SPECIAL REPORT: VEHICLE ELECTRIFICATION JANUARY 2021
Sponsored by SR Elektro Automatik Ad 0121.qxp 1/5/21 4:03 PM Page 1 CONTENTS
FEATURES 22 E-motorcycle Project Pushes Battery Boundaries 2 Volkswagen Reveals its For Triumph’s TE-1 project, new materials and cell technologies target greater energy density “People’s” EV and overall performance. Williams Advanced VW’s ID.4 leads the 2021 stampede to Engineering’s CEO explains. electrification for the mass market. 7 2021 Mustang Mach-E Ford’s first dedicated electric platform reveals TECH REPORT the challenges and opportunities in developing a state-of-the-art EV. 24 New SAE wireless charging standard is EV game-changer
12 FEV and the Art of EV Testing 26 Cadillac reveals Lyriq electric vehicle The legendary powertrain engineering group has expanded its global footprint into EV 27 SAE project to develop cyber-secure testing and development to keep pace with EV charging changing technologies and customer demand. 29 Mahle amps up electrification R&D, 16 Static Testing of EV Components battery-cooling capability Firing nails into your latest Li-ion battery pack is but one of many regimens in the comprehensive testing of new electric vehicles. 18 Tracking the Battery Market ON THE COVER Battleground The Mustang Mach-E is Ford’s Production scale, yield, and new cell first dedicated battery electric technologies are challenging EV battery cell vehicle (BEV) and is built on an all-new electric vehicle (EV) suppliers, explains an expert at IHS Markit. platform. Learn more about the Mach-E in the feature article beginning on page 7.
(Image courtesy of Ford)
VEHICLE ELECTRIFICATION SPECIAL REPORT JANUARY 2021 1 Volkswagen reveals its “PEOPLE’S” EV
VW’s ID.4 leads the 2021 stampede to electrification for the mass market. At a starting price of $39,995, Volkswagen intends the 2021 ID.4 to be at the by Bill Visnic vanguard of affordable long-range electric vehicles.
he parallels between Volkswagen’s 2021 ID.4 It may not be the racing grandeur of “Ford vs. Ferrari” but the electric vehicle (EV) and the brand’s icon, the early rounds of the affordable-EV tussle could shape us as Ford vs. Beetle, are unmistakable — particularly the Volkswagen (even though the two companies are tied in an ever- Trear-mounted powerplant driving the rear widening EV and automated-driving global alliance). VW said it is wheels. Some believe there’s a certain cosmic appro- investing 11 billion euros in e-mobility by 2024 and will produce 1.5 million priateness at work. The Beetle introduced America to “e-cars” by 2025. ID.4 is expected to account for one-third of that total. a unique European concept of mobility for all. At a To answer, Ford in September confirmed it was cutting the starting price of $39,995, the ID.4, VW’s first dedi- initially announced price of the Mach-E by $1,000 to $3,000, cated EV for the U.S., may be one of the first models depending on model, meaning a rear-wheel-drive Mach-E starts at to make the EV an option for middle Americans. $42,895 — $2,900 more than the RWD base model of VW’s ID.4 (all There have been affordable EV predecessors but until prices before the federal $7,500 tax incentive or state rebates and now, they were either electrified versions of conventional before delivery charges). The Mach-E also was scheduled to start models or comparatively short-range efforts such customer deliveries in late 2020, getting a small headstart on the as Nissan’s Leaf. These were compromised vehicles ID.4, which is slated for VW’s U.S. showrooms in first-quarter 2021. and a wide-open-spaces America never was going to “Price is absolutely a really important factor,” asserted Matt accept small EVs with small battery capacity and small Renna, VP of e-mobility for Volkswagen of America, in an driving ranges. The ID.4 is VW’s Beetle for a new era. interview with Automotive Engineering. But it’s not the only It leads a surge of EVs such as Ford’s Mustang Mach-E metric crucial to mainstream success: “It’s price, space, and ready for showrooms and aggressively priced to tempt range,” he added. Renna drove the company’s battery-electric
mainstream buyers. “Everyman” EVs are finally here. e-Golf as personal transportation for more than five years and VOLKSWAGEN NEF; VWOA BLOOMBERG VOLKSWAGEN; LEFT: FROM TOP CLOCKWISE
2 JANUARY 2021 VEHICLE ELECTRIFICATION SPECIAL REPORT Battery and base rear-drive layout for the 2021 ID.4.
Lithium-ion battery cost projection real projected
$1,000 per kWh
800
600
400
200
$61 $156 0
2010 ’12 ’14 ’16 ’18 ’20 ’22 ’24 ’26 ’28 2030 Source: Bloomberg NEF Tumbling cost for lithium-ion batteries is accelerating the advent of long-range EVs.
Initial ID.4 models will be imported from VW’s Zwickau assembly plant in Mosel, Germany. Starting Cutaway of VW Group lithium-ion battery pack. in 2022, U.S. ID.4 production will be sourced from the company’s assembly plant in Chattanooga, Tennessee and the plant will build a “localized is confident U.S. consumers will respond to a 250-mile (402- version” of the ID.4 priced from around $35,000. km) EV with an SUV-type body style that pencils out at well less than $40,000 after tax rebates. “I’m pretty experienced in EVs Detailing price, space, and range and if I felt the e-Golf was a good customer value proposition, Some EV number-crunchers already are I think that ID.4 is a great customer value proposition.” questioning whether driving ranges of much less Meanwhile, corporate valuations for industry heavyweight than 300 miles (483 km) will suit American demands Tesla and many hopeful EV startups have skyrocketed as cost but Renna said the economics of current battery concerns abate. Bloomberg NEF, in its Electric Vehicle Outlook technology dictate that EVs without a premium 2020 report, summarized: “Price parity between EVs and internal badge to justify higher pricing are subject to an combustion vehicles is reached by the mid-2020s in most inescapable cost calculation. “Range is just highly
VOLKSWAGEN NEF; VWOA BLOOMBERG VOLKSWAGEN; LEFT: FROM TOP CLOCKWISE segments but there is a wide variation between geographies.” correlated with material cost — and therefore the
VEHICLE ELECTRIFICATION SPECIAL REPORT JANUARY 2021 3 Volkswagen reveals its “PEOPLE’S” EV
Traction motors for Volkswagen’s battery-electric ID-family EVs are designed and manufactured in-house. Major components come from various manufacturing sites in the VW Group Components division.
“We’re the masters at VW, the masters at this platform strategy,” Renna asserted. “We understand which parts are efficient to carry price of the car. We fight for efficiency; we fight over car-to-car. And that can span a very wide range of vehicle sizes for not only cost efficiency of the battery but and which parts need to be invested for separately. When you look energy efficiency of the drivetrain. Those both go at the MEB platform, being able to scale from an ID.3, all the way up in part to develop that cost and range equation.” to an ID Buzz, I think, demonstrates the scalability of the platform.” Battery costs are on a steady downward trajectory By 2029, VW projects that 20 million vehicles will be built on MEB. (see chart), a major factor in the coming explosion Renna added that MEB also has its own advantages for crucial of EV choice, particularly for SUV and truck body dimensional aspects such as width and dash-to-axle ratios. “People styles. According to Cox Automotive, there will get focused on width, because of axles and tire loads, a lot of things be 18 non-luxury EV trucks or SUVs available by to do with the chassis components, and that’s consistent. But we 2023. The heavy consumer shift in the U.S. to call [MEB] a single platform; we designate within the platform our SUVs and pickups is what inspired VW to give its platform variants. With those platform variants, you can change axle first EV for the U.S. a compact SUV configuration. programs and width appropriately to manage those attributes.” Interior room was crucial for customer appeal. Such considerations are what makes EV platform strategy “There are a lot of more-compact SUVs in the “maybe a little bit different from ICE,” he continued, “because the market, which are more energy efficient because cross-structure is quite a bit different. You don’t have the engine they take up less space and aerodynamic area,” in front of you, which gives you a lot more flexibility, overhangs Renna said. “And they’re lighter. But we felt they’re and that axle-to-dash distance. Whereas in an internal combustion less usable. We also make those [sub-compact vehicle, a lot of your crash load is going through the front engine SUVs], like the ID.3 in Europe. But the sweet spot compartment. You’ve got to design the car very differently.” for the U.S. market seems to be the compact SUV and we wanted something that delivered the Compact dimensions, conventional construction same utility as the sweet spot of the market.” In terms of its overall size, ID.4 sits in the middle of the Volkswagen has made much of its investment in the compact SUV segment. At 180.5 in (4,585 mm) overall, it ID.4’s modular MEB dedicated-EV architecture and its is 4.6 in (117 mm) shorter overall than VW’s Tiguan, while flexibility. Renna said MEB is adaptable for the wide the ID.4’s wheelbase is just 0.9 in (23 mm) shorter than the spectrum of EVs the global market will demand. He Tiguan’s 108.9-in (2,766-mm) between axles. The ID.4’s height said MEB can range from the ID.3 to large vehicles such is 64.4 in (1,636 mm), 1.9 in (48 mm) lower than Tiguan. as the anticipated production version of the ID Buzz Although its battery pack is encased in aluminum, the ID.4’s body concept, a 3-row van/SUV. The VW-Ford alliance will see and chassis are steel. The ID.4’s battery supplier is SK Innovation the Dearborn-based automaker source 600,000 MEB (SKI) and that the U.S.-built ID.4’s battery cells will be sourced
platforms and related components starting in 2023. from SKI’s new production facility in Commerce, Georgia. As of VOLKSWAGEN
4 JANUARY 2021 VEHICLE ELECTRIFICATION SPECIAL REPORT VOLKSWAGEN SR SynopsysAd0121.qxp1/8/213:50PMPage1 and high quality electronic systems earlier and faster. abstraction prototyping and solution fast will virtual help you deliver optimized U[UVGOVGUVKPICPFHWPEVKQPCNUCHGV[5[PQRU[UWPKƒGFOWNVKFQ From exploration of system hardware design options to software development, Prototyping Solution Virtual &GXGNQROGPVYKVJ7PKƒGF Accelerate E-Vehicles System Virtualizer Silver TestWeaverT est W OS ea ECU Electrical Hardware v er Mechanical M Plant E SW ApplicationA MCU HardwareM ec lect CU h MCALMC anica H ri BSWB pplpp cal S a A W r icatio For more information, visit d L H l w P www.synopsys.com/xEV a a l r an r d n e ComplexC w om Dr Driver t a i r ver pl e ex Automotive Auto Tool E Ecosystem I Integration nte cos SaberS m aber g ot y ration iv stem e T ool Silver OCKPOWNVK Saber Virtualizer by drivetrain Global annualpassengervehiclesales 0 20 40 60 80 100 Million 2015 20202025203020352040 Volkswagen reveals its and thecontribution ofthetransportation industry in understanding theeffects ofCO e-mobility. Anditcomes from agreater place ofus our core visionfor thisproduct was accessible change andmass-market potential for EVs. “Ithink poised to adoptCalifornia’s zero-emissions mandate.” ever-growing list ofstates that have adopted orare China, andnationally includingCalifornia andan scramble to meet strict emissions targets inEurope, “the pushto electric isinescapableascarmakers a September 2020 report from Cox Automotive said, the COVID-19 pandemicdisrupted somelaunch plans, accelerating pushto address climate change. Although the propulsion transformation hasanother driver: the Changing climate viathemarket investment for usandourtechnology.” drive units,we absolutely seeitasastrategic internal supplier. Andinthearea ofbatteries and noted. “Butwe doconsider themkindofan are suppliedby thiscomponents division,” he cars madeby Volkswagen orVolkswagen Group batteries ande-machines,Renna explained. for specificassembly plants hasexpanded into Germany that produces seats andsteering gears division (Volkswagen Group Components) in in-house. The company’s internal components hardware for EVs, includingthetraction motors, on designinganddeveloping muchofthecrucial in thenew EVlandscape, Renna saidVW isintent fitted withAWD, itwilldevelop 302 hp(225kW). (150 kW)and288lb-ft(390 Nm).When theID.4 is motor for therear-drive ID.4 generates 201 hp in roughly 38minutes, VW claims.The traction can recharge from 5%ofbattery capacity to 80% fast-charging. Usinga125-kWDCcharger, theID.4 an 11-kWonboard charger for AC recharging orDC subsidiary Electrify America.The ID.4 isfitted with comes withthree years offast charging from VW Keogh claimsisnotadirect competitor —theID.4 — thecompany VW Group ofAmerica CEO Scott little hitinrange, butit’s thesamebattery pack.” same battery packsize. “[The AWD model]takes a variant —coming “roughly mid-year” —willusethe between thechassis siderails. Renna saidtheAWD in 12moduleshousedthealuminumstructure comprised of288pouch-configuration cells arranged ownership tussle withbattery giant LG Chem. mid-November, SKIwas inalegaltechnology- 6 JANUARY 2021 Renna makes theconnection between climate Whether consumers are ready for EVs orvice-versa, “That doesn’tnecessarily meanthat 100%of In astrategy certain to differentiate automakers Borrowing onebeloved customer perkfrom Tesla The 82-kW-h battery packfor therear-drive ID.4 is “PEOPLE’S” EV 2 onclimate change electric Battery hybrid Plug-in Fuel cell combustion Internal 0% 20% 40% 60% 100% % 80% most proud about:givinga more-than-viable, compelling package.” ID.4 “We deliver alotofbang for thebuck.Ithink that’s what we’re each oneofthoseistheirown engineeringfeat,” Renna said ofthe autonomous features, therange, theperformance —andofcourse way we get there isby creating efficient, cleantransportation. globally, towards beingcarbonneutral in thefuture, Ithinkthe that,” hesaid.“And ifyou lookat where we’re goingasacompany, by drivetrain Global annualpassengervehiclesales Source: Bloomberg NEF vehicle salesbydrivetrain Global shareoftotalannualpassenger 0 20 40 60 80 100 Million “We cansitandtalkabouttheconnected features, the 2015 20202025203020352040 2015 20202025203020352040 Projected drivetrain mix through 2040 VEHICLE ELECTRIFICATION SPECIAL REPORT Fuel cell combustion Internal Electric electric Battery hybrid Plug-in Fuel cell combustion Internal
0% 20% 40% 60% 80% 100% %
vehicle salesbydrivetrain Global shareoftotalannualpassenger BLOOMBERG NEF 2015 20202025203020352040
FORD Fuel cell combustion Internal Electric BLOOMBERG NEF
FORD developing astate-of-the-art EV. reveals thechallengesandopportunitiesin Ford’s first dedicated electric platform VEHICLE ELECTRIFICATIONREPORT SPECIAL — andthey’re buyinga Mustang andanSUV.” customer isbuyingtechnology, buyingtheBEV That’s halfway to entry withtheBEV, becausethe expects flawless execution ofintegrated software. that we have acellphone onwheels—the customer Mustang Mach-E.“Expectations ofcustomers are Robert Iorio, vehicle engineeringmanagerfor the to deliver thenew-school stuff too,” explained stuff, we created that at Ford. Now we’ve got neering anEV, acellphone, andanSUV. lead engineers haslikened itto simultaneouslyengi- tures to expand convenience andsafety. Oneofthe as atechnology flagship debutingahost ofnew fea- tionally reserved for iconic sportscoupes andserves Mach-E alsoleverages theMustang nameplate tradi- wasn’t enoughpressure onitsdevelopment team, the T Mach-E 2021 “You’re delivering thevehicle, that’s old-school new electric vehicle (EV)platform. Ifthat electric vehicle (BEV)andit’s builtonanall- vehicle. It’s Ford’s first dedicated battery he 2021 Ford Mustang Mach-Eisanall-new Mustang by Paul Seredynski to build 50,000 ofthe EVs inthefirst 12 months ofproduction. Mexico plant just northofMexico City and thecompany isexpecting electric Transit vans. The Mach-E willbeassembled at Ford’s Cuautitlan, Wroclaw, Poland —thesamelineproducing cells destined for Ford’s (483-km) EPA-estimated range for aRWD Mach-E. weather, withextended-range packstargeting a300-mile cooled to improve charging timesandperformance inextreme lithium-ion battery pack.The packiswaterproof andliquid- (288-cell; 75.7 kWh) or extended-range (376-cell; 98.8kWh) in RWD orAWD configurations, powered by thestandard Engineering around thebattery chassis and aerodynamic parameters optimized around it. pack still dictates notjust thesize ofthevehicle butahost of for popularvehicle segments. Advancements aside, thebattery power-density andcost are permitting affordable “full-range” EVs drive (AWD). The all-new EVheralds thepoint where battery is a5-passenger, 4-doorSUVavailable withrear orall-wheel The pouch-type cells willbeproduced by LG Chemat itsplant in The 2021 Mustang Mach-Eusespermanent-magnet motors With first deliveries expected inlate 2020, theMustang Mach-E Ford’s first BEVonanew and dedicated EVplatform enabled theMustang Mach-Edevelopment team to take fulladvantage ofanengineeringblankslate.
