Category: EV Technology

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Ultra High Power Automatic Charging Station for Trucks Debuts at IAA 2014

The Opbrid Trůkbaar brings automatic fast charging to the world of heavy duty electric trucks for zero emissions. The Trůkbaar is 100% compatible with the standards-based Opbrid Bůsbaar V3 for buses.

While plug-in urban buses like the Volvo Electric Hybrid are natural candidates for fast charging en route, there are also very compelling business cases for fast charged electric trucks in diverse areas such as refuse collection, airport vehicles, ports, and delivery trucks. The Opbrid Trůkbaar is designed to be easily mounted on most trucks due to its compact, lightweight, and simple design. Both the Opbrid Trůkbaar and the new Opbrid Bůsbaar V3 share the same design by Furrer+Frey of Switzerland, with a pantograph which lowers from the curbside station, and an inexpensive transverse 4 contact bar on the roof of the vehicle.

The Opbrid Trůkbaar and Bůsbaar V3 are designed for ultra high power mode 4 DC charging, up to 650kW. This amount of power transfer uses safe and reliable conductive technology transferred from the European electric rail industry by our partner Furrer+Frey, with over 90 years of experience in high power transfer to locomotives. This amount of power transfer enables scenarios such as super short charge stops and 24 hour operation. Since the Opbrid Trůkbaar and Bůsbaar are 100% compatible, cities can leverage their investment in bus chargers by also using them for rubbish collection, delivery vehicles and street cleaners. Vehicles of various heights can charge at the same station due to the large vertical working range of the charging station.

The new design of the Opbrid Trůkbaar and Bůsbaar V3 also liberates designers to create curbside charging stations that blend into existing streetscapes, or that stand out as elegantly sculptured street furniture. This is because the overhead pantograph is compact and hidden underneath a weatherproof cover. This means that the mounting post as well as the weatherproof cover can be almost any shape imaginable, giving designers unlimited freedom.

Of course, safety is our utmost concern, so the Opbrid Trůkbaar and Bůsbaar V3 have been designed to conform to IEC and ISO standards for high power DC charging, with 4 contacts, correct contact sequence, and built-in verification of contact surface before charging. The parking tolerance is quite broad and reliable due to our years of experience making bus fast charging stations. An optional insulating cover for the on-vehicle part is available to add an additional layer of safety. The station retracts upward to over 4.5 meters when not charging to fulfill traffic regulations.

The Opbrid Trůkbaar and Bůsbaar V3 will be on display at the IAA 2014 in Hall 13, Stand F12.

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The global market for EV traction motors will be over $25 billion in 2025

The electric vehicle business will approach a massive $500 billion in 2025 with the traction motors being over $25 billion.

Their design, location and integration is changing rapidly. Traction motors propelling land, water and air vehicles along can consist of one inboard motor or - an increasing trend - more than one near the wheels, in the wheels, in the transmission or ganged to get extra power. Integrating is increasing with an increasing number of motor manufacturers making motors with integral controls and sometimes integral gearing. Alternatively they may sell motors to the vehicle manufacturers or to those integrating them into transmission.

In a new report from IDTechEx called "Electric Motors for Hybrid and Pure Electric Vehicles 2015-2025: Land, Water, Air" these complex trends are explained with pie charts, tables, graphs and text and future winning suppliers are identified alongside market forecasts. There are sections on newly important versions such as in-wheel, quadcopter and outboard motor for boats.

Today, with the interest in new traction motor design there is a surge in R&D activities in this area, much of it directed at specific needs such as electric aircraft needing superlative reliability and power to weight ratio. Hybrid vehicles may have the electric motor near the conventional engine or its exhaust and this may mean they need to tolerate temperatures never encountered in pure electric vehicles. Motors for highly price-sensitive markets such as electric bikes, scooters, e-rickshaws and micro EVs (car-like vehicles not homologated as cars so made more primitively) should avoid the price hikes of neodymium and other rare earths in the magnets. In-wheel and near-wheel motors in any vehicle need to be very compact. Sometimes they must be disc-shaped to fit in.

However, fairly common requirements can be high energy efficiency and cost-effectiveness, high torque (3-4 times nominal value) for acceleration and hill climbing and peak power twice the rated value at high speeds. Wide operating torque range is a common and onerous requirement. Overall energy saving over the drive cycle is typically critical. Usually winding and magnet temperature must be kept below 120C and then there are issues of demagnetisation and mechanical strength.

