Fuel-cell systems are a challenging technology that, much like combustion engines, require sophisticated thermal management and supplies of air and hydrogen. Pierburg GmbH, a subsidiary of Rheinmetall Automotive AG, is applying its accumulated combustion engine expertise in pumps and valves to offer special products for fuel-cell vehicles. In addition to... Read more →

In vehicles with a conventional internal combustion engine, the a/c compressor is usually driven via a pulley and the V-belt but in electric vehicles, this mechanism is not available. Here, the a/c compressor is driven by an electric motor that is integrated into the vehicle’s high-voltage network. Pierburg GmbH has... Read more →

China-based Kolbenschmidt Huayu Piston Co. Ltd. (KSHP) (belonging to Rheinmetall Automotive AG) has received an order from one of the world’s biggest car producers with a lifetime volume totaling more than €200 million for modern lightweight pistons for gasoline engines with ring carrier and coolant gallery technology. Lightweight gasoline piston... Read more →

Pierburg (Rheinmetall Automotive), Swoboda, BASF and General Motors (GM) have developed the first all-plastic fuel vapor pump assembly in series production. It is currently produced at Pierburg’s facility in Fountain Inn, South Carolina and placed on the 2019 Cadillac XT4. The assembly is mounted on the engine and directly transfers... Read more →

Hyundai Motor Group has developed the first Road Noise Active Noise Control (RANC) system. RANC builds on the Group’s current Active Noise Control (ANC) technology, which actively reduces noise by emitting soundwaves inverted to incoming noise. ANC is a software-driven technology that analyzes the in-cabin sound to decrease engine and... Read more →

A study by Gentherm, a developer of innovative thermal management technologies, and General Motors has shown that Gentherm’s ClimateSense microclimate thermal comfort system significantly increases driving range and energy savings in electric vehicles. The results of the study were presented during the SAE Thermal Management Systems Symposium last week in... Read more →

BMW i Ventures has made an investment in CelLink, a San Carlos, CA-based manufacturer of flexible circuit technology that delivers high-conductance, large-area, lightweight, and low-cost flexible circuits through a proprietary combination of manufacturing processes, designs, and materials. The new funding is aimed at ramping up production of large-area flexible circuits... Read more →

Eaton says it has shown in regulatory test cycles and real-world use that its cylinder-deactivation (CDA) technology can play a key role in helping commercial vehicle manufacturers meet or exceed 2024 and 2027 US emissions regulations. The company will make the announcement at the North American Commercial Vehicle show (NACV)... Read more →

Eaton’s eMobility business is expanding high-voltage circuit protection solutions for electrified vehicles (EVs) with the introduction of Breaktor, a new advanced circuit protection solution for EVs that combines the function of fuses, pyro switches and contactors into a single coordinated device. As electric vehicle power levels increase, Breaktor addresses the... Read more →

Eaton’s eMobility business has introduced a new Flex Power Distribution Unit (PDU) for high-voltage electrified commercial vehicles; the new unit is uniquely designed to handle multiple load requirements. Eaton has reached an agreement with Cummins Inc. to supply elements of the Flex PDU, which reliably distributes power and keeps the... Read more →

Pierburg has been developing vacuum pumps for brake boosters for decades. With the current EVP40 model, the supplier is offering an electric option that operates on-demand and sets high standards in terms of robustness, temperature resistance and noise. The EVP40 can be used in hybrids and electric vehicles as well... Read more →

The 2019.2 release of powertrain design and optimization software from Ricardo provides enhancements across the entire suite of products. In keeping with its strategy of combining upgrades into major releases and ensuring that all customers have the most up-to-date software at the earliest opportunity, the 2019.2 release from Ricardo Software... Read more →

Swindon Powertrain is developing a new compact 80kW “crate” electric powertrain that will make it easier for specialist OEMs to electrify their low volume sports cars, light commercial and recreational vehicles. Swindon Powertrain’s High Power Density (HPD) EV system will ease the transition for manufacturers currently frustrated by the lack... Read more →

Modern piston assemblies are subject to high demands in terms of both loading and lifetime; in addition, there is the environment-friendly demand for low engine emissions. KS Kolbenschmidt has developed its LITEKS concept for particularly low-friction piston systems installed in highly loaded gasoline engines. The supplier is now introducing its... Read more →

Vitesco Technologies, the drivetrain business of Continental, has signed agreements with Groupe PSA and Hyundai to supply the first fully integrated electric axle drive system for various volume-production models. Production of the new electric drive system at Vitesco Technologies plant in Tianjin, China, has already started. First fully integrated electric... Read more →

Ricardo will present the early results of an R&D project to develop a scalable Electric Drive Unit (EDU) for future electric vehicles at the CTI’s 8th International Congress and Expo, to be hosted on 24-25 September 2019, in Shanghai, China. The scalable EDU being developed by Ricardo comprises a high-performance... Read more →

Freudenberg Sealing Technologies is developing a new generation of conductive seals designed to ensure a durable electrical connection between housings and shafts while preventing bearing damage caused by electricity and electromagnetic radiation. In many operating conditions, the shafts used in electric powertrains are electrically insulated from their housings. The insulation... Read more →