JANUARY 2021 7 decisions onour suspensiontuneto againcompliment thelow CG.” where we drove thevehicle onthesimulators with ourteam to make “We took multipletripsdown to theFord Performance Tech Center, Carolina. “We usedourNASCAR simulators inCharlotte,” Iorionoted. the Ford Performance team utilizingitsracing simulator inNorth and isoneofthefirst Ford production vehicles to betunedby the steering andchooseourtires sothat ithandlesquicker.” it responds muchmore quickly, andpartofthat ishow we tune much improved. Part ofthat isinthestiffness ofthevehicle, so able to provide thisagility andoverall, adirected steering that is is quicker,” Iorionoted. “Butwitha low center ofgravity, you’re there’s theadvantage ofperformance —obviously, thelaunch and reach 60mph(97 km/h)inless thanfour seconds. “Clearly, least 459 hp/612 lb-ft(342 kW/830 Nm)through itsAWD system spec Mach-EGT Performance package isexpected to route at goal withMach-Eismakingthevehicle feel asagilepossible.” mass are probably alittle larger thanyou would want. Ourkey around 300miles[range], your overall length,dimensions,and the mass ofthevehicle,” Iorioexplained. “Ifyou lookat vehicles do along-distance BEV, that pretty muchdefinesthesize and resources. “Given where energy density is,whenyou want to going to market now, Ford’s engineers must work withavailable looks amazing.” but you have to work so thecar It breaks your heartasanengineer— weight whenyou addwidthorwheelbase. “That’s meat-and-potatoes interms of Mach-E 2021 8 JANUARY 2021 The Mach-Efeatures anew independent multi-linkrear suspension When itbecomes available inthe summerof2021, thetop- Battery technology willcontinue to advance butasanOEM Mustang
save to have the grilleshutters outfront?’” it was, ‘How many kilowatt hours permiledowe the Class-A surface. When we madethat decision, explained. “We have active front grillshutters on Aerodynamics isakey metric for efficiency, Iorio how muchenergy you’re storing onthecar.” said. “Itallcomes down to that, becausethat’s level, we lookat kilowatt hours permile,” Iorio performance withbattery range. “On thevehicle Managing aero efficiency anddesign
densities for along-distance BEVhelpdefinevehicle size andmass. Vehicle engineeringmanagerRob Ioriosaidbattery energy With anEV, thereal challengeisbalancing
VEHICLE ELECTRIFICATION SPECIAL REPORT (75.7 kWh) orextended range (98.8kWh - shown) chassis-integrated battery pack. be offered witheitherastandard range The 2021 Ford Mustang Mach-Ewill
BOTH IMAGES: FORD BOTH IMAGES: FORD SR NewEnglandWireAd0120.qxp_Layout11/2/202:10PMPage designers multiple times,working onevery square tunnel exclusively. We went to the tunnel withourclay and drag. We usedamoving-ground-[plane] wind “We focused atremendous amount onfrontal area then alltherest of thelosses onthecar,” Ioriosaid. frontal area, rolling resistance, and drag inparticular, to balance the shapeofthecarthat we want with still have therequired grip, performance, andhandling. we knew we could have alittle bitnarrower tire and low center of gravity andthisnew rear suspension,so smaller, that was atradeoff,” hesaid.“Butwe hada profile ofourtires. We tryto keep ourtire profile wheel covers, theheight ofthecar, andeven the under thesamescrutiny. “We looked at aerodynamic working directly withElectrify Americaand FordPass ownership smartphoneappandis at $800. Ford’s Team Edison isleveraging the customers intheU.S. later thisyear, whichstart and 240-volt outlets for Mustang Mach-E the wall-mounted Connected Charging stations enable a10%to 80%charge in45 minutes. of range inapproximately 10minutes and battery isprojected to add61 miles(98km) charging andwithit,theextended-range Mustang Mach-EwillalsopermitDCfast estimated 32 m/ch ona240V outlet. The for homeinstallation that canaddan offer aConnected Charging station to owners (m/ch) ofrange ona240V outlet. Ford will add anestimated 22miles-per-charging-hour mobile charger includedwiththevehicle can aspect oftheownership experience. The recharging capability becomes acrucial As afull-range EV, theMustang Mach-E’s Ford’s EV+Charging infrastructure Mach-E 2021 components andlithium-ion battery applications. of Ford’s longexperience withEVdriveline Electrified Powertrain division,noted thebenefits Sue Hong,engineeringmanagerat Ford’s 10 JANUARY 2021 “In goodsystems-engineering fashion, we have According to Iorio, each aspect ofthedesignfalls Amazon HomeServices willbegininstalling Mustang
you canputeverything inyour FordPass and Powertrain division.“When you’re onthego, engineering managerat Ford’s Electrified worry-free experience,” saidSueHong, “The goalfor theMachEwas to provide a stations andalmost 40,000 individualplugs. America’s largest, with13,500charging Electrify America’s, iscurrently North Ford claimsthisnetwork, whichincludes pay-as-you-go FordPass Charging Network. of complimentary access to theexpanding full DCfast charges. through theapp, theequivalent ofthree to five complimentary Electrify Americacharging customers intheU.S. willreceive 250kWh of blanket ofcharging opportunities.Mach-E other charging networks to helpcreate a Mach-E owners alsowillreceive two years as anengineer—butyou have to work sothecarlooksamazing.” of weight whenyou addwidth orwheelbase. Itbreaks your heart think we moved them20mmbutthat’s meat andpotatoes interms wheels outto provide thisproportional perception ofalonghood.I make atough choice whenwe madethedecisionto move thefront wheels inparticular, thenmove into overall mass efficiency. We hadto the shapeandthenget into theefficiency ofthedriveline andyour some ofthesculptingaround thefront, andtherear inparticular.” centimeter. Part ofthat gets into ourtrades withtheroof height, brake assist. Muchofitisnow powered by new long-term supplier automatic emergency braking, post-collision braking, andreverse new Mach-Ewilloffer cross-traffic alert,pre-collision assist with Tech flagship “Those cascadeswere very important,” Ioriocontinued. “Start with Beyond thestandard host ofcommon safety features, theall- America’s expanding network. Mustang Mach-E customers in The FordPass charging network encompasses Electrify VEHICLE ELECTRIFICATION SPECIAL REPORT never before driven. improve range estimates, even for aroute feature willuseMach-Efleet averages to profiles ofagiven route. The cloud-based and weather conditions, alongwithterrain this accuracy by factoring inreal-time traffic Mach-E vehicles. Future updates willincrease crowdsourced data from otherMustang driving behavior, weather forecasts, and predicts remaining range basedonpast An OTA-updateable Intelligent Rangefeature charging opportunitiesshouldonlyimprove. ability, maximizingrange andefficient your route.” most convenient place to charge is,basedon your vehicle willtell you where thenext and the U.S. willreceive 250kWh offree charging. Thanks to theMach-E’s connected OTA Paul Seredynski
BOTH IMAGES: FORD
BOTH IMAGES: FORD BOTH IMAGES: FORD
BOTH IMAGES: FORD VEHICLE ELECTRIFICATIONREPORT SPECIAL Ford to provide thisOTA update capability and update next year. The Mach-E willbethefirst will arrive asan over-the-air (OTA) software available at launchbutisavailable asaprep package. wearing most sunglasses. This feature willnotbe the driver’s headpositionandeye gaze, even while three-lens infrared camera, thesystem cantrack pay attention to theroad ahead.Enabledby anew in theU.S. andCanada —ifthe pilot continues to on more than100,000 milesofdividedhighways Active Drive Assist, permitting hands-free driving simply by having theirsmartphonewiththem. which allows owners to unlockanddrive thevehicle Ford product to offer phone-as-a-key technology, and applythebrakes. The Mach-Ewillbethefirst oncoming vehicle, the vehicle canalertthedriver left. Ifthere’s ariskofpotential collision withan detect oncoming traffic whileattempting to turn feature that employs camera andradar sensors to alerts onroads withoutlinesoraclearedge. and anew Road Edge Detection feature provides after avisualalertifitsensesanunsafe action blind-spot detection feature can nudgethewheel for 30seconds (previously three seconds). Anew after coming to acomplete stop inheavy traffic updated adaptive cruisecanautomatically resume Mobileye’s EyeQ computer chipsandsoftware. An The optionto purchase Active Drive Assist The Mach-Ealso willbethefirst Ford to provide The Mach-Ealsowilloffer anew Intersection Assist delivering anotherhorse to the stable, itwas alotoffun.” that, itgotmore exciting. ButI’lltell you what, whenyou’re car,” he explained. “Iwouldn’t say anything goteasierwith with theBEVare theseintegrated-software portionsofthe of vehicle development’s new paradigm. “The challengeshere screens, cloudconnectivity andadvanced voice recognition. launching with4GLTE hardware; Sync 4iscentered onlarger updateable —isthenext-generation Sync infotainment system, wirelessly. AlsomakingitsdebutintheMach-E—andalsoOTA- nearly every computer moduleonthevehicle canbeupdated “frunk” (front trunk)enabledby thenew EVarchitecture. It really iscooler underthehood:Generous cargo space isavailable thanks to the According to Iorio, incorporating allthistechnology ispart provide ampleinterior space. 5-passenger SUVthat should floor, theMustang Mach-Eisa mounted below thecabin With thebattery pack JANUARY 2021 11 FEV and the Art of EV Testing
The legendary powertrain-engineering group has expanded its global footprint into EV testing and development to keep pace with changing technologies and customer demand. by Lindsay Brooke
FEV North America has six high-speed electric motor test rigs at its Auburn Hills facility that are configurable to test a wide variety of e-motor developments. Testing tasks include Performance (full torque), Efficiency Mapping, Thermal Evaluation with varying coolant temperatures, Reduced Voltage Evaluation (simulate various battery SOCs), NVH Assessment, Motor Characteristic Measurements, and Inverter Control Algorithm Evaluation.
efore the impending flood of electric vehicles Climatic chambers? The eDLP has 54 of them, with an electrical (EV) expected for the 2025 timeframe enters output of 30,000 kW. Abuse testing? The complex has its own “fire the market, every one of them — and their hall” for them, with associated workshops covering short-circuit tests, subsystems — must be fully tested, validated, simulation of internal cell failures, and acceleration and impact tests Band calibrated. Companies specializing in engineering, for packs and complete vehicles in the event of a crash under extreme design, and testing services are making significant situations. And this battery test facility would not be complete without investments to meet industry demand in this already a monstrous 350-kN shaker rig to enable combined mechanical booming field. One of them — the Aachen, Germany- and electrical tests in ambient conditions from -40 to 100 °C. based FEV Group — has expanded its global footprint “The eDLP is indeed unique,” noted Harsha Nanjundaswamy, into the electrification-testing realm in a big way. the director of e-mobility for FEV North America, whose own Famous for its powertrain development new development center in Auburn Hills, MI, is busy with EV competency, FEV recently added a 12,000- optimization, calibration, performance improvement, and m2 (~130,000 ft2) facility dedicated to testing range testing. Auburn Hills is where FEV conducted testing batteries, electric drives, and related components. for the new Lucid Air, following the SAE J1634 Battery Electric Dubbed eDLP, the complex is among the largest Vehicle Energy Consumption and Range Test Procedure. test facilities in FEV’s global network and claims But all of FEV’s global facilities can be accessed from customers to be the largest independent battery test facility located anywhere. “An EV customer in North America can access in the world. With a solar panel array integrated our test facilities in China, India, or Germany,” Nanjundaswamy said. into its full roof area, the new complex near “All locations have capability and capacity to meet most of the local the village of Sandersdorf-Brehna brims with and global market needs for electrification. Ours is a structure of resources for the comprehensive testing of cells, shared resources and a global pool of talent.” Globally FEV has about
modules, and complete high-voltage batteries. 1,500 employees working in electrified-propulsion development. FEV IMAGES: BOTH
12 JANUARY 2021 VEHICLE ELECTRIFICATION SPECIAL REPORT The enormous new 350-kN battery shaking rig installed at FEV’s new and expansive eDLP complex in Germany.