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Silicon Carbide Power Electronics Can Slash $6,000 From Cost of Tesla Model S

Wide bandgap (WBG) materials such as silicon carbide (SiC) and gallium nitride (GaN) are best positioned to address emerging power electronics performance needs in electric vehicles (EVs), with SiC displacing silicon as early as 2020, according to Lux Research.

As silicon struggles to meet higher performance standards, WBG materials are benefiting critically from evolving battery economics. On Tesla Model S, for example, a 20% power savings can result in gains of over $6,000 in battery cost, or 8% of the vehicle's cost.

"Efficient power electronics is key to a smaller battery size, which in turn has a positive cascading impact on wiring, thermal management, packaging, and weight of electric vehicles," said Pallavi Madakasira, Lux Research Analyst and the lead author of the report titled, "Silicon vs. WBG: Demystifying Prospects of GaN and SiC in the Electrified Vehicle Market."

"In addition to power electronic modules, opportunities from a growing number of consumer applications -- such as infotainment and screens -- will double the number of power electronic components built into a vehicle," she added.

Lux Research analysts evaluated system-level benefits WBG materials are bringing to the automotive industry, and predicted a timeline for commercial roll-outs of WBG-based power electronics. Among their findings:

  • Power saving threshold lower for EVs. At 2% power savings, if battery costs fall below $250/kWh, SiC diodes will be the only economic solution in EVs requiring a large battery, such as the Tesla Model S. However, for plug-in electric vehicles (PHEVs), the threshold power savings needs to be a higher 5%.

  • SiC ahead in road to commercialization. SiC diodes lead GaN in technology readiness and will attain commercialization sooner, based on the current Technology Readiness Level (TRL). Based on the TRL road map, SiC diodes will be adopted in vehicles by 2020.

  • Government funding is driving WBG adoption. The U.S., Japan and the United Kingdom, among others, are funding research and development in power electronics. The U.S. Department of Energy's Advanced Power Electronics and Electric Motors is spending $69 million this year and defining performance and cost targets; the Japanese government funds a joint industry and university R&D program that includes Toyota, Honda and Nissan.
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    First Siemens e-highway in the USA by 2015 [VIDEO]

    For the first time ever, electric trucks powered by overhead cables will run in the USA and help to reduce carbon dioxide emissions. The South Coast Air Quality Management District (SCAQMD) has given the go-ahead for Siemens to install an e-highway system for test purposes close to the ports of Los Angeles and Long Beach, the biggest in the USA.

    The Siemens e-highway electrifies selected traffic lanes using an overhead cable system. As a result, trucks can be supplied with electricity in the same way as trams. Working together with the Volvo Group and its Mack brand, Siemens is developing a demonstration vehicle for the project. Siemens is also working with local truck integrators in California whose vehicles will be part of the test as well.

    The overhead cable infrastructure will now be installed in two directions in Carson (California) near Los Angeles. The project is expected to begin in July 2015 and will last a year. During the test phase, up to four trucks will travel up and down the route every day. The "e-trucks" are equipped with a hybrid drive system and intelligent current collectors. Powered by electricity from overhead cables, they produce no emissions when operating in the local area. On roads without overhead cables, the vehicles use an electric drive system which can be powered by diesel, compressed natural gas, a battery or with other energy sources. The current collector allows the vehicles to overtake and automatically dock and undock at speeds of up to 90 kilometers per hour.

    The e-highway concept is particularly effective from an environmental and economic point of view on heavily used and relatively short truck routes, e.g. between ports, industrial estates, freight transport centers and central transshipment terminals. The ports of Los Angeles and Long Beach are looking for a zero-emission solution ("Zero Emission I-710 Project") for a section of the Interstate I-710. Around 35,000 shuttle truck journeys currently take place here every day. The intention is to set up a "zero emission corridor" for shuttle traffic between the two sea ports and the inland rail transshipment centers around 30 kilometers away. This will help to ease the pressure on the environment in a region which is plagued by smog. The aim is to eliminate local emissions completely, reduce the use of fossil fuels, cut operating costs and establish a basis for using the system on a commercial basis in the future

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    VW & Bosch working on automated park-and-charge systems for EVs [VIDEO]

    There are only a few minutes before your flight check-in closes, or before your train departs, but you now have to spend precious time hunting for a free space at the airport or station car park. Imagine leaving your vehicle at the main entrance and letting the car do the rest on its own. Researchers from Germany, Italy, the UK and Switzerland are working on this, and successful tests took place at Stuttgart airport earlier this year. €5.6 million of EU funding is invested in the system which will be available in the coming years.

