AKASYSTEM unit. Click to enlarge.

AKASOL acquires cells from cell manufacturers and produces modules and packs. In addition to customer-specific solutions, AKASOL has a standard portfolio of different lithium-ion cells (NMC, LTO, LFO etc.) in the segments high energy (E-traction) and high power (hybrid). The capacity of these cells range from 7 to 60 Ah.

The liquid cooling system developed by AKASOL for the ZF concept not only ensures an even temperature of the battery while allowing high performance with high durability, it also serves as key to the very compact design of the modules.

ZF Advanced Urban Vehicle. Click to enlarge.

ZF built the Advanced Urban Vehicle concept to demonstrate the potential inherent in intelligently networking individual chassis/driveline and driver assistance systems.

The semi-independent rear suspension eTB (electric Twist Beam) provides the propulsion via twin compact drive units located on rear wheels, each of which produces 40 kW. With axle torque of 400 N·m, the vehicle,reaches a top speed of 150 km/h (93 mph).

The front axle supports steering angles of up to 75 degrees—enormously increasing the agility and maneuverability of the concept. This chassis concept reduces the steering effort substantially during parking and turning maneuvers, and thus increases the maneuverability of the subcompact car; the turning circle diameter of the Advanced Urban Vehicle is reduced to less than 6.50 meters.

The steering movements at the front axle are supported by the torque vectoring system of the rear-axle drive, which distributes the drive force individually to the two rear wheels and enables the vehicle to move off with this kind of large wheel deflection.

A cloud-based driver assistance function—ZF PreVision Cloud Assist—provides maximum range and driving safety. Unlike purely GPS-based systems, ZF’s concept study not only takes into account geometry data and information on the permissible top speed, but also stores data in the cloud on the vehicle position, currently driven speed, and lateral and longitudinal acceleration for every journey.

If the driver follows the same route again, the system calculates the optimum speed for an approaching corner on the basis of these data. The assistance function then reduces the torque early on before entering the corner, to the point where the corner can be negotiated without any mechanical braking. This not only protects the vehicle’s battery and braking system, but also provides greater safety particularly on blind corners.

The system assists the driver not only in recognizing suitable parking spaces, but can also park the vehicle fully automatically in parallel or perpendicular spaces.

The parking aid obtains its information from twelve ultrasound sensors and two infrared sensors on the vehicle’s front-end, rear-end, and flanks; these sensors help find a suitable parking space. The control electronics process the information and control all the systems involved in the parking function—for example, the electric drive and the required steering angle of the electric power steering.

The driver can interact with the vehicle during the process via the display in the cockpit or trigger the parking function once they exit the vehicle by using an application on a mobile device, e. g. a smartwatch. The Advanced Urban Vehicle then automatically searches the surroundings at walking pace for a suitable gap and automatically initiates the parking process.