An e-kit for all cases

These include a compact car weighing 1,200 kilograms, with a range of around 380 kilometers and a maximum speed of 180 kilometers per hour, and a mid-size sedan weighing 1,700 kilograms, with a maximum range of 500 kilometers and a top speed of 225 kilometers per hour. The light commercial vehicle weighs 2,500 kilograms, has a maximum range of 250 kilometers and reaches up to 160 kilometers per hour. “These are not fictitious values – rather, they correspond to customer:internal expectations and, in many respects, to the characteristics of vehicles already on the market as well as those under development,” Kockisch emphasizes. “We have also taken into account operation with a trailer, because that is important for many customers.”

After passing through the powertrain synthesis and platform optimizer, a spectrum of three vehicle topologies (front-wheel, rear-wheel and all-wheel drive), three transmissions with one or two gears, ten e-machines with 100 to 220 kilowatts of power and 200 to 350 Newton meters of torque emerged. In addition, five inverters with three or five phases based on silicon carbide MOSFETs or silicon IGBTs (Insulated Gate Bipolar Transistor). The five battery variants have capacities ranging from 42 kWh to 115 kWh and operate at different voltage levels. Around 24 million powertrain configurations have been investigated for the BEV platform.

The core properties defined at system level on the basis of powertrain synthesis were followed by intensive work on the powertrain components from layout through design to optimization, in which IAV was able to draw on many years of experience. With the help of this development expertise across the board, it was possible to implement effective development of the entire electric platform and to transparently present conclusions and effects at system level at all times.

The BEV platform has been available since mid-2020. “We are already talking intensively with customers who are either interested in subsystems such as the e-machine or transmission or are looking for solutions for their second- or third-generation electric powertrains,” reports Kockisch. “With our systematic approach and tools, we can also take a manufacturer’s individual requirements into account by building on our BEV platform or by going through the entire process anew with its specifications. In doing so, we can accompany customers* from the beginning as well as keep an eye on his*her entire platform.”

With its modular BEV platform, IAV has defined a basic structure and at the same time created the basis for further developments. As part of the development process, sub-platforms were created for the battery, power electronics, e-machine and transmission, which are coordinated with each other and ready for use across the entire fleet. A spectrum of drive systems for 400 volts and 800 volts with system outputs ranging from 100 kW to 440 kW is used. Based on these basic structures, IAV experts are working on new solutions to meet the diverse requirements of the e-vehicles of tomorrow and beyond.

“We are currently building modular power electronics,” says Kockisch. “A dedicated IAV battery management system already exists, but we also see great potential here in terms of sustainability.” While energy storage systems are currently mostly designed to last only one lifetime, eco-design that reduces a product’s environmental impact over its entire life cycle is likely to be in demand in the future. “We are working on new batteries of this type,” says Kockisch.

The article appeared in automotion 02/2021, IAV’s automotive engineering trade magazine. Here you can order the automotion free of charge.