    In the future, more and more people will drive electric cars and will switch from one mode of transport to another – creating the need for more and varied parking options at transport hubs. To prepare for this mobility shift, the V-CHARGE consortium is working on a fully automated parking and charging system for electric cars at public car parks.

    "The idea is that we can actually use technology to give people a better mix of public and private transport", explains Dr Paul Furgale, scientific project manager for V-CHARGE and deputy director of the autonomous systems lab at the Swiss Federal Institute of Technology in Zurich.

    A smartphone app to leave and get back the car

    Drivers will be able to leave their car in front of the car park and use a smartphone app to trigger the parking process. The vehicle will connect with the car park’s server and drive itself to the designated space. While in the garage, the car can also be programmed to go to a charging station. Upon returning, the driver uses the same app to summon the car – fully charged and ready to go.

    Since GPS satellite signals don’t always work inside garages, the scientists have developed a camera-based system based on their expertise in robotics and environment sensing. Safety is at the centre of the project: the car is designed to avoid unexpected obstacles.

    Dr Furgale believes the same technology could be used to develop autonomous parking systems for electric cars on city streets. "That will be more of a challenge", he says. "But once you have the maps in place, the rest of the technology will come together."

    A system to be integrated into production

    In April, the team presented the latest version of the system at Stuttgart airport. This was a success and the researchers are now fine-tuning the technology to tackle more precise manoeuvres and ensure reliability, even in difficult weather conditions.

    The project is set to conclude in 2015, and its results available to be progressively commercialised in the coming years. The functions developed should be cost-effective enough to be integrated into production of electric vehicles. Engineers are working with equipment that is already available today such as ultrasonic sensors and stereo cameras that are used in parking assistance and emergency braking systems.

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    GKN to use F1 technology to improve fuel efficiency of London buses

    GKN plc and The Go-Ahead Group have agreed a deal that will help reduce emissions in cities with the supply of electric flywheel systems to 500 buses over the next two years.

    The innovative GKN system is based on Formula One race technology developed in the UK. It will help increase the efficiency of every bus to which it is fitted by using less fuel and therefore reducing carbon emissions. This same technology helped Audi’s R18 e-tron win at Le Mans last month.

    Go-Ahead has placed an order for GKN Hybrid Power to supply 500 of its Gyrodrive systems to the transport operator. The Gyrodrive system uses a high speed flywheel made of carbon fibre to store the energy generated by a bus as it slows down to stop. It then uses the stored energy to power an electric motor which helps accelerate the bus back up to speed, generating fuel savings of more than 20% at a significantly lower cost than battery hybrid alternatives.

    The agreement covers the supply of the complete Gyrodrive system, including the innovative GKN Hybrid Power flywheel as well as GKN’s advanced EVO electric motor, a GKN designed and manufactured gearbox, and installation. The system is designed to last for the life of the bus eliminating the need for any battery changes.

    Following successful trials on buses in London, Go-Ahead intends to utilise the technology in cities it serves across the UK, initially in London and Oxford.

    Philip Swash, CEO GKN Land Systems, said: ‘This is an important milestone for GKN Hybrid Power. We’ve worked in close partnership with Go-Ahead throughout the development of this innovative technology and it’s very exciting to move into the production phase.

    The fact that we are using the same groundbreaking technology that helped Audi win at Le Mans for the past three years to improve fuel efficiency in the public transport sector also shows what great innovation there is in the UK’s engineering sector.’ CEO of Go-Ahead, David Brown, added: ’Our collaboration with GKN has been a most constructive one. We have a strong record in continually reducing our carbon emissions and flywheel technology will help us make buses an even more environmentally responsible choice and encourage more people to travel by public transport.

    The flywheel technology helps us to reduce our fuel consumption and C02 emissions so improving air quality for all those living, working and visiting the city.’