Building off its 350 bar GDi (Gasoline Direct Injection) system, Delphi Technologies has developed a 500+ bar GDi system that can reduce particulate emissions by up to 50% without expensive engine re-designs for the majority of applications. Left: GDi 500+ injector. Right: GDi 500+ fuel pump With an innovative new... Read more →

Garrett Motion Inc., a leading differentiated technology provider in the automotive industry, has developed a new turbocharger boost control software that can significantly enhance turbo performance and health and help unlock optimized energy management in hybrid vehicles. Electrifying a turbocharger removes the constraint of needing a small turbine with excellent... Read more →

At its meeting on Monday, Continental’s Executive Board decided to consider the possibility of a spin-off of the Powertrain division (future name: Vitesco Technologies) and subsequent stock exchange listing. This review will be conducted in parallel with the company’s ongoing preparations for a potential partial IPO of the division. This... Read more →

Dana Incorporated has acquired Nordresa Motors, Inc., an integration and application engineering expert for the development and commercialization of electric powertrains for commercial vehicles. Two Nordresa systems are now available: the W Series, a walk-in van based on Ford’s E-450 chassis, and the T Series, for cab forward trucks. Terms... Read more →

BorgWarner has optimized the latest generation of its all-wheel drive (AWD) coupling with a compact brushless direct current (BLDC) motor and highly integrated electronics. The resulting actuator unit has very high durability and weight savings of approximately 15% in comparison to a conventional AWD coupling. The lightweight, high-performance design has... Read more →

Transient Plasma Systems Inc. (TPS), which develops nanosecond pulsed plasma ignition systems to improve fuel efficiency and reduce greenhouse gas emissions, has achieved a new milestone in its internal combustion engine testing with its first multi-cylinder demonstration of the company’s nanosecond pulsed plasma ignition technology in a mass-manufactured, on-road natural-gas... Read more →

Researchers at Empa have developed an electrohydraulically actuated cam-less valve train that enables completely free adjustment of stroke and timing, while at the same time being robust and cost-effective. The new technology saves up to 20% fuel in typical passenger car low load operating conditions. The FlexWork valve train was... Read more →

Power management company Eaton is partnering with global technology company KPIT to support the development of next-generation electrified mobility technologies for Eaton’s eMobility business unit (earlier post). Eaton’s collaboration with KPIT initially will focus on developing and deploying technologies, software solutions and platforms for several components, including inverters, on-board chargers,... Read more →

Continental is enhancing and refining its Intelligent Glass Control solution, opening up new possibilities for greater comfort, safety and energy efficiency. A modern car contains, on average, around five square meters of glass—almost twice as much as 30 years ago. While many components—from the inside mirror with a built-in tiredness... Read more →

Volkswagen AG intends to group more than 5,000 digital experts together in its new “Car.Software” unit with Group responsibility for software in the vehicle by 2025. The company plans to develop significantly more software in the car and for vehicle-related services itself and to boost the in-house share of software... Read more →

National Electric Vehicle Sweden (NEVS), a subsidiary of Evergrande Health, has acquired Protean Electric, a leading developer of in-wheel motor technology. The acquisition is part of Evergrande’s strategy to become a major player in the global electric vehicle (EV) industry, and paves the way for NEVS to deploy Protean Electric’s... Read more →

Toshiba Electronic Devices & Storage Corporation and its manufacturing subsidiary, Japan Semiconductor Corporation have developed process technology for N-channel Lateral Double Diffused MOS (LDMOS) for 0.13-micron generation analog power ICs that ensures high reliability, even at the high temperatures of automotive applications. The technology cuts leak current from crystal defects,... Read more →

The third generation of the BMW 1 Series—to be unveiled to the public in June and to make its show premiere at IAA in Frankfurt in September— showcases the debut appearance of BMW’s advanced new front-wheel-drive architecture. Benchmark driving dynamics for the segment and a far more spacious interior are... Read more →

DENSO, with semi-conductor supplier Hitachi Power Semiconductor Device, Ltd., has developed a high-efficiency diode for alternators for gasoline and diesel engine vehicles. Production of alternators equipped with the newly developed diodes will start for vehicles to be sold in Europe in FY2019, and will be rolled out to manufacturing group... Read more →

General Motors President Mark Reuss unveiled the company’s all-new electronic platform necessary for its next-generation of vehicles, EVs, active safety, infotainment and connectivity features, and the evolution of the Super Cruise driver assistance feature. The technology powers an electronic system, capable of managing up to 4.5 terabytes (TB) of data... Read more →

Hyundai Motor Group has developed an intelligent ‘Smart Air Purification system’ that monitors interior air quality automatically to filter the air inside a car. The innovation builds on the Group’s prior work to enhance in-car air quality by introducing a new automated monitoring system, which continually checks interior air quality... Read more →

Elaphe Propulsion Technologies will begin low-volume series manufacturing of L1500 gearless in-wheel powertrain system. The Elaphe L1500 in-wheel motor achieves the highest torque densities of electric motors on the market, generating 1500 N·m of torque without using any gears. A single in-wheel motor can achieve a power output of more... Read more →

