Schaeffler is introducing 4in1 electrical axle drives. Till now, as much as three drive parts have been assembled in a single compact unit. With the 4in1 electrical axle, Schaeffler is now going one step additional by integrating the thermal administration system in addition to the electrical motor, energy electronics, and transmission into the axle drive. This makes the axle drive extra compact and lighter and ensures better consolation.
With the 4in1 electrical axle, Schaeffler is now integrating the thermal administration system in addition to the electrical motor, energy electronics, and transmission into the axle drive.
A very environment friendly thermal administration system additionally ensures {that a} automobile travels additional on one battery cost and fees quicker. One other new improvement are electrical beam axles for pick-up vehicles. Sooner or later, Schaeffler will provide beam axles to vehicle producers, significantly in North America.
The extremely built-in and compact housing of the 4in1 electrical axle wants considerably much less area than non-integrated programs.
Warmth is a scarce and useful useful resource in electrical automobiles, which should not have the waste warmth from inside combustion engines for heating the inside, for instance. Moreover, significantly at excessive and low exterior temperatures, the vary and speedy charging functionality primarily rely on whether or not, for instance, the battery will be held in an appropriate temperature window.
The thermal administration system has a major affect on the effectivity and luxury of the automobile.
—Dr. Jochen Schröder, head of the E-Mobility enterprise division at Schaeffler
The corporate subsequently already gives thermal administration programs for all sorts of car powertrains and is continuous to develop them. A brand new method is the mix of the drive parts of a standard electrical axle with the thermal administration system, which was an impartial module typically till now.
The 4in1 packaging creates a extremely built-in and compact full system, which requires considerably much less area than non-integrated options, says Schröder. Moreover, much less vitality is misplaced within the type of warmth as a result of pointless hoses and cables will be disbursed with.
One other benefit of the 4in1 system is the optimized interplay of the person subsystems, says Schröder. Schaeffler’s engineers take into account the thermal conduct of particular person drive parts similar to the electrical motor or the ability electronics in addition to essentially the most environment friendly and complete thermal administration of the complete automobile. For instance, an clever management system ensures that extra warmth is effectively dissipated from the ability electronics and electrical motor and that it’s used within the inside of the automobile. The temperature of the battery can be regulated in such a manner that the automobile can journey additional on one battery cost and that it fees quicker.
The provider realizes additional effectivity advantages by bringing in a brand new warmth pump, which is operated with carbon dioxide. Not solely does carbon dioxide have much less influence on the setting than typical refrigerant, it additionally has bodily traits which permit extra environment friendly heating and cooling of autos.
The 4in1 electrical axle with an built-in thermal administration system permits a better effectivity stage of the whole system, says Schröder. An effectivity stage of as much as 96% is feasible in an optimally designed system. Every extra proportion level interprets into an elevated vary.
With its 4in1 electrical axle, Schaeffler is creating its most complete drive system for electrical automobiles thus far. The corporate can even proceed to supply to its clients particular person parts and subsystems for electrical and hybrid drives similar to electrical motors, transmissions, bearings, and the thermal administration system. The vary additionally consists of the mix of two or three drive parts.
Schaeffler is subsequently opening up a very giant market, particularly since sooner or later electrical axles will probably be utilized in autos starting from passenger automobiles via to mild business autos with purely electrical drives and drives based mostly on gas cells. This is able to prolong additionally to tailor-made electrical axles and parts for the electrification of business autos and heavy-duty purposes.
For the electrification of medium-duty pick-up vehicles, significantly for the North American market, Schaeffler is creating and can manufacture an electrical beam axle. Within the electrical beam axle, the electrical motor, transmission, energy electronics, and the complete rear axle are linked to one another and provided to the shopper as a ready-to-fit unit. Axles like these are greater than two meters large. Schaeffler has already secured its first orders for electrical beam axles from vehicle producers. The corporate is subsequently getting into a brand new market phase for electrical axle drives.
Schaeffler manufactures parts for electrical axles at a number of areas worldwide. In September 2021, manufacturing began at its plant in Szombathely, Hungary. This manufacturing location is the Schaeffler Group’s first pure e-mobility plant and its new competence middle for the manufacture of parts and programs for electrified powertrains. As well as, parts for e-mobility and built-in electrical axle drives are manufactured in Taicang, China. An extra manufacturing facility is being arrange in Wooster, US, the place hybrid modules are already being manufactured. The brand new international lead plant for electrical motors is now being inbuilt Bühl, headquarters of Schaeffler’s Automotive Applied sciences division.