    GKN Hybrid Power is based in Oxfordshire, with final assembly taking place in a new facility at GKN’s site in Telford. The Gyrodrive technology is being further developed for other mass transit markets including trams, construction and agricultural equipment. Earlier this year GKN announced the acquisition of Williams Hybrid Power from Williams Grand Prix Engineering Limited to form GKN Hybrid Power, which is focused on delivering complete hybrid solutions across multiple vehicle, power and industrial markets.

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    Continental introduce tire optimized for hybrids [VIDEO]

    Continental has taken the Conti.eContact that was originally launched in 2011 with electric vehicles in mind and refined it to meet the needs of hybrid models. Thanks to the introduction of numerous new technologies and processes, this new and extensively hand-crafted summer tire is the first from Continental to obtain the top A rating on the EU Tire Label for both wet grip and rolling resistance, while making no significant compromises in terms of the many other performance parameters.

    With immediate effect Continental is offering the Conti.eContact in six sizes for 17 and 18-inch rims, specially designed for models such as the Opel Ampera, BMW 5 ActiveHybrid, Lexus LS 600h and Porsche Cayenne S Hybrid, as well as other cars and SUVs with hybrid drive. Given that this is a new vehicle segment that also involves highly complex production processes, Continental is kicking off with low-volume production at its French tire plant in Sarreguemines.

    The rolling resistance of the new Conti.eContact for hybrid vehicles is some 20 percent lower than in a conventional tire, while delivering a wet braking performance similar to that of a normal car tire. This is made possible by a combination of advanced technologies in the development, compounding and production sectors. In terms of handling and braking on dry roads, the tire performs at the same high level as a Continental sedan tire of comparable size. As a member of the Continental tire family for hybrid and electric vehicles, the Conti.eContact bears the “BlueEco” logo on the sidewall. Continental’s in-house studies point to incremental growth in the proportion of hybrid vehicles in the passenger car segment, which could account for as much as eight percent by 2020.

    Green Chili compound
    Featuring the newly developed Green Chili compound, the silica compound of the new Conti.eContact for hybrid vehicles is made up in such a way that the internal friction of the filler particles and the polymers is lower than in conventional rubber compounds. The use of special additives provides an additional boost in terms of handling properties. With this new compound, the chemists at Continental have achieved a marked reduction in rolling resistance, while maintaining a high level of handling and braking performance on dry roads.

    Hydro-sipes

    On wet roads the specially configured twin sipes in the tread blocks generate a ‘windshield wiper’ effect that breaks up the film of water under the contact patch. This smart thinking by the tread designers at Continental enables the water between the surface of the tread blocks and the road to be rapidly dispersed, making for very short stopping distances in the wet. The fast dispersion of the water also benefits the tire’s wet handling – even at higher speeds. The tread design makes a valuable contribution to the short stopping distances in the wet that led to the Conti.eContact’s A rating for wet grip on the EU Tire Label.

    AeroFlex technologyAlong with the new technologies adopted for the compound and tread design, the sidewalls of the new Conti.eContact have also been redesigned. In this case the tire designers focused on minimizing aerodynamic drag and rolling resistance. This they achieved through the aerodynamically modified sidewall and its flexible, lightweight design. As a result, in the new Conti.eContact less energy is lost when the tire deflects and rebounds than in a conventional tire. In addition, the drop in turbulence has led to a further reduction in the tire’s contribution to fuel consumption.

    ContiSilent

    When hybrid vehicles run in electric mode they are virtually silent. As tire noise is no longer drowned out by other sources of noise such as a conventional engine, it is all the more noticeable. Consequently, the new Conti.eContact is designed to generate minimum audible noise in the vehicle interior. This is achieved with the aid of ContiSilent technology. A thin layer of polyurethane foam attached to the inside of the tread reduces the vibrations that are generated as the tire rolls along the road. This means that less vibration is communicated to the chassis, leading to a lower level of noise in the cabin.

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    Toyota Improve hybrid fuel efficiency by 10% with SiC Inverter

    Toyota in collaboration with Denso has developed a silicon carbide (SiC) power semiconductor for use in automotive power control units. Toyota will begin test driving vehicles fitted with the new PCUs on public roads in Japan within a year.

