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Honda equipping new European B-segment e:Ny1 electric SUV with integrated axle drive from Vitesco Technologies

Vitesco Technologies, a leading international supplier of modern drive technologies and electrification solutions, is delivering its integrated axle drive EMR3 (3rd generation, Electronics Motor Reducer) to Honda for its new B-segment all-electric SUV. In Europe this vehicle, based on Honda’s new e:N Architecture F, will be marketed under the name e:Ny1. (Earlier post.)

The E-drive is a 3-in-1 unit integrating power electronics, electric motor, and reducer. It is the third generation of Vitesco Technologies’ integrated axle drives and has proven to be a market success, Vitesco said. As of June 2023, more than three quarters of a million units have already been manufactured since 2019. So far, the EMR3 was chosen for 8 vehicle brands and demand continues to be strong.

230731-VT-PP-EMR-3

The EMR3 axle drive installed in the Honda e:Ny1 model integrates power electronics, electric motor and reducer © Vitesco Technologies GmbH (exclusive rights)


Despite compact dimensions and low weight of 76 kg, the axle drive for Honda achieves a peak output of 150 kW, and 310 N·m of torque. This specification allows e:Ny1 to reach a limited top speed of 160 km/h. The Japanese car maker refers to the drive unit as a “3-in-1 drive unit”.

The European model e:Ny1 will be available in the market from October 2023 onwards.

Honda uses the electric axle drive for its new e:N Architecture F, which is a front-axle drive platform. The new model e:Ny1 is a 4-door B-segment EV SUV with a maximum range of 412 km (under WLTP test conditions).

Comments

mahonj

It is a bit sad: Honda used to be all about engine technology, and now they are using 3rd party engines. Sic Transit gloria mundi.

Gryf

@mahonj
Good point. Honda still makes the best IC engines in the world. The success of the Red Bull F1 racing comes in part to the performance of the Honda derived engine designs.
If Honda ever gets serious about EV they need to design their own motors.
For example, look at the Tesla carbon wrapped electric motor or the Lucid Air Electric Drivetrain or the Triumph TE-1 Integral Powertrain motor.
Integral Powertrain (now Helix) is an interesting example of EV evolution. Roger Duckworth, the Helix director is the son of Keith Duckworth (the great engineer behind Cosworth Motors).
Let’s hope Honda can evolve, too.

mahonj

@gryf, it struck me that Honda could build ICE gensets and then build these into small (say 12-20 kWh) battery EVs.
Either parallel or serial hybrids.
If you design a motor as a genset, with a limited rev range and power band, it should be possible to make it very small and efficient.

Gryf

Honda already built one of the best PHEV ever made - the Honda Clarity- which had up to 47 miles of range. The Clarit PHEV had an efficient 1.5-liter Atkinson cycle 4-cylinder gasoline engine and no transmission.
It had one problem, the excellent 17 kWh battery (14 kWh useable) weighed over 300 kg. The Toyota Solid State battery would help. Imagine a 400 Wh/kg battery with 25 kWh, possibly using Lithium Manganese Ferro-Phosphate cathodes that weighs around 100 kg. This battery would weigh about the same as a simple hybrid.

Gryf

To be precise, a typical hybrid battery weighs around 50 kg. However, most hybrids are connected to a transmission (the Honda two motor hybrid does not require a transmission).

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