Optimizing components and systems of the energy stored in the battery is used by the As their EV portfolios and launch plans grow, each OEM is looking traction motor for propulsion,” Nanjundaswamy for unique design combinations — recipes — that define their selling said. “The more we can make the motor efficient, propositions that will deliver an edge over competitors’ products. A the more energy can be saved and the more range key criteria they’re bringing to FEV is energy efficiency. “Most testing delivered by the vehicle. Power electronics also that is focused on design optimization, product validation, and have a huge influence on overall efficiency.” calibration primarily looks at efficiency improvements, robustness With decades of its own design engineering and energy optimization across the vehicle,” Nanjundaswamy said. expertise, FEV approaches much of its EV testing as Beyond the propulsion system, the testing spans the component- an engineering solutions development. “We look at to-vehicle levels and includes HVAC and other ancillaries. While the inverter technology — what kinds of power switching engineering solutions provided are project-dependent, typically devices are used, what type of software, and how they begin with simulations to define the targets, including vehicle the motor controls are done,” he said. “We study the range, systems efficiency, power losses, and NVH improvements. harmonics, performance, overload capacity, efficiency, “From the vehicle-level specifications, requirements, and targets and overall behavior of the electric drive system.” that are defined, we dive down into the component level. Batteries, The second greatest area of OEM focus is thermal for example, have efficiencies from charge to discharge. We look management and a driver of FEV’s climatic-test at losses, energy use for the thermal management, and C-rate [a investments for EVs. The more batteries, chargers, measure of the rate at which a battery is discharged relative to its e-drives, and wiring can be designed to be less maximum capacity],” he explained. Same for electric machines, sensitive to temperature variation, the less energy electric drive systems, charge units, and HVAC systems. Then the losses and the more robust and efficient the system. software and controls are methodically calibrated to ensure that the “It means better vehicle performance from cold hardware is capable of achieving the targets at a component level. to hot weather and helps mitigate any impact of A growing OEM priority for EV vehicle and systems testing and temperature on overall range,” Nanjundaswamy noted. optimization is improving the efficiencies of traction motors — how On batteries, the industry’s focus is on reducing to make them more compact with less iron and copper losses — the weight and increasing specific energy. “It’s more on
BOTH IMAGES: FEV IMAGES: BOTH two main areas of energy losses in electric motors. “Ninety percent the design side,” he said, with much emphasis on
VEHICLE ELECTRIFICATION SPECIAL REPORT JANUARY 2021 13 FEV andtheArtofEVTesting Nanjundaswamy said,to adaptto thenew high- going through significant upgrades andchanges, and strategies. Test facilities and processes are propulsion andenergy storage technologies for themobility industry, withmany emerging Fast-paced changes That’s thetype ofdeliverable we provide.” high-specific-energy, high-C-rate-capable battery. it andreturns itto thecustomer as“a compact, or direct cooling,” hesaid.FEVthenprototypes alternative cooling methods such asintercellular and we canmodify, optimize, andimprove itwith cell temperature issues, we take that type ofdesign higher current discharges from acell becauseof on apackanditmay beless efficient to achieve “If there isabottom-plate cooling methodology management, andenergy recovery andefficiencies. cold start, hotstart, highC-rate, impact onthermal 14 JANUARY 2021 The 2020s beginanextremely dynamictime says measurement-chain Harsha Nanjundaswamy is continuously being accuracy isabarthat raised inEVtesting. E-Mobility director to happen becauseitoffers alotto gain,” hesaid. the battery, asasinglepiece. Alotmore integration isgoing may instead betesting theentire powertrain system, including experience for theendcustomer,” Nanjundaswamy said. will changetheway we test —alongwith thechanginguser new integrated traction drives, andnew battery chemistries powerful, higher-speed motors, new power-electronics methods, be design-optimized to meet certain specifications. The more a simpledevice; it’s very complex andhasmany areas that can 93% to 95% andabove —levels typically unheard ofuntil recently. extremely high-speed e-motors. The highest efficienciesofthoseare machine to apermanent-magnet machineandfrom low-speed to earlier designs—Tesla, for example, hasmoved from aninduction leaders’ key motor designshave changedsignificantly from their Manufacturability have improved somuch,” heobserved. “The EV “Compared withfive years ago, e-motor technology andDesignfor to accurately characterizing thecomponents andsystems. is challengingthetesting community, particularlyasrelated on thenumberofmiles[of range] that you determine.” even asmall-kilowatt-hour variation canhave ahugeimpact we canimprove thecomponent behavior. At thevehicle level, changed sothat even minute losses canbedetermined, so collection,” Nanjundaswamy said.“Our testing processes have accuracy aswell involving equipment andmethod ofdata needs to behighlyaccurate inorder to calculate exact efficiency. means theway speed,torque, current, andvoltage are measured the efficiency increases, thelosses are reduced,” heexplained. That switching devices hasimproved efficienciesquite abit.But once increased voltage andcurrent levels ofnew EVbattery systems. speed electric machinesthat operate at 25,000 rpmandthe “In thefuture we may nottest anelectric drive by itself. We “It clearlyshows,” hecontinued, “that theelectric motor isnot The rapid pace ofchangeinelectric vehicle technology “We have paidalotofattention to measurement chain “The new silicon-carbide technology that isusedinpower- VEHICLE ELECTRIFICATION SPECIAL REPORT developed withareplaceable power stack. general-purpose inverter (motor controller) engineering concepts, asshown ina Modularity isahallmarkofFEV’s design
BOTH IMAGES: FEV BOTH IMAGES: FEV SR IntertekAd0619.qxp_Layout16/5/191:29PMPage STATIC TESTING of EV components
Automotive EV liquid- cooled battery packs and their constituent Firing nails into your latest Li-ion components require battery pack is but one of many development and production quality regimens in the comprehensive testing to verify their testing of new electric vehicles. mechanical properties. by Dan Caesar
he market for electric vehicles (EVs) continues to grow. To transducers. For compliance and data integrity, labs offset the immense weight of their batteries, a heightened adhere to the test procedures outlined in ASTM E517 focus has been put on lightweighting, which has brought (r-value) and E646 (n-value) or other standard bodies’ Tmany new materials and components into the global auto- equivalent test standards. To determine n-value, axial motive supply chain. These components and assemblies, including strain needs to be measured after yield and determined polymer films used for Li-ion battery cell separators and the packs at or between strain values. To determine r-value, the they ultimately form, require development and production quality material’s transverse strain must also be measured. To testing to verify their mechanical properties. accurately measure axial and transverse strain, a device One of the methodologies, static mechanical testing, is commonly referred to as an extensometer is used. Traditionally, two performed by universal testing machines operated within extensometers would be required, one for axial strain manufacturing and research labs. Put simply, universal testing and the other for transverse. However, new technology machines are designed to hold a test specimen and subject it to has been developed by test system manufacturers that tensile (pull) or compression (push) forces by moving the machine’s allow for simultaneous, dual-axis strain measurement. crosshead up or down. Transducers, such as a load cell, capture valuable data that allows labs to analyze the physical properties Separator film testing of the test specimen for quality checks or exploratory work. The membrane between a battery’s anode and cathode is referred to as the separator. These films must EV-specific lightweighting be capable of withstanding harsh conditions all the way Within the automotive supply chain, raw material providers from manufacturing processes to extreme climates. A have long been under pressure to reduce the weight of critical part of Li-ion or other liquid electrolyte batteries, their products while maintaining acceptable strength-to- separators are films typically made of polymers. They formability properties. The substantial mass of liquid-cooled must be mechanically strong enough to withstand the Li-ion battery packs reinforces the need to lightweight EVs winding operation during the battery’s assembly. The to achieve an acceptable driving range for consumers. critical mechanical properties that suppliers must control Additional safety considerations are at play when hundreds are tensile strength, elongation, and puncture resistance. of pounds of batteries are fastened to a vehicle. Accidents have ASTM D882 outlines the tensile testing of thin the potential to damage the battery pack, triggering a hazardous plastic film, which is suitable for polymer separators. thermal runaway. To mitigate these dangerous events, OEMs must Film sheeting is prepared into 1-inch-wide strips and ensure the structural integrity surrounding battery modules while pulled in tension to failure with a static universal test minimizing weight. This has created a demand for stronger metals frame. Tensile strength and elongation results can be while maintaining formability. Plastic strain ratio (r-value) and evaluated to ensure necessary specifications are met. the strain hardening exponent (n-value) are critical mechanical Regarding puncture tests, ASTM F1306 outlines the properties that define the formability of these products. puncture testing of flexible barrier films to characterize During a static tensile test, these formability properties can be the material response when a probe 3.2 mm (0.126
determined if the test system is equipped with the appropriate in.) in diameter is driven into a clamped specimen. INSTRON ALL IMAGES:
16 JANUARY 2021 VEHICLE ELECTRIFICATION SPECIAL REPORT An example of a static universal testing machine is the Instron 68SC-1 shown.
Accurate measurement of axial and transverse strain requires either two extensometers or a single dual-axis extensometer (shown).
