E-Mobility Engineering

Motor development and manufacturing Peter Donaldson details the many processes involved in creating new motor systems. As with any sophisticated industrial process, the development of motor systems for e-mobility is a complex and multi-stage endeavour, subject to rapid change under pressure, both to innovate and ramp up to high production volumes. The first stage is conceptualisation and definition, whereby key requirements are identified and the specifications of the motor are defined, based on the intended application, vehicle type, powertrain configuration and the regulatory standards that apply in the markets in which it will operate. Next comes design to flesh out the details of the motor geometry, including the stator, rotor, windings, housing and design software, and the subsequent electromagnetic and thermal simulations to optimise motor performance, efficiency and cooling requirements. Designs are then validated using finite element analysis (FEA) and computational fluid dynamics (CFD) simulations. Prototype development comes next, beginning with the fabrication of components such as stator and rotor assemblies, increasingly using rapid techniques such as 3D printing. Prototype motors are then assembled and put through initial bench testing to verify performance characteristics and validate simulation results. More comprehensive testing and validation follows, focused on the prototype’s performance, efficiency and durability, including dynamometer tests that evaluate torque, speed, power and efficiency under a range of operating conditions. Thermal performance testing assesses the new motor’s ability to operate reliably within the design temperature limits, while durability testing helps to evaluate its longevity and resistance to mechanical stress, vibrations and environmental factors. Click here to read the full article ⚡https://lnkd.in/esYeTn24 With a special thanks to: Dr. Jakob Jung at Additive Drives GmbH Rolf Blissenbach, Bernhard Schmitt at BorgWarner JAYDIP DAS at Carpenter Electrification Red Blaylock iNetic Ltd Barry Lee LH Carbide Adam N. Matrishvan Raval, Gary Stevens, at Turntide Technologies. James Byatt at TRAXIAL #motors #electricmotors #electricvehicles #powertrain #electrificaton #automotive

💛 What is it about our electric excavators that we dig so much? 🖤 Is it the fact we’ve worked with them for more than 40 years? That they’re easier to maintain than their diesel counterparts? That they provide significant cost savings for customers? 🤔 We could keep going, but we have a better idea. Why don’t you check out the feature story about our electric excavators in the September issue of E-Mobility Engineering? We spoke with Rory Jackson about the history of Liebherr’s electric excavators and discussed exactly how these remarkable machines work – particularly in the harsh conditions found on mine sites! You can read the full article here: https://bit.ly/3A5XROn #liebherrmining #electric #excavators #zero #emissions

Molex report explores potential of 48 V systems Molex has issued a report, Rewiring the Road: Harnessing the Power of 48 V, on the growing traction of 48 V electrical system technology, which is poised to fuel major improvements in vehicle performance, efficiency, functionality and comfort. It offers advice for vehicle manufacturers and design engineers as they navigate the transition from traditional, 12 V systems. By quadrupling system voltage, 48 V technology advances automotive features and functionality – including electric turbocharging, regenerative braking, infotainment systems and battery preconditioning for auxiliary charging – and it boosts the efficiency of electrically powered components for climate control, steering and engine temperature management. The delivery of higher current and voltage also increases power efficiencies in the critical sensors, actuators and control units needed for advanced driver assistance systems while paving the way for fully autonomous driving. “48 V technology holds great promise, but the path forward requires industrywide collaboration to overcome technical obstacles and establish industry standards,” said Scott Whicker, senior vice-president and president of transportation innovative solutions at Molex. “We are working with partners across the automotive ecosystem to accelerate 48 V adoption. Together, we can optimise system integration, reduce development costs, and speed time to market for power system components and connectivity solutions, ensuring reliable and efficient power delivery.” Versatile, 48 V systems can be adapted to both internal combustion engine (ICE) vehicles and fully electric models. Molex’s MX150 Mid-Voltage Connector system is engineered for efficient assembly and reduced package size. It delivers a robust, reliable solution for 48 V wiring applications. Capable of handling up to 60 V, this connector system supports the use of smaller wire gauges to reduce weight and cost while maintaining high performance. Click here to access more news articles & deeper technical investigations into e-mobility ▶ https://lnkd.in/exVm22ce #powerelectronics #automotive #electricvehicles #electrification #ev #emobility