Infrastructure semiconductor solutions company Marvell Technology Group will acquire all outstanding shares of Aquantia, Corp. common stock in exchange for consideration of $13.25 per share in cash. This represents approximately $452 million in transaction value after adjusting for net cash on Aquantia’s balance sheet. Aquantia is provider of high-speed communications... Read more →

Agility Fuel Solutions, a leading global provider of clean fuel solutions for medium- and heavy-duty commercial vehicles, introduced high-performance battery packs and complete electric vehicle drivetrain integrations for medium-and heavy-duty trucks. Agility’s battery packs are being delivered to multiple truck OEM electric vehicle programs. These lightweight, liquid-cooled lithium ion (NMC)... Read more →

Dana Incorporated launched its newest direct-drive electric powertrain, the TM4 SUMO LD. The motor-inverter combination is designed for Class 2 through Class 6 vehicles. The new offering extends the comprehensive TM4 SUMO lineup, which is powering more than 12,000 electrified vehicles today. Designed primarily for today’s direct-drive architectures, the TM4... Read more →

Dana Incorporated and Motiv Power Systems are collaborating to integrate Dana’s Spicer Electrified eS9000r e-Axle on the Ford F-550 chassis for use in commercial fleet applications. By replacing the traditional mechanical driveline with an electric motor integrated directly into the vehicle’s differential housing, the e-Axle provides greater design flexibility for... Read more →

Allison Transmission introduced the new ABE Series, the first e-axle advanced ultra-low floor electric bus powertrain system in the market, at the Advanced Clean Technology Expo in Long Beach, CA. The ABE Series e-axles are one of the world’s most powerful and compact fully integrated electric axles for the transit... Read more →

Allison Transmission, a global leader in medium- and heavy-duty propulsion solutions for commercial vehicles, introduced the new AXE Series e-axle systems for medium- and heavy-duty trucks at the Advanced Clean Technology (ACT) Expo in Long Beach, CA. A fully integrated electric powertrain system designed to fit inside a standard frame... Read more →

Allison Transmission Holdings Inc., the largest global manufacturer of medium- and heavy-duty fully automatic transmissions, has purchased Vantage Power and AxleTech’s electric vehicle (EV) systems division. Allison’s electrification strategy leverages and extends current electric hybrid technologies, develops new electrified propulsion solutions, and expands system and integration level capabilities in alternative... Read more →

Toyota launched its completely redesigned RAV4 in Japan. The new RAV4 features the first Dynamic Torque Vectoring AWD system, which enables precise and stable steering by adopting a torque vectoring mechanism, which independently distributes torque to the left and right rear wheels according to driving conditions in addition to the... Read more →

Siemens is intensifying its cooperation with the EDAG Group—a leading global independent engineering company for the automotive industry—further to promote industrial applications of additive manufacturing (AM) and to make engineering and production processes more efficient. The “NextGenerationSpaceframe 2.0” intelligent modular system features a combination of bionically designed and additive-manufactured nodes... Read more →

Ricardo Software announced major updates to its proprietary suite of computer-aided engineering (CAE) simulation and analysis products. Now available for download by customers, Ricardo Software’s 2019.1 release provides significant enhancements in integration and functionality across the full product range, helping to enable cleaner and more fuel-efficient products to be brought... Read more →

With the public expecting that autonomous vehicles will offer comfort levels approaching those of a living room environment, Ricardo is developing new software to minimize the risks of motion sickness; the development also promises benefits for conventionally-driven vehicles. The imminent introduction of connected and autonomous vehicles (CAVs) has stimulated consumer... Read more →

Hyundai Motor announced that the new generation Sonata, scheduled to go on sale later this month, is based on the new third-generation vehicle platform. Hyundai says that the new platform will improve the market competitiveness of Hyundai’s newest Sonata and future vehicle models with greater flexibility for vehicle development—which enhances... Read more →

Eaton announced it is contributing several components to truck manufacturers participating in the U.S. Department of Energy’s (DOE) SuperTruck II program. (Earlier post.) SuperTruck II is a partnership between the DOE, truck manufacturers and equipment suppliers seeking to improve freight efficiency to more than 100% over an equivalent 2009 model,... Read more →

Southern California Gas Co. (SoCalGas) will fund a field demonstration of adsorbed natural gas bi-fuel vehicles powered by natural gas compressing technology developed by Adsorbed Natural Gas Products, Inc. and Ingevity. Adsorbed natural gas technology uses Ingevity’s Nuchar activated carbon to reduce the storage pressure of natural gas without sacrificing... Read more →

Hyundai Motor Group has developed a “Digital Key”, which allows users to unlock and start their Hyundai or Kia vehicle via their smartphone. Replacing a traditional physical key, the new Digital Key can be downloaded via an app and used by up to four authorized people. The Digital Key can... Read more →

GKN Automotive unveiledthe first battery-electric vehicle (BEV) with a two-speed transmission and torque vectoring on the front axle. Based on a standard Jeep Renegade, the GTD19 demonstrator vehicle is undergoing testing at GKN’s annual winter testing program in Arjeplog, Sweden, and showcases how automakers can use drivetrain innovations to achieve... Read more →