ASTM F1306 outlines the puncture testing of flexible barrier films with temperature and voltage sensors. Similar systems have to characterize the material response when a 3.2- mm (0.126-in.)- been developed by universal test machine manufacturers diameter probe is driven into a clamped specimen (shown in blue). but given the extreme hazards, the integration of a third- party test chamber has filled this competency gap. Testing nail penetration A nail penetration test of an assembled, charged Component testing and cost battery cell, module, or pack is another form of puncture EVs introduce new components into the automotive industry testing that battery and automotive manufacturers that require mechanical testing for both development and quality regularly perform to assess EV battery safety. High- control environments. Battery packs consist of thousands of energy thermal runaway is a danger of an internal short interconnected battery cells, resulting in thousands of potential circuit of Li-ion batteries. Puncture events are a known failure locations. Each assembly’s quality is a critical concern cause of internal shorts and therefore must be evaluated for OEMs. Testing components can be challenging to fixture for consumer safety. As nail penetration tests are not into a universal test machine and depending on the number well defined in international standards, identifying the of components, it can be a frustratingly inefficient process. equipment and procedure necessary can be a challenge. Static universal testers offer automated and semi-automated SAE International has provided guidance to the testing solutions to improve throughput by removing the industry with its J2464 standard, Electric and Hybrid operator and the need to repeatedly reposition and fix Electric Vehicle Rechargeable Energy Storage System specimens to jigs. Freed up from constant specimen preparation, (RESS) Safety and Abuse Testing1. SAE J2464 has a operators can focus on more value-added activities. section that defines a battery penetration test and Vehicle OEMs are challenged to generate sustainable profitability fundamental parameters such as rod (nail) diameter, with EVs, given their still significant cost (mainly from the battery) rate of penetration, and depth of penetration. deltas versus combustion engine vehicles. Testing is one area that Another well-established standard is GB/T 31467.3 offers meaningful cost-reduction opportunities. Quality labs and (Chinese national standard), Lithium-ion traction R&D centers are now implementing more efficient processes toward battery pack and system for electric vehicles — that goal, with the help of automated universal test machines. Part 3: Safety requirements and test methods2. Various laboratory equipment providers have Dan Caesar is an Applications Engineer with Instron’s developed single-purpose systems to perform Static Electromechanical Applications Team. nail penetration and crush testing of batteries. Fully enclosed, fire-resistant, and ventilated 1 https://www.sae.org/standards/content/j2464_200911/ 2 ALL IMAGES: INSTRON ALL IMAGES: for safe operation, the systems are configured https://www.codeofchina.com/standard/GBT31467.3-2015XG1-2017.html
VEHICLE ELECTRIFICATION SPECIAL REPORT JANUARY 2021 17 Michigan. near Holland, battery plant at LG Chem’s production high-volume automated Highly Co. Ltd. ( General Motors. Contemporary Amperex Technology hour-capacity (GWh) plant inOhiowithpartner capacity leaderLG Chemisbuilding a 30gigawatt- mobility discussion inevery globalregion. Production the battery cell “gigafactory” is shapingthenew demand inthe2025-2030 timeframe. The riseof align withtheirOEMprojections for consumer EV to boost globalcell manufacturing capacity to more than$85billionin2025 —aCAGR of7.02%. ket isprojected to leapfrom $49 billionin2017 to Led by electrified vehicle production plans,that mar can lookinto theglobalautomotive battery market.” to consider anew arena for investments inthefuture report onNASDAQ.com affirmed,“Investors whoseek the hottest mobility industry technologies. Asarecent W suppliers, explains anexpert at IHSMarkit. Production scale, yield,andnew cell technologies are challengingEVbattery cell 18 JANUARY 2021 The race isonamonglithium-battery Tier 1s CATL) expects to have itsnew 14-GWh ies andconstituent materials are among ise outsideofTesla Motors, theirbatter hicles (EVs) remain anunfulfilled prom- hile salesofglobalbattery-electric ve- - - enhancing their process speedandincreasing yieldrates on each — LG Chem,CATL, andPanasonic —are having difficulty in percent,” heexplained. “Buteven thetop-tier EVbattery companies their lineswiththegoalofachieving yieldrates greater than90 factor for cost reduction iscell production speedandyieldrate. and makingEVs more affordable (andprofitable), amore important although sheerproduction scaleis acriticalto drivingbattery cost down per region willbeaminimumscale for production.” analyst at IHSMarkit.“At least 5GWh to 10GWh ofcapacity Kim, principalautomotive supplychainandtechnology important intheperiodthrough 2025,” observed Dr. Richard Cell production yieldrates critical of 40millionEVs, whenthat timecomes, according to reports. making capacity would beneededto supportglobalproduction by 2028; more than2terrawatt-hours (TWh) ofbattery cell- add 564GWh ofcell-making capacity by multiplemanufacturers battery factory inGermany onlinein2022. Chinaaloneplansto BATTLEGROUND “Cell manufacturers are making significant efforts to speedup In aninterview withSAE’s “Establishing scaleinbattery manufacturing isvery battery market Tracking the Automotive Engineering,Dr. Kimnoted that VEHICLE ELECTRIFICATION SPECIAL REPORT by Lindsay Brooke
LINDSAY BROOKE
BOTH IMAGES: IHS MARKIT LINDSAY BROOKE
BOTH IMAGES: IHS MARKIT VEHICLE ELECTRIFICATIONREPORT SPECIAL the all-polymerlithiumbattery, usessolidpolymerastheelectrolyte. charging time—andinsomecases,to reduce cost. Oneofthem, cell chemistries engineered to improve energy density, safety, and Disruptive chemistries market share ofbattery-EVs, to 20-30 percent!” headded. profit growth intheU.S. ifTesla could maintain suchahigh and Europe. Ofcourse, Panasonic could achieve sustainable in growth, particularlyconsidering itsweak positioninChina its EVgrowth asfast asitexpects, Panasonic willface difficulties unless Panasonic findsmore clients orToyota asaclient increases big client —Tesla —for theshortterm. “Looking outto 2025, Toyota, GM,andHondaare signingcontracts withCATL.” depending onthemarket, ofcourse. InChina,many OEMsincluding strategy for theirsustainable supplychainestablishment — Motors, Renault, Hyundai, allthebigEVmakers are takingthis going forward,” Dr. Kimsaid.“Tesla, Volkswagen, Daimler, General 100 GWh total cell-making capacity around theworld by 2025. automated. Heexpects thesecond-tier makers to have more orless per packandcell suppliers’ production linesare increasingly EV industry moves toward larger battery cells withfewer cells SAFT andNorthvolt.” The challengebecomes more acute asthe battery tech outfitsand‘dark horse’ third-tier players including and SKInnovation —aswell asimpacting theemerging startup challenge facing thesecond-tier companies —BYD, SDI Samsung process efficienciesat higheryieldrates “may bethegreatest suppliers accounts for about60%ofthetotal EVcell market. of theirproduction lines.” The combined outputofthosethree on eachoftheirproduction lines.” process speedandincreasing yieldrates are having difficulty inenhancingtheir “Even thetop-tier EVbattery companies Dr. KimandtheIHSMarkittech analyst team are watching new Panasonic, however, iscurrently viewed asrelying onasingle “Global light-vehicle OEMswillmulti-source theirEVbatteries Dr. Kimsaidhebelieves that through 2025, improving in-plant constituent materials. demand for li-ionbatteries andtheir expected to drive commensurate Growing globaldemandfor EVs is cell technology “willdominate themarket” around theworld andKimnoted the incumbent invest any cost increases inbatteries willbesignificant.” battery-electric vehicles to compete withICEvehicles, a bigimpact. Butconsidering thecost pressure on technology issuccessfully commercialized, itwillhave ment at thelaboratory level,” Kimnoted. “Once this Electric andcarbon-fibermaker Teijin Ltd. the all-polymertechnology, withpartners Yokogawa Nissan EVengineerHideakiHorieto commercialize A new player, APBCorp., was founded by former Cell makers are continuing to make huge “Various solid-state chemistries are underdevelop ments intheircurrent lithium-ioncapacity JANUARY 2021 19 cost target. are amoving production chemistry and li-ion in today’s improvements incremental impact but have amajor state will such assolid technologies new battery Kim says Richard chain analyst IHS supply BATTLEGROUND phosphate (LFP) batteries. LFPchemistry isless energy-dense than from theBejinggovernment to builditsModel3with lithium-iron- aluminum (NCA) cells domestically, Tesla hasgainedapproval biggest market. Since noChinesecell makers produce nickel-cobalt- change incell chemistry dueto supply chainlimitations inits including silicon-graphite. Tesla recently announced anincremental employ higher nickel content, along with new anodechemistries expect ashiftto less cobalt-intensive cathode chemistries that there ismass-production technology to supportthem.” emerge from thelaboratory, are tested andvalidated, “and radical innovation.” This willcontinue until thenew chemistries “are improving through incremental innovation, rather than through 2030. He stated that current lithium-ionchemistries research ajoint battery recycling enterprise. a dealto jointly develop EVbatteries and Honda isacquiring a1%stake inCATL aspartof Honda andCATL with batteries from LG ChemandPanasonic. initially equippeditsChina-madeModel3s domestic market share alsofell asTesla Beijing government subsidies.CATL’s pandemic, trade war, andascalingbackof purchases plungedinChinaamidthe 2020, according to SNEResearch, ascar sales fell almost 33%inthefirst five months of deal comes at acrucialtimefor CATL: Battery packs, according to BloombergNEF. The Tesla to produce thanothercommon types of mix ofraw materials andcost about20%less Shanghai. The LFPcathodes usealess costly Model 3sbuiltat theautomaker’s plant near phosphate (LFP) cells are now powering Tesla plug-in vehicles. CATL’s lithium-iron- global producer ofrechargeable cells for than adecade, creating thelargest (CATL) into China’s battery leaderinless Contemporary Amperex Technology Co. of itsMacBooklaptop. Zeng Yuqun built who once helpedAppleextend thelife Tesla’s boss turnedto abattery engineer To ensure that hiscompany succeeds inChina, Tesla andCATL include: deals Recent advantage. competitive for technical superiority that results in second-tier andstartup players. Allare looking source cell supply, creating opportunity for the market, OEMsremain committed to multi- collectively commanding nearlytwo-thirds of battery Big3”(LG Chem,CATL, andPanasonic) no signsofsettling down. Anddespite “the unpredictability, oftheEVbattery market show The dynamismandinsomecases, 20 JANUARY 2021 The battery-deal beat goeson battery market EV engineers at General Motors tell AEIthat before 2030 they Tracking the