Bo M electric scooter A company that aims to make its e-scooter a serious, roadgoing magic carpet explains its vision to Peter Donaldson. With a side profile reminiscent of a boomerang and a sleek, unadorned, metallic finish, the ‘M’ stand-up electric scooter from Bo has a distinctive appearance that hints at a fresh approach to an increasingly popular category of minimalist, powered two-wheeler. The project began in 2019, as a mission to bring some of the same qualities expected of cars and other ‘serious’ roadgoing vehicles to the e-scooter, according to Bo co-founder and CEO Oscar Morgan, who describes himself and his team as hardcore scooter nerds who have ridden almost everything. “We love the e-scooter format – it’s as close as we’ve come to a magic carpet – but we found the vehicles that we purchased underwhelming and undesirable. We also felt there were a lot of marketing claims that the products failed to live up to. It seemed likely that other people felt the same way, so we imagined that if we could improve the vehicles, perhaps we could enable lots of new riders to experience the benefits of scooting,” he says. Morgan’s co-founders, Harry Wills and Luke Robus, are the other principal members of the team behind the M scooter. Morgan and Wills met while working at Williams Formula One in the Advanced Engineering division, while Robus joined Bo from the Range Rover Future Design Studio at Jaguar Land Rover. They wanted to build the first “mature” product in the e-scooter sector, based on the team’s collective experience in automotive engineering, meaning that refinement, aesthetics, performance and safety were prioritised. “In simple terms, we have worked to create a product that is truly, consistently delightful to own and live with,” Morgan says. “For us, the ideal is that you look forward to your journey as one of the best bits of your day – the most fun, least complex and genuinely rewarding way to cross your city. Failing that, the basic minimum for us is that Bo M should be like a butler – quietly intuitive and unobtrusive, so you leave your house, arrive at work, and the bit in the middle is just a happy and helpful ride.” That is achieved across a thousand little touchpoints, including an ergonomically located lock, lights that make potholes and kerbs obvious and easy to avoid, and power delivery and braking that are intuitive. “Even the kickstand holds the vehicle upright and ready to ride, so you feel gently confident as you approach it,” he says. The scooter is now in the initial production stage, and everything has been designed, engineered and produced in-house. Click here to read the full article ⚡ https://lnkd.in/eJuDe7U4 #electricscooter #micromobility #batteries #electrification #emobility #sustainability

Reference design trio Microchip Technology Inc. has developed three Reference Designs for different EV charger requirements, writes Nick Flaherty. These reference designs cover a Single-Phase AC Residential, a Three-Phase AC Commercial with Open Charge Point Protocol (OCPP) and System-on-Chip (SoC) plus a Three-Phase AC Commercial with OCPP and Display. Most of the active components for these EV charger reference designs are available from Microchip, including the microcontroller, analogue front-end, memory, connectivity and power conversion. These reference designs offer complete hardware design files and source code with software stacks that are tested and compliant to communication protocols, including OCPP. OCPP offers manufacturers a standard protocol to communicate between the charge point or charging station and a central system. This protocol is designed to enable interoperability of the charging applications regardless of the network. The Single-Phase AC Residential EV Charger Reference Design is aimed at home charging from a single-phase supply at 110 V or 220/240 V. On-board energy metering with automatic calibration simplifies the production process. The design has integrated safety protection including Protective Earth Neutra fault detection and Residual Current Device detection. The Three-Phase AC Commercial with OCPP and Wi-Fi SoC EV Charger Reference Design is intended for high-end residential and commercial charging stations. It features OCPP 1.6 stack integration for communication with charging networks and Wi-Fi SoC for remote management. The Three-Phase AC Commercial with OCPP and Display EV Charger Reference Design caters to commercial and public charging stations with a focus on robust operation including a completed architecture review according to UL 2231. It is designed to support up to 22 kW with bidirectional charging capabilities and a modular architecture. Click here to access more news articles & deeper technical investigations into e-mobility ▶ https://lnkd.in/exVm22ce #evcharger #charging #electricvehicles #automotive #evcharging #electricvehicles

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In conversation: Neil Yates Rory Jackson learns the success of a leading skateboard developer With effectively all automotive OEMs now shifting focus from internal combustion engine (ICE) vehicles to e-mobility, an eye for emerging trends across the industry and its markets has become critically. This strength is enabling one company to determine what technological, manufacturing and investment directions it should take, amid the rapid innovation and significant upheaval taking place across road vehicle production. As founder and CEO of WATT Electric Vehicle Company (WEVC), Neil Yates has steered his team amid considerable industry turbulence and transformations to successfully develop and manufacture its Passenger and Commercial EV Skateboard (PACES) platform. That platform is the basis of its commercial eCV1 Chassis Cab (itself a modular design, launched commercially in 2023 and available as various van-type derivatives) and its passenger EVs, which the company produces in low to medium volumes. These it considers rightsized and optimised for niche applications.  “High-volume automotive manufacturing takes not only huge investment, but mass, widespread consumer acceptance of EVs and the very slight lifestyle changes – already being widely undertaken today – that their uptake would entail,” Yates says.  “From a technological point of view, the biggest issues facing manufacturers are around electrical architectures, subsystem integration, and the ability to update software and firmware seamlessly. You only need to look for instance at how Volkswagen have put $5bn into Rivian toward understanding its distributed and zonal electrical architecture, to understand how serious these issues are. And subsystem choices hinge on the race towards efficiency each OEM is engaged in – not just electrical efficiency, but packaging efficiency and weight efficiency, all of which are skyrocketing orders of SiC, new battery cells, and similarly beneficial technologies for making a holistically better EV.” The modularity of a skateboard-type platform has been key to WEVC navigating industry trends as Yates has observed them. Unusually, however, the route to his present-day leadership in EV skateboard production first went through considerable quantities of motorsport. Having been brought home from the hospital of his birth in a stage rally-prepared Mini Cooper S, Yates likely had the earliest start to involvement in motorsport in the life of anyone featured in this publication. After a childhood spent helping his father build rally cars, and many subsequent years as a technician and engineer in various forms of racing, he founded Adrenaline Motorsport in the early 2000s to design and manufacture sports cars (which it did so successfully). Click here to read the full article ⚡ https://lnkd.in/eTxpaDAn #automotive #electricvehicles #emobility #ev #electricmobility #electrification

