EV Lubes: The Latest In Driveline E-Fluid Technology

Presented by:

  • Michael Gahagan, Technology Development Manager, The Lubrizol Corporation

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Oct 20, 2022, 9:15 am EDT

New driveline e-fluids, designed to enable the latest electrified powertrains to perform at their very best, are entering the market.
Many earlier electric vehicle powertrains were developed using automatic transmission fluids (ATF). Not optimised for EVs, increasingly these are being superseded by the latest generation of lubricant fluid technology, termed driveline “e-fluids”. e-Fluids are optimised for automotive electrified hardware types, such as the latest generation of e-axles, and cool and protect such devices much more effectively.
With lubricants now increasingly expected to be in direct contact with powered motor windings and exposed electrical components, characteristics such as preventing copper corrosion and raised fluid electrical resistivity are of increased importance.

Motor efficiency increases with reduced fluid churning losses and suitable cooling. It can be further improved through the use of optimised viscosity fluids which provide thermal management. Ensuring suitable wear performance as required by the hardware engineers is of vital importance to protect the gears and bearings, and is another benefit provided by the e-fluids.

The latest types of additive components used in e-fluids have evolved significantly over traditional types, and a number of new e-fluid classes will be described in the webinar. These include the most recent type of e-fluid technology to enter the market, which has no corrosive active sulfur additive present, sometimes termed “sulfur-free”.

The e-fluid is an engineered component and forms part of the overall design of the electrified hardware. The presentation will cover the fundamentals of the latest e-fluid design, fluid properties, and how a fluid is best evaluated for performance. Key issues resolved by the e-fluid such as corrosion, oxidation and fouling, thermal management, electrical insulation compatibility and component wear protection will be described.

This talk will be of interest to engineers seeking an understanding of the fundamental principles behind e-fluid design. In addition, the latest fluid testing methods to address some of the hardware challenges, resolved by the fluid, will be described with the aim of enabling the engineer to make the best fluid choice for their latest hardware designs.


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