considering construction ofaplant intheU.S. has abattery plant inGermany andis well as hydrogen fuel cell technology. CATL also partnering withGMto develop two new EVs as hybrids andBEVs. InNorthAmerica,Hondais to develop, produce, andsellelectric motors for GAC. Italsohassupplycontracts withHitachi make EVs includingajoint venture withChina’s Volkswagen; Hondahasvarious partnerships to 2022. CATL alsosupplies Toyota and equipped withCATL’s li-ionbattery inChina Honda isexpected to launchitsfirst EV term contract beginning2024. European northern Sweden anddeliver theminalong- manufacture thecells at anew plant in started by two former Tesla executives. Itwill vehicles. Sweden-based Northvolt was cells to power theautomaker’s electric for €2billionworth oflithium-ionbattery BMW recently signedadealwithNorthvolt BMW andNorthvolt shift to LFPwillexpand localproduction inotherregions. Tesla andotherOEMsaway from NMC-type cells to theLFPchemistry. IHSMarkitexpects the The predominant LFPbattery production capacity inChinaisdriving the shiftinthat market by which willannounced later in 2020, Kim said. is working onastudy onthistopic, theresults of of vehicle price] presumably by 2028. IHSMarkit battery could arrive at ICE-cost-parity [interms vehicle functionality, anEVwitha60-70 kWh curves to cross,” hesaid.However, given equivalent then itwould take until 2030 orlater for thecost charge, theBEVwould needa150-kWh battery, the samedrivingrange [as anICE]onasingle admitted. “Ifwe consider that for aBEVto have ICE cost curves cross. It’s noteasilyanswered, Kim are expected to emulate themove to LFPfor China. NCA butisdeemedsafer andless costly. OtherOEMs Mobility engineers often askwhenbattery and VEHICLE ELECTRIFICATION SPECIAL REPORT supplier, SDIandCATL. alongwithSamsung Northvolt becomes BMW’s third majorcell expected to include12EVs by 2023. Asian giants. BMW’s product portfolio is to lessen theirdependence onthebig-3 EV batteries withregional suppliers inorder OEMs includingBMWhave moved to source seat onFarasis’s supervisoryboard. arrangement willenableDaimlerto have a Mercedes’ next-gen EQ vehicle range. The Bitterfeld-Wolfen, Germany, aimedat Benz EVs, willbuild aplant for battery cells in Farasis, anexisting cell supplierfor Mercedes- vehicle range andreduce charging times. develop advanced cell technology to increase the battery cell maker. The alliance aimsto includes takinganequity stake ofabout3%in with China-basedFarasis Energy, adealthat Daimler isexpanding itsstrategic partnership Daimler andFarasis Lindsay Brooke
IHS MARKIT IHS MARKIT AVE SAE2Ad1117.qxp_Layout110/27/171:05PMPage P17172963 THE FEATURES YOUR PEERSREQUESTED PLATFORM TECHNICAL RESOURCE eBooks, magazines, and more. eBooks, discover, of and share SAE’s more than 226,000 c isyour destinationSAE MOBILUS™ for resources mobility engineering with access instant to explore, the future ofmobilityengineering Your criticaladvantage to develop SAE MOBILUS informed informed subscription decisions to enable data usage content timely with accurate, administrators provides 4reporting COUNTER you download before resource the preview can you so snippets with content results focused returns intuitive site search Improved, process manual atedious eliminating standards, for tracking revision represents visually redlining Dynamic creation folder custom and annotations, document personal searches, saved by allowing accessible materials pertinent keeps dashboard customizable The industry. mobility the facing problems essential solving on focus can students and engineers so navigation and MOBILUS SAE the feedback, user with extensive Developed platform features intuitive, easy search search easy intuitive, features platform urrent technicaland historical papers, standards, ™ Visit Canada) and (Outside U.S. +1.724.772.4086 only) Canada and (U.S. +1.888.875.3976 For moreinformation
saemobilus.org E-MOTORCYCLE PROJECT gain technology expertise inthisarea. WAE has with greater overall performance andiskeen to the growing market opportunitiesfor electric bikes schedule. Itisbeingledby Triumph, whichrecognizes roughly halfway through itstwo-year development an interview withAutomotive Engineering . motorcycles,” saidWAE’s CEO Craig Wilson in to “generate technological innovation for future government’s Innovate program. The project aims Manufacturing Group. Itissupported by theBritish Integral Powertrain, andtheUniversity ofWarwick Triumph Motorcycles, electric-drives specialist applications: electric motorcycles. age-critical, mass-intensive, andpromising vehicle battery system aimedat oneofmobility’s most pack L 22 JANUARY 2021 density andoverall performance. Williams Advanced Engineering’s CEO explains. For Triumph’s TE-1 project, new materials and cell technologies target greater energy boundaries pushes battery Designated TE-1, thee-motorcycle program is The project isapartnership withtheU.K.’s role inadeveloping anew high-performance Advanced Engineering(WAE) isplaying a key nology, hypercars, andjet fighters, Williams everaging itsexperience inmotor-racing tech- -
parameters for themulti-sector engineeringservices company. legislation,” together withhandling,performance, andusability. the desire for more economical transportation andchanging want to “reduce theirenvironmental impact, combined with electric motorcycle strategy, is“driven by customers” who requirements, market development, regulations, andcharging.” associated withelectric motorcycles includingmanufacturing he told AE.“We are alsostudying thewiderimplications rider experience withmaximized powertrain efficiency,” testing oftheelectric powertrain —to deliver anexceptional our technical work isfocused around modeling,control, and we continue to supportTriumph withproject management and Greenwood, professor of Advanced Propulsion Systems. “Now was to identify partners andassist withbidwriting,saidDavid carbide inverter, integrating bothinto asinglemotor housing. development ofbespoke power-dense electric motors andasilicon- Development partnerIntegral Powertrain’s e-Drive divisionheads responsibility for lightweight battery designandsystems integration. The TE-1 project isexciting for WAE, asitsets new, even broader Triumph CEO Nick BloorsaidtheTE-1 project, partofits Initially, theUniversity ofWarwick Manufacturing Group’s role to optimize packcapability. DC converter (shown at left) It usesabi-directional DC/ Motorcycles’ TE-1 project. densities inTriumph for higherbattery power technology isanenabler WAE’s Multi-Chem VEHICLE ELECTRIFICATION SPECIAL REPORT by Stuart Birch
WILLIAMS ADVANCED ENGINEERING; TRIUMPH MOTORCYCLES
BOTH IMAGES: WILLIAMS ADVANCED ENGINEERING WILLIAMS ADVANCED ENGINEERING; TRIUMPH MOTORCYCLES
BOTH IMAGES: WILLIAMS ADVANCED ENGINEERING VEHICLE ELECTRIFICATIONREPORT SPECIAL so-called “battery breakthroughs” have been alongtimecoming. manufacturing process for encasement to meet that need.” battery application,” hesaid,“and WAE usesits223composite 345 kg. Safety isavitalaspect ofhigh-power automotive a total stored energy of 60kWh, hasacore battery mass of with apeakpower of550 kW(20second pulse), providing significant performance benefits:“A high-power battery system system utilizingMulti-Chemtechnology to demonstrate its system delivering required cooling withintight packaging. power cells viascalable blocks, withacompact thermalmanagement systems. Multi-Chemenablessemi-independent sizingofenergy and energy density ofupto 70% compared to conventional battery battery cells inasinglepack,bringingclaimed increase inuseable to enableuseofboth high-energy andhigh-power-density lithium battery packfor next year’s radical Extreme Emotorsport. played apivotal role withinFormula E.Italsohasdeveloped the within motorsport. Asitsfoundation battery supplier, WAE has reduced mass andvolume yet increased target power density for thetradeoff between energy density andpower density.” performance —butitisstill thecasethat primarilywe are looking said. “Increasingly, cells are improving interms oftheirspecific percentage ofhigh-power cells withenergy-dense cells,” Wilson success. “Central to achieving thisisto combine thenecessary High-power, energy-dense in partnerships butalways with novel, individualsolutions.” we are involved to deliver thecorrect technical direction, often are always learningandcross-linking every program inwhich “It’s what we do: meet andbeat thechallenges,” Wilson said.“We for electric motorcycle propulsion systems. Battery boxes useWAE’s 223composite for encasement inEVs. Low mass isvital Wilson, aformer managingdirector ofTWR Group, agreed that Wilson stated that WAE hascreated ademonstrator battery Multi-Chem technology uses abi-directional DC/DCconverter Williams’ in-house Multi-Chemadaptive technology hasenabled Reducing battery size andweight are vitaltargets for TE-1’s not anextreme-performance motorcycle.” decided notto onthisproject. TE-1 isahigh-but companies have investigated fake soundbutwe the loss ofatraditional aural signature. “Some five years regarding total battery performance.” stated, “withimproved performance inthepast that coming from thecells themselves, Wilson has seena30%to 40%mass saving, thebulkof Commercially, they remain someway off.” through semi-solidandsolid-state applications. we continue to get further into new materials form ofchemistries,” hesaid,“butitwilldowhen will bringreal improvements. “Notinthecurrent But hesaidhe’s confident that future technologies packaging to produce wholeproducts.” used to pushingthingsto thelimitofcomplex support COVID-19 treatment. “As acompany, we’re engineered ventilators for scalable production to across many disciplines,” noting that itre- our company is technology integration capability for motorcycles: “One ofthegreat strengths of electric Triumph ashaving applications otherthan of materials withthermalrejection characteristics. thermal management, novel aircooling, andtheuse company’s battery programs includesupplementary without losingperformance.” Hesaidhalfofthe possibility ofmakingsomecomponents redundant battery financialviewpoint, WAE is“lookingat the automotive engineering.Wilson saidthat from a power, cost isamajor challengeinevery aspect of Thermal management technologies. power management construction, and new battery cell, is optimistic about CEO Craig Wilson One difficulty withelectrifying motorcycles is In itsFormula Ebattery developments WAE Wilson seesWAE’s battery technology for the Together withsaving weight andincreasing JANUARY 2021 23 TECH REPORT
New SAE wireless charging standard is EV game-changer
Functional elements of a Wireless Charging System consist of three major partitions: (1) the grid-connected converter with its attendant GA coil for power coupling, with a communication link to the vehicle system (the GA); (2) the vehicle-mounted VA coil with rectification, filtering components, and charging control power electronics necessary for regulation/safety/shutdown when required, with a communications link to the infrastructure side (the VA); and 3) the secondary energy storage system, battery management system components, and associated modules necessary for in-vehicle communications (CAN, LIN) required for battery SOC, charge rate, and other necessary information (the energy storage system).
