What would happen if you took four motors from a Formula E race car and used them to power a four-door sedan? Formula E champion Lucas di Grassi and Schaeffler CTO Prof. Peter Gutzmer just had to find out, and the result is the Audi 4ePerformance concept. This “Frankenstein-like” supercar sports four electric motors, one… Read more »
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How to protect circuits in battery management systems
Sponsored by Littelfuse By Carlos Castro, Global Director Marketing Automotive Electronics, Littelfuse, Inc. As hybrid and electric vehicles roll closer to battery power drive systems with 48V or higher, the lithium-ion battery in a closed system is the clear leader for power. Lithium-ion gets high marks in cost, energy efficiency, temperature performance, power-to-weight ratio and lifecycle…. Read more »
Top circuit protection requirements to consider when designing an automotive battery pack
Littelfuse helps the auto industry navigate new electrical engineering challenges When engineers design a battery pack, they tend to focus first on its core functionality and value proposition. For a high-end energy storage device, those core attributes are typically things like total pack energy density, cost minimization, packaging efficiency, peak power and state-of-the-art thermal management…. Read more »
A closer look at film capacitors
Plastic film capacitors relentlessly continue to take over many of the duties in EV power electronics that were once performed by the venerable aluminum electrolytic type, mainly because film capacitors exhibit much lower losses and have a much longer operational lifespan, especially at ambient temperatures in the 75-85° C range. The tradeoff is that film… Read more »
Tecnomatic helps automakers design specialty assembly processes for advanced stator technologies
There seems to be an endless array of electric motor topologies, architectures, and configurations. Among the many design choices that engineers face is the shape of copper wire that is wound in the stator. In a new paper published in the IEEE Transactions on Industry Applications, researchers compared using flat wire hairpin winding and stranded… Read more »
BMW introduces wireless charging option
BMW has introduced a factory-fitted, integrated inductive charging feature for its 530e iPerformance PHEV. The system can be ordered now as a leasing option in Germany, and will subsequently be rolled out in the UK, the US, Japan and China. The BMW Wireless Charging system consists of a GroundPad, which can be installed in a… Read more »
Nidec’s new E-Axle integrated traction motor system
The 45-year-old Nidec Corporation has unveiled a fully integrated traction motor system. Nidec’s E-Axle is based on an earlier design that included an integrated inverter. The new design also integrates an electric motor and reduction gearbox. According to Nidec, the new design delivers higher torque than earlier models – up to 3,900 N-m. Despite the… Read more »
Nidec’s Ultra Fast Charger smooths out power demand from the grid
Nidec ASI’s new Ultra Fast Charger (UFC) incorporates 160 kWh of batteries, and functions as a buffer between a charging station and the electrical grid. It can use LV or MV grid connections and, according to Nidec, can supply 320 kW of power to a vehicle, while drawing only 50 kW from the grid. Nidec… Read more »
Electrify America releases map of planned charging network
Electrify America, the EVSE network founded by VW as part of its penance for the Dirty Diesel Debacle, has unveiled a map of its planned national network of charging stations. The new company has already named its charging station suppliers, and announced partnerships with Walmart and Target to deploy some of the stations. The new… Read more »
ClipperCreek offers pre-owned charging stations
Pre-owned EVs are going for bargain prices, so why not buy a pre-owned charger as well? ClipperCreek has begun selling factory-tested, pre-owned HCS and LCS series charging stations. The certified chargers come with a one-year warranty, and pricing starts at $300. ClipperCreek inspects and tests each unit to ensure “like new” functionality – the used… Read more »