A one-size-fits-all E-kit: IAV develops modular platform for battery-electric vehicles

“Platforms are a key to mastering a variety of variants and to reduce development time and, in particular, product costs through economies of scale,” says Erik Schneider, Head of E-traction & Hybrid Drivetrain at IAV.

The E-drive train platform developed by the Berlin engineering specialist IAV enables a wide variety of variants for all vehicle segments and their drive topologies through the combination of scalable and modular systems, such as battery and electric machine.

The platform covers a power spectrum of 100 to 440 kW, battery capacities of 27 to 115 kWh and voltage levels of 400 and 800 volts, and allows for the use of silicon (Si) and silicon carbide (SiC). From the point of view of technology openness, there are numerous additional functions, such as four-wheel drive and torque vectoring which are added to increase the vehicle’s dynamic response.

In total, IAV has generated and evaluated approximately 24 million technically feasible powertrain variants virtually. The main systems battery, electric machine, inverter and transmission were systematically varied and combined by means of simulation tools such as the IAV drive train synthesis.

IAV attaches particular importance to the topic of sustainability. Based on a full life cycle analysis, IAV has developed a special eco-design for the battery platform. This is an extremely resource-saving solution that contributes to the fact that less CO2 are emitted in battery production through better material selection, connection technology, disassembly and recycling than in the production of conventional power stores.

IAV already uses the E-drive train platform in various projects with customers who are either interested in subsystems or require solutions for complete E-powertrains. In addition, a specialist article in the ATZ published by Springer Fachmedien München GmbH currently describes the platform and its modular individual systems in greater detail.

With more than 8,000 employees, IAV is one of the world’s leading engineering partners to the automotive industry. The company has been developing innovative concepts and technologies for future vehicles for more than 35 years and generated sales of around EUR 896 million in 2020. Its customers include all major automobile manufacturers and suppliers worldwide. Alongside vehicle and drivetrain development, IAV entered the field of electromobility and autonomous driving at an early stage and is now one of the leading development service providers in these fields. Alongside its development centers in Berlin, Gifhorn and Chemnitz/Stollberg, IAV has further locations in Munich, Sindelfingen and Ingolstadt, among others, as well as in Europe, Asia and North and South America.