AE International on October 22 EVs were an unproven concept. The vehicle positioned over an SAE J2954- Sannounced publication of the first SAE J2954 Wireless Power Transfer compatible ground assembly pad. global standard that specifies, in a and Alignment Taskforce worked After a communications handshake, single document, both the electric since 2007 to thoroughly vet and test charging begins automatically vehicle and supply equipment (EVSE) the technology, in partnership with without a physical corded connection. ground system requirements for government agencies, regulatory Power is transferred by creating a wireless charging of electric vehicles bodies, and private-industry groups magnetic resonance field between the (EV). The new standard, SAE J2954 including the American Association of transmitting pad on the ground (wired [https://www.sae.org/standards/ Medical Instrumentation (AAMI), U.S. to the grid) and a receiving pad fitted content/j2954_202010/], helps Dept. of Energy (DoE), the U.S. Food & on the underside of the vehicle. The pave the way for charging without Drug Administration (FDA), automotive energy crosses an air gap (the ground the need for plugging in — widely OEMs, Tier 1 suppliers, and many others. clearance between the pads) and is considered to be a key enabler “Charging your EV should be then converted from AC into DC on the for accelerating the adoption of as simple as parking and walking vehicle to charge the vehicle batteries. EVs and autonomous vehicles. away — the wireless charging SAE The technology is a safe and The new standard was more than a J2954 Standard gives freedom and efficient method for transferring decade in the making. SAE kicked off convenience to do exactly that, safely and power from the AC grid supply to the its pioneering pre-competitive research automatically,” stated Jesse Schneider, electric vehicle. Tests using a 10-in. at a time when few contemporary chair of the SAE J2954 Task Force. (250-mm) ground clearance have electric cars existed and wireless WPT systems work by parking in shown that WPT systems operate at
power transfer (WPT) systems for a wireless charging spot, with the grid-to-battery efficiencies of up to J2954 SAE BMW
24 JANUARY 2021 VEHICLE ELECTRIFICATION SPECIAL REPORT 94%. WPT with additional alignment elements in SAE J2954 also fulfills the charging requirements for autonomous EVs to charge themselves without human interaction. “The SAE J2954 standard is a game-changer by giving a ‘cookbook’ specification for developing both the vehicle and charging infrastructure wireless power transfer, as one system, compatible to 11 kW,” Schneider said. “The SAE J2954 alignment technology gives additional parking assistance, even allowing for vehicles to park and charge themselves autonomously.” He noted that the SAE J2954 task force coordinated its efforts with industry and other standards organizations to ensure global harmonization. “Publishing SAE J2954 is a major step forward in wireless charging commercialization With SAE J2954 Wireless Charging, power is transferred by creating a magnetic field between a transmitting pad on the ground and a receiving pad located under the vehicle. The equipment will for EVs,” Schneider said. be available for residential and commercial EVSE installations.
11-kW Universal Ground Assembly is also the possibility to have specific prove their vehicles and charging sub- A critical issue addressed early designs for captive fleets; as described systems were compatible with SAE in the SAE J2954 process was to in SAE J2954, in this case a GA would J2954 requirements and guidelines. classify products in terms of charging only be expected to fully operate The baseline bench testing of the levels, vehicle ground clearance, and with a specific group of vehicles. WPT Systems was carried out at both systems interoperability. Three power To validate its performance the DoE’s Idaho National Laboratories levels were established: WPT1 (3.7 targets, safety limits and method and TDK RF Solutions, evaluating the kW), WPT2 (7 kW), and WPT3 (11 ologies, the SAE J2954 standard GA side and the VA sides. For vehicle kW). The WPT system consists of two includes key parameters such as systems testing, a group of companies “sides.” The Ground Assembly (GA) minimum efficiency, EMI and EMF including Aptiv, BMW, Continental, encompasses the charging hardware, (electromagnetic interference and Ford, General Motors, Hevo, Honda, which is wired into the grid. The other field) limits as well as foreign object Hyundai, IHI, KAIST, Lear, Qualcomm, side includes the on-vehicle equipment detection. There are three overlapping Toyota, and WiTricity, under SAE known as the Vehicle Assembly (VA). ranges of vehicle ground clearances leadership, created a Cooperative SAE J2954 establishes a universal from 100 to 250 mm (3.9 to 9.8 Research Project (CRP) with industry- Ground Assembly for WPT3, critical in.) and three levels of grid input committed funds for additional especially for public infrastructures. to the GA up to 11.1 kVA. Parking vehicle and emissions testing. In those It is downward-compatible to tolerances are ±75 mm (3.0 in.) in tests conducted at TDK RF Solutions charge vehicles also at WPT1 and the direction of travel and ±100 mm near Austin, Texas, automakers and WPT2. The goal is that the WPT- (3.9 in.) in the lateral direction. suppliers brought vehicles. Different GAs will be installed in publicly The SAE J2954 task force concluded suppliers brought GAs that were tested available parking spaces, per the that to ensure interoperability, the for performance, interoperability, setup in today’s plug-in charging ability of systems to transfer power as and EMI/EMF emissions. infrastructure. Installation with WPT3 designed by different manufacturers Jennifer Shuttleworth will allow downward compatibility. must be validated in both bench For ease of use, SAE J2954 specifies and vehicle testing. SAE J2954 For more information, see https:// the requirements to make the GAs standardizes a WPT GA/VA test www.sae.org/news/2020/10/new- and VAs fully interoperable, so that station, along with coil specifications sae-wireless-charging-standard-is- any vehicle will be able to charge to evaluate the requirements for safety, ev-game-changer. Contact Dante when it is parked in an SAE J2954 interoperability, and performance. Rahdar, SAE Ground Vehicle Standards
SAE J2954 SAE BMW GA-equipped parking location. There This allowed OEMs and Tier 1s alike to Specialist: [email protected]
VEHICLE ELECTRIFICATION SPECIAL REPORT JANUARY 2021 25 confirmed earlierthisyear that most of about Lyriq’s electricals, engineers Cadillac hasyet to provide muchdetail charging at upto 19kW. Althoughthe capability at “over 150kW” andLevel 2 crossover willoffer DCfast-charging Lyriq’s unveiling, Cadillac saidthe definition-mapped U.S. roads. 200,000 ofhigh- miles(321,868-km) off drivingexperience onapproximately automatic lane-changingto thehands- 3) assisted-driving capability that adds version ofGM’s SuperCruise ( Lyriq alsowillbefitted withthelatest 300 miles(482 km)ofdrivingrange. The capacity that isclaimedto provide upto unveil) inanapproximately 100-kWpack news/2020/03/gm-electrification- battery system (https://www.sae.org/ the company’s new Ultiumlithium-ion architecture andwillbe powered by crossover isbuiltonGM’s dedicated EV until sometime inlate 2022. —willnotbeinshowroomscar” for now ischoosingto calla“show an EV, theLyriq —whichCadillac other luxury brand rivals inlaunching although Cadillac already trails many Cadillac andGM’s otherbrands. And stable ofelectric vehicles (EVs) from C TECH 26 Cadillac reveals Lyriq electric vehicle In arelease inconjunction withthe The midsize, five-passenger JANUARY 2021 crossover, thefirst ofacoming adillac recently revealed itsLyriq REPORT SAE Level that boththeUltiumbatteries andthe 200 kWversus theLyriq’s 150kW. charging at rates ofupto 270 kWand and Tesla already offer respective DC times, luxury makers suchasPorsche terms ofcapacity for reduced charging echelon ofproduction EVs. Butin currently would place itinthetop translates to reduced charging times. systems; typically, highervoltage capacities willhave 800-volt electrical trucks andSUVs that require higher volt electrical architectures andsome between now and2023 willhave 400- GM’s 20EVs slated to launchglobally The Lyriq isthefirst ofalineelectric vehicles for GM’s Cadillac. GM engineers have said,however, The Lyriq’s 100-kWbattery capacity The Lyriq’s angular rear view. VEHICLE ELECTRIFICATION SPECIAL REPORT kW-h, according to BloombergNEF. battery prices averaged $156 per below $100 perkW-h. Last year, in reducing battery cell costs to LG Chemare makinggoodprogress and battery-development partner CEO MaryBarra’s assertion that GM pack. Engineers alsoconfirmed GM versus the2019 Chevrolet BoltEV 57% fewer high-voltage connections media event that Ultiumpacks have battery packs,saidat anearly-2020 strategy manager for high-voltage nearly 90%ofbattery packwiring. which engineers saideliminates battery electronics inthecell modules, Ultium form factor incorporates the GM batteries. The flat, pouch-shaped by some70% compared to current has saidUltiumcutscobalt content rare-earth materials suchascobalt. GM cathode to helpreduce theloadingof (NCMA) relies onaluminuminthe nickel-cobalt-manganese-aluminum EV, butfirst andforemost aCadillac.” release. “Itisnotonlyanexceptional Cadillac Lyriq chiefengineer, ina specifically for EVs,” saidJamieBrewer, from now. “We developed anarchitecture finalized for production sometwo years capabilities may expand before itis so itcould beassumed thecrossover’s maximum flexibility andfuture-proofing, Lyriq’s platform have beendesignedfor Andy Oury, GM’s leadarchitect and The Ultiumbattery chemistry of
BOTH IMAGES: GM
GM BOTH IMAGES: GM
GM VEHICLE ELECTRIFICATIONREPORT SPECIAL E SAE project to develop cyber-secure EVcharging and driverless automated parking. “next-level” active noisecancellation; reality” head-updisplay (HUD); information; a“dual-plane, augmented- the gaugesandothersupplemental diagonal LEDdisplay encompassing with anexpansive 33-inch (838-mm) the above, theLyriq alsoisfitted edge technologies. Inadditionto many oftheautomaker’s cutting- with integrating andexpounding Ultium batteries, Cadillac ischarged Lyriq’s modulararchitecture andthe GMC andChevrolet alsowillusethe Tech flagship Lyriq isevidence ofthat flexibility. with thenew motor family andthe wheel-drive layouts willbepossible configuration. Front-, rear-, andall- 235 hpand1000hp, dependingon platform, canprovide arange between three propulsion motors onasingle batteries, intandemwithasmany as the samemediaevent that Ultium interface points between EVdrivers PKI platform aimedat ensuringthe months, aninclusive, globalEVcharging will designandtest, over thenext 18-24 Public Key Infrastructure (PKI)project system security. The SAE EVCharging project to strengthen EVcharging recently launchedacollaborative International andindustry partners and thepublic.For thisreason, SAE scalable, andtrusted by industry current fast charging stations. (240-V) chargers, and10,000 direct 103,000 publicstations withLevel 2 EV charging stations at workplaces, populations willrequire 82,000 more U.S. metro areas withthehighest a charging network for the100 estimates that to create, by 2025, Council onCleanTransportation A 2019 study by theInternational Although otherGMbrands suchas GM president MarkReuss saidat That network must be cyber-secure, to themainstreaming ofEVs. lectric-vehicle charging iscritical testing. Security testing willbeheld scalability testing, androbust security Testing willincludefunctionality and comprehensive testing phasewill begin. platform over the next 9-12 months, a Current “gap issue” “dual-plane” perspective for thehead-updisplay. The cabinofthemidsize Lyriq incorporates avast LEDscreen for driver information andanew a second drive modulefor thefront with optionalall-wheel-drive that adds EVs: the“base”layout isrear-wheel-drive, forming convention for most premium all technical decisions intheproject. class security contractors andmake the technical development ofbest-in- marketplace. The team members lead operators from throughout theglobal providers, and charging network OEM EVdevelopers, EVcharging companies have beenrecruited from project manager. Core team member authentication among trusted devices. an ecosystem by providing message high level of trust between entities in used across industries to ensure a and trusted. PKIisabest practice and EVcharging infrastructure issecure After designing adraft PKI The layout oftheLyriq follows thefast- SAE isservingasadministrative ubiquitous way to achieve it. of two-way authentication anda EV charging transactions: alack issue” that exists inthesecurity of that industry hashighlighted a“gap Technologies, at SAE. Heexplained program manager, Emerging said Tim Weisenberger, technical not inouropenStandards area,” competitive research project —it’s industry together inthispre- fielding anoperational industry PKI. PKI Platform andaHandover Planfor These deliverables are anEVCharging deliverables willbepublishedin2022. testing iscomplete, theproject technical at anopen security conference. hackers at anEVcharging pavilion a-thon” stage involving “blackhat” will befollowed by anopen“hack- neutral cybersecurity laboratory and initially inaclosedenvironment at a the 300-milemaximumdrivingrange. offered noperformance claimsbeyond 50/50 front/rear weight distribution, but axle. Cadillac saidtheLyriq hasnear “SAE International isbringing Once thefulldevelopment and JANUARY 2021 27 Bill Visnic TECH REPORT
The EV charging- security project aims to design a PKI platform that is charging-protocol- neutral, scalable, and extensible to other use cases in the vehicle.
