consumption decreases by 2%–3%).
1.3 High Environmental Adaptability
NEVs often face extreme weather and complex road conditions, such as -30℃ low temperatures in northern winters, temperatures exceeding 40℃ in southern summers, and mud erosion on muddy roads. This requires the capsule material of air spring shock absorbers to have a wide temperature adaptation range (-40℃–100℃), anti-aging properties, and oil resistance; metal components need to use anti-corrosion coatings (e.g., zinc-nickel alloy coatings), with a salt spray test duration of at least 1,000 hours to prevent rust from affecting performance; meanwhile, the shock absorber must have good dust and water resistance (protection level no lower than IP67) to prevent mud, sand, and rainwater from entering the interior and causing malfunctions.
1.4 High Integration Requirement
The chassis space of NEVs is limited (as it needs to accommodate battery packs, motors, electronic control systems, etc.). The traditional separate design of air springs, shock absorbers, and height sensors not only takes up significant space but also increases installation complexity and failure risks. Therefore, air springs for NEVs need to move toward "integration," combining components such as air springs, shock absorbers, height sensors, and solenoid valves into a single module. This reduces the volume by more than 30% compared to traditional solutions and simplifies pipeline connections to lower leakage risks.
2. Key Technological Breakthroughs of Air Spring Shock Absorbers
To meet the special needs of NEVs, the industry has achieved several technological breakthroughs in three major areas: materials, structures, and control systems, as outlined below:
2.1 Material Innovation: Balancing Performance and Energy Consumption
2.1.1 Airbag Material Upgrade
Traditional nitrile rubber airbags tend to harden at low temperatures (compromising shock absorption) and age quickly at high temperatures. The new generation of air springs uses a "nitrile rubber + polyamide fiber" composite material. A fiber-braided reinforcement layer enhances airbag strength (increasing burst pressure from 3MPa to 5MPa), while anti-aging agents and low-temperature plasticizers are added to ensure the airbag maintains good elasticity even at -40℃. Its high-temperature aging life is extended to over 8 years (compared to only 5 years for traditional materials). Additionally, some high-end models use lightweight silicone airbags, which are 20% lighter than traditional rubber airbags, further reducing overall vehicle energy consumption.
2.1.2 Damping Material Optimization
Shock absorber damping oil is a key factor affecting shock absorption performance and energy consumption. Traditional mineral oil damping oil increases in viscosity at low temperatures, slowing shock absorber response and increasing energy consumption. The new generation of damping oil uses synthetic ester base oil, supplemented with nano-scale anti-wear agents and viscosity index improvers. Its low-temperature viscosity (at -30℃) is reduced by 40%, allowing the shock absorber to respond quickly even in low-temperature environments; meanwhile, its viscosity stability at high temperatures is improved, preventing reduced shock absorption effects caused by damping force attenuation.
2.2 Structural Optimization: Improving Integration and Safety
2.2.1 Integrated Module Design
A "coaxially integrated air spring + shock absorber" structure is adopted, with the airbag wrapped around the outside of the shock absorber to form a "sleeve-cylinder" design. This reduces the volume by 35% compared to the traditional separate design. At the same time, the pipeline length is shortened (from 1.5m to 0.3m), and the gas leakage rate is reduced (from 0.5L/min to below 0.1L/min). Additionally, the module includes a built-in height sensor and solenoid valve, which monitor body height in real time and adjust air pressure quickly—shortening response time from 0.8 seconds to 0.3 seconds and improving body control accuracy.
2.2.2 Safety Protection Structure Upgrade
To protect the battery pack, a high-density polyurethane "anti-collision buffer block" is installed at the bottom of the air spring. When the chassis is subjected to a severe impact, the buffer block can absorb 30%–50% of the impact force, preventing the airbag from rupturing due to direct force; meanwhile, a "dual-sealing" structure (O-ring + metal sealing ring) is used at the connection between the airbag and the upper cover plate, and a pressure burst valve is added. When the pressure inside the airbag exceeds the safety threshold (e.g., 5MPa), the burst valve automatically releases pressure to prevent safety accidents caused by airbag explosion.
2.3 Control System Upgrade: Achieving Intelligent Energy Saving
2.3.1 Adaptive Pressure Regulation Algorithm
Traditional air springs use a "fixed pressure" control logic, maintaining constant air pressure regardless of road conditions—leading to high energy consumption. The new generation of control systems uses a "road condition adaptive algorithm," which collects real-time road condition information (e.g., bumpiness, road slope) via on-board sensors (acceleration sensors, wheel speed sensors, cameras) and automatically adjusts airbag pressure: when driving on smooth roads, air pressure is reduced (e.g., to 0.8MPa) to lower the air compressor’s operating frequency and reduce energy consumption; when driving on bumpy roads, air pressure is increased (e.g., to 1.2MPa) to enhance stiffness and protect the chassis and battery pack. Data shows this algorithm can reduce the average daily electricity consumption of the air spring system to below 0.3kWh—a 40% decrease compared to traditional solutions.
2.3.2 Application of Energy Recovery Technology
Some high-end models’ air spring systems incorporate an "energy recovery" function. When the vehicle is driving on bumpy roads or braking, the high-pressure gas generated by air spring compression is stored in a high-pressure gas tank via a one-way valve (instead of being directly discharged); when the vehicle needs to raise its body or adjust air pressure, it first uses the gas in the tank, reducing the number of times the air compressor starts. Tests show this technology can reduce the air compressor’s operating time by 30%, further lowering energy consumption and increasing the driving range by 5–8km.