We're proud to partner with Thermal Management Expo for another year 🔋 Unlock the future of thermal technology! Thermal Management Expo Europe is coming to Stuttgart on 3-5 December 2024! Discover cutting-edge solutions for managing heat in high-tech industries, from EV batteries to renewable energy systems and electronics to semiconductors! Don't miss out on live demos and expert-led talks with representatives from organisations including Dovetail Electric Aviation, Milence, STIRWELD and Virtual Vehicle Research GmbH! Find out more and register free here: https://lnkd.in/eAHdus-b #thermalmanagementexpo #thermalmanagement #batterysafety #evbatteries #automotive #electricvehicles

1000 V stackable lithium-ion batteries Epsilor Electric Fuel has developed lithium-ion batteries that stack to provide 1000 V in military systems, writes Nick Flaherty. The COMBATT Military High Voltage Battery System is based on Epsilor’s NATO standard 6T battery modules, it provides a capacity up to 175 Ah and 4400 Wh. The COMBATT 6T batteries are currently undergoing the MIL-PRF-32565C US ARMY standardisation tests. These tests include bullet penetration, extreme temperature performance (up to 500 C) and long cycle life, ensuring reliability in the most demanding military environments. Both versions are designed to support defence vehicles, tactical energy storage applications and ground military robotics. A variant of the battery, the COMBATT ELI-52526-GM, provides 4400 Wh/175 Ah capacity at 25.2 V for electric vehicles that are used in the field. This is six times the energy capacity of lead acid batteries of a similar weight, and 50% more than any other 6T lithium-ion battery pack. The connected strings of 6T battery modules are controlled by a joint high-voltage Battery Management System (BMS), which monitors and controls each individual 6T battery. The cells are charged from a 30 VDC power supply or 28 V alternator with a current of 82 A, although the BMS supports fast charging at 130A through a high current charge regulator that supports high-power alternator feed, surges and differential battery state of charge. The cells charge at temperatures between -40 C to 55 C using an internal heater with a discharge operation between -40 C to 71 C, again provided by the internal heater. The battery packs can also be transported by air. Click here to access more news articles & deeper technical investigations into e-mobility ▶ https://lnkd.in/exVm22ce #batteries #electricvehicles #automotive #batterymanagmentsystems #bms #automotive

Bel Fuse Inc. converter sets ‘new benchmark’ Bel Fuse is launching the 350DNG40-12-8, a 2nd-generation, 4 kW, liquid-cooled DC-DC converter. Operating from 240-450 VDC input voltages, the converter delivers up to 4000 W of output, and it can efficiently power low-voltage accessories in hybrid and electric vehicles. Built with full, galvanic isolation between input and output, it is embedded with a range of protection features that enable dynamic flexibility with load or input changes, ensuring high reliability in unpredictable environments. The converter features a CAN bus serial interface, and IP ratings IP67 and IP6k9k, making it ideal for construction equipment, underground mining applications, on- and off-highway vehicles, and marine equipment. Bel Fuse offers additional optional Unified Diagnostic Services (UDS) functionality, including CAN FD and cyber security. The product has obtained the e-Mark Certification. “Our new converter sets a new benchmark in power solutions for hybrid and electric vehicles with its advanced design, high reliability and flexibility, ideal for demanding industries like construction, mining and marine applications,” said Frank Vondenhoff, global director of e-mobility, product & business development. “With features like CAN bus integration and enhanced security options, we’re helping to meet the evolving needs of manufacturers and operators while maintaining strict regulatory compliance.” Click here to access more news articles & deeper technical investigations into e-mobility ▶ https://lnkd.in/exVm22ce #emobility #electricvehicles #automotive #electrification #converters #electricmobility