“Currently with EV charging, there Weisenberger observed. “Yes, the Weisenberger said that the team hopes is only one-way authentication — the technical specifications are important, to bring on future affiliate members vehicle ‘trusts’ the charging station but viewed from another level, the with lesser roles and responsibilities, but the charging station doesn’t trust industry trust in EV charging security particularly in the testing phase. the vehicle,” Weisenberger explained. has got to be ubiquitous. This is not a As the PKI platform is developed, “And grid operators have to treat just a specification that must be written; the team will solicit comment from this as a potential unsecure access it is a business that must be developed industry stakeholders “to ensure that mode into their network. A chain is to provide an industry solution.” it’s robust and truly representative of only as strong as its weakest link.” The SAE-led project is “not looking to industry needs.” Weisenberger noted Industry concerns about some gaps plug holes in ISO 15118 or to revise that that the aim is to “future-proof” the in the ISO I5118 standard (https://www. document,” he explained. The object system for expected changes in EV sae.org/news/2020/08/iso-ev-plug- is to design a PKI platform that will be charging technology and infrastructure, and-charge-standard-faces-security- charging-protocol-neutral, scalable, as well as advances in security. concerns) prompted the development of and extensible to other use cases in “We’re doing this as a ‘big tent’ joint an independent white paper published the vehicle. Think of it as a hamburger, venture because it needs to be,” he in May 2019 by charging network Weisenberger suggested, with the said. “We want this solution to provide ChargePoint, security services company charging network on the bottom and open and equal access to industry, DigiCert, and Eonti, a PKI consultant. the various EV charging protocols while being scalable and extensible to The findings and suggested potential (CCS, CHAdeMo, Supercharger) in the the other use cases that electrification solutions are based on a “360-Degree middle, and the security on the top. and highly connected vehicles are Assessment” (gap analysis) of the The $1.5M project’s core team as of bringing. All transactions and messages security aspects of the standard. mid-September includes ChargePoint, have to be fully authenticated. We Ford, eMobility Power, General Motors, need to team up as a global industry to A “big tent” project Mercedes-Benz R&D North America, achieve higher security,” he asserted. “Industry must have a technical and Shell and aims for a total of For more information on the SAE approach for EV charging security, 8-10 members. Membership criteria EV Charging Public Key Infrastructure but it also needs the operations and includes providing active subject- (PKI) project, contact SAE project governance of the solution — the policies matter experts, agreeing to a mutual specialist Tim Weisenberger at and processes to manage keys, digital non-disclosure agreement with [email protected].
certificates, and compliance aspects,” SAE, and paying a participation fee. Lindsay Brooke GM MAHLE
28 JANUARY 2021 VEHICLE ELECTRIFICATION SPECIAL REPORT Mahle amps up electrification R&D, battery-cooling capability est known for pistons and other reciprocating transportation. Larger commercial applications will feature Bcomponents inside internal combustion engines longer adoption timelines requiring bridge technologies (ICE), Stuttgart-based Tier 1 Mahle claims it is keeping the including hydrogen as a low-emission combustion fuel and R&D throttle wide open to cement its role in propulsion’s infrastructure primer before fuel cells see wider adoption. electrified future. Laying out its near-term development According to its projections, full electrification is not vision via a virtual event in October, CEO Jörg Stratmann viable in the near term for larger vehicles, with total global and engineering lead Martin Berger reiterated the adoption rates by 2030 for hybrid/EVs for personal and continuing role ICE will play, augmented via hybrid and commercial vehicles projected at 36% and 18%, respectively. fuel-cell technologies in larger commercial applications. According to Stratmann, the debate on future According to Stratmann, Mahle’s technology group is propulsion technologies currently is skewed toward maintaining its extensive R&D investments despite the electric vehicles (EVs). “There will not — and cannot COVID crisis, and that it is expanding its global footprint — be one single powertrain of the future,” he stressed. in key development areas including battery systems “Market conditions, vehicle classes and driving profiles and hydrogen applications. These include a hydrogen are too diverse for this to be the outcome. infrastructure testing installation begun at its headquarters in “Road traffic accounts for a considerable share of Stuttgart, and an expanding battery R&D facility scheduled greenhouse gas emissions due to the use of fossil fuels. But to open in December 2020 in Suzhou, China, which will that doesn’t mean we should restrict ourselves to battery- focus on solutions specifically for the Chinese market. electric mobility,” he added. “That’s why Mahle is continuing Stratmann stressed that achieving climate and regulatory to follow its dual strategy: electrification, development targets will require a wide breadth of tech. “We must of the fuel cell; and the use of hydrogen and alternative tackle the climate targets using effective technologies fuels in an intelligently electrified combustion engine.” and all the solutions currently available to us,” he said. “At the moment, the change in powertrain technologies New hydrogen storage is driven primarily by political objectives. The current A key aspect of hydrogen adoption will be on-vehicle storage one-dimensional debate focused on a single drive is not of the fuel and during the presentation, Mahle revealed a productive. We want a dialog that has a basis in technology.” project involving a new hydrogen fuel tank. The type-IV design consists of a liner made of plastic and an outer casing made Intelligently electrified of carbon fiber. Mahle is creating a new production process Based on Mahle’s projections, full electric vehicles (EVs) for this tank that will increase its hydrogen storage density will gain their largest market share footholds in personal and make it less expensive to produce at the same time. GM MAHLE
VEHICLE ELECTRIFICATION SPECIAL REPORT JANUARY 2021 29 TECH REPORT
Electric drives tested under real conditions on the electric motor test bench in Fellbach, Germany.
“This construction gives the pressure vessel a weight we want to reduce costs by 10% [as] we need fewer advantage over other designs,” explained Martin Berger, materials and can thus reduce machining expenses.” Mahle’s head of corporate research and advanced engineering. “We want to optimize and speed up the Battery immersion cooling carbon fiber winding process. This is where we can “Fuel” storage is also an issue for EVs, particularly when it apply our expertise in the field of plastics and our broad comes to fast charging, which the Mahle execs pointed to as experience with complex production technologies. We a key roadblock to swifter adoption. “Instead of relying on are aiming for a 10-15% increase in storage density [and] ever larger batteries, we need to improve the fast-charging capability,” Berger said. “This is the only way we can offer vehicles that meet market requirements. A smaller, fast- charging battery makes the vehicle cheaper and lighter, reduces its carbon footprint and conserves finite resources.” To accelerate fast charging capabilities, Mahle announced that it is working on immersive battery cooling. The setup permits a dielectric coolant to flow directly around the cells. Since the fluid is not electrically conductive but is thermally, maximum battery temperatures are decreased and the fluid improves battery pack temperature homogeneity. According to Berger, immersion cooling will pave the way for a whole new generation of battery systems. “The key challenge when it comes to fast charging is thermal management, because the charging power is limited by the maximum temperature of the battery and by the temperature differences in and between the cells,” Berger said. With immer- sion cooling, he noted: “Charging can take place in just a few minutes — and thus makes batteries cheaper, lighter, and much more durable. This is because of the lower maximum tempera- A new Mahle condenser helps ensure EV batteries are optimally cooled ture at high battery loads, and the higher temperature homoge- during fast charging, while providing the necessary power for cabin neity significantly improves the durability of the cells.”
temperature control. Paul Seredynski MAHLE IMAGES: BOTH
30 JANUARY 2021 VEHICLE ELECTRIFICATION SPECIAL REPORT