3. Typical Application Cases and Effect Verification
3.1 Application Case of a High-End Pure Electric Sedan
A luxury brand’s pure electric sedan (with a 700km driving range) adopted a new generation of integrated air spring shock absorption systems to improve riding comfort and range. The specific solution is as follows:
3.1.1 Structural Design
An integrated "air spring + shock absorber + height sensor" module is installed on the front and rear suspensions. This module is 35% smaller than traditional solutions, fitting the chassis’s compact space; meanwhile, the front suspension uses a double-airbag structure, and the rear suspension uses a triple-airbag structure to enhance body support and shock absorption.
3.1.2 Control System
Equipped with a "road condition adaptive algorithm" and "energy recovery" function, the system uses cameras to identify road conditions (e.g., highways, rural roads, bumpy roads) and automatically adjusts body height and airbag pressure: when traveling at high speeds (over 120km/h), the body height is reduced by 20mm, lowering the drag coefficient from 0.23 to 0.21 and cutting energy consumption by 4%; when driving on bumpy roads, the body height is increased by 30mm, and airbag pressure is raised to 1.3MPa—achieving a vibration isolation efficiency of over 85% to prevent chassis scraping.
3.1.3 Effect Verification
Real-vehicle tests of this model show that at -30℃, the air spring responds normally with no significant reduction in shock absorption; when driving continuously for 4 hours at 40℃, there is no sign of airbag aging; under comprehensive operating conditions, the air spring system’s average daily electricity consumption is only 0.25kWh—a 50% decrease compared to traditional solutions; meanwhile, its riding comfort score (based on NVH testing) is 30% higher than that of models using traditional coil springs, and the battery pack remained undamaged after 1,000 bumpy road tests.
3.2 Application Case of a New Energy SUV
A brand’s new energy SUV (four-wheel drive version, with a 600km driving range) customized an enhanced air spring shock absorption system for complex road conditions and off-road needs. The key features of the solution are as follows:
3.2.1 Materials and Structure
The airbag uses a "nitrile rubber + aramid fiber" composite material, with a burst pressure of 5.5MPa to withstand greater impacts; metal components use zinc-nickel alloy coatings, with a salt spray test duration of 1,200 hours to fully meet anti-corrosion needs for off-road conditions; meanwhile, the shock absorber uses a "multi-stage adjustable damping" design, which can switch between "comfort," "sport," and "off-road" modes based on road conditions, with a damping coefficient adjustment range of 200–1,000N·s/m.
3.2.2 Intelligent Control
The system integrates a "terrain recognition" function, which uses four-wheel speed sensors and body attitude sensors to real-time identify road surface types (e.g., mud, snow, rocky roads) and automatically adjust body height and airbag stiffness: in off-road mode, the body height is increased by 50mm, and airbag pressure is raised to 1.5MPa to improve passability; in snow mode, the body height is reduced by 10mm to enhance body stability and prevent sideslipping.
3.2.3 Effect Verification
In off-road tests, the vehicle successfully traversed a 30° steep slope, a 500mm deep wading section, and a rocky obstacle road, with no air spring malfunctions; under comprehensive operating conditions, its energy consumption is 5% lower than that of traditional coil spring SUVs, and its driving range is increased by 30km; meanwhile, after 1,000km of continuous driving on bumpy roads, the air spring’s performance remained unchanged, with no signs of airbag leakage or aging—demonstrating excellent durability.
4. Future Development Trends
With the continuous advancement of NEV technology, air spring shock absorbers will develop in the following three directions:
4.1 Intelligent Upgrade
Combined with AI and big data technology, "predictive adjustment" will be realized. By analyzing the vehicle’s historical driving data and road condition data, road condition changes are predicted in advance, and air spring parameters are proactively adjusted. For example, when the vehicle is about to enter a bumpy road section, the system increases body height and airbag stiffness in advance (without waiting for sensor feedback), further improving shock absorption and safety; meanwhile, remote diagnosis technology is used to real-time monitor the air spring’s status and provide early warnings for potential faults (e.g., airbag leakage, damping force attenuation), reducing maintenance costs and downtime.
4.2 Lightweight and Low-Cost
Currently, air spring shock absorbers are mainly used in mid-to-high-end models, with high costs (a set of systems costs approximately 5,000–8,000 yuan). In the future, by using lightweight materials (e.g., carbon fiber-reinforced composite materials), simplifying structural design, and scaling up production, costs can be reduced to 3,000–5,000 yuan—promoting their adoption in mid-range models priced below 150,000 yuan; meanwhile, weight will be further reduced (targeting a 25% reduction compared to existing solutions), providing more room for overall vehicle lightweighting and energy consumption reduction.
4.3 Multi-System Collaboration
The air spring shock absorption system will deeply integrate with the chassis electronic stability program (ESP), adaptive cruise control (ACC), active anti-roll system, and other components to form an overall "intelligent chassis" solution. For example, when the ESP detects that the vehicle is about to sideslip, the air spring system can quickly adjust the air pressure of the single-side airbag to enhance body stability; when the ACC controls the vehicle to decelerate, the air spring system can lower the body height to reduce braking distance. Through multi-system collaboration, the handling, safety, and comfort of NEVs will be further improved.
5. Conclusion
As a core component of the NEV chassis, technological breakthroughs and application upgrades of air spring shock absorbers directly drive improvements in the riding experience and comprehensive performance of NEVs. Driven by the dual goals of "carbon peaking and carbon neutrality" and consumption upgrading, air spring shock absorbers will gradually transition from "high-end configurations" to "mainstream choices," while also facing higher requirements for lightweighting, cost reduction, and intelligence. In the future, it will be necessary to continue strengthening material R&D, structural innovation, and system collaboration to provide stronger technical support for the high-quality development of the NEV industry.