    Through use of SiC power semiconductors, Toyota aims to improve hybrid vehicle fuel efficiency by 10 percent under the Japanese Ministry of Land, Infrastructure, Transport and Tourism's JC08 test cycle and reduce PCU size by 80 percent compared to current PCUs with silicon-only power semiconductors. SiC power semiconductors have low power loss when switching on and off, allowing for efficient current flow even at higher frequencies. This enables the coil and capacitor, which account for approximately 40 percent of the size of the PCU, to be reduced in size.

    PCUs play an important role in hybrids and other vehicles with an electrified powertrain: they supply electrical power from the battery to the motor to control vehicle speed, and also send electricity generated during deceleration to the battery for storage. However, PCUs account for approximately 25 percent of the total electrical power loss in HVs, with an estimated 20 percent of the total loss associated with the power semiconductors alone. Therefore, a key way to improve fuel efficiency is to improve power semiconductor efficiency, specifically by reducing resistance experienced by the passing current. Since launching the “Prius” gasoline-electric HV in 1997, Toyota has been working on in-house development of power semiconductors and on improving HV fuel efficiency.

    As SiC enables higher efficiency than silicon alone, Toyota CRDL and Denso began basic research in the 1980s, with Toyota participating from 2007 to jointly develop SiC semiconductors for practical use. Toyota has installed the jointly developed SiC power semiconductors in PCUs for prototype HVs, and test driving on test courses has confirmed a fuel efficiency increase exceeding 5 percent under the JC08 test cycle.

    In December last year, Toyota established a clean room for dedicated development of SiC semiconductors at its Hirose Plant, which is a facility for research, development and production of devices such as electronic controllers and semiconductors.

    In addition to improved engine and aerodynamic performance, Toyota is positioning high efficiency power semiconductors as a key technology for improving fuel efficiency for HVs and other vehicles with electrified powertrains. Going forward, Toyota will continue to boost development activities aimed at early implementation of SiC power semiconductors.

    Toyota will exhibit the technology at the 2014 Automotive Engineering Exposition, to be held from May 21 to May 23 at the Pacifico Yokohama convention center in Yokohama.

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    BMW to launch Carbon Fiber wheels

    BMW could offer entire wheels in carbon fiber reinforced plastic, are close to production and available in one or two years. According to BMW the full-CFRP wheel is 35-percent lighter than a forged alloy wheel, and the one using a CFRP rim and alloy spokes will be 25-percent lighter.

    Innovative use of materials in the BMW i3 and BMW i8.
    Systematic lightweight design is particularly important on electrically powered vehicles, given that vehicle weight is one of two main constraints on vehicle range, along with battery capacity. For EVs, too, reduced weight means reduced energy consumption and improved driving dynamics. In order to offset the weight penalty of the electric components, the BMW Group came up with a rigorous lightweight design strategy for the BMW i brand in the form of the LifeDrive concept, an innovative vehicle architecture which for the first time combines an aluminium chassis and a CFRP passenger cell.

    CFRP: high-tech material of the future.
    Carbon-fibre-reinforced plastic (CFRP) boasts a particularly favourable strength-to-weight ratio and is therefore an ideal material for use in the vehicle body. For the same functionality, CFRP is around 30 per cent lighter than aluminium and 50 per cent lighter than steel. Used in the right places, this material therefore reduces weight, optimises the vehicle’s centre of gravity and improves body strength. This material is currently being used not only in the new BMW i3 and BMW i8 models: the sporty BMW M3/M4 and BMW M6 models have likewise been utilising the benefits of this high-tech material for some time. Components such as their roof and bumper supports are made of CFRP. The BMW Group is currently working on further potential applications, including the use of this material in rotating-mass components. Examples include hybrid aluminium/CFRP wheel rims, while CFRP’s high rigidity and low weight allow the CFRP propeller shaft on the BMW M3/M4 to be produced as a single-piece component, without a centre bearing. This results in 40 per cent weight savings over the previous model and reduced rotating masses, leading to further improved response.

    In future, other BMW and MINI models will also benefit from this lightweight material in various ways. For example, production offcuts can be reprocessed into “secondary” (recycled-content) CFRP, which can be used to reduce the weight of components such as seat frames, instrument panel frames and spare wheels by up to 30 per cent, with simultaneous improvements in terms of cost-efficient, environmentally friendly manufacturing.

    Technology leader in mass production of CFRP components.
    After more than ten years of intensive research, resulting in improvements to processes, materials, production machinery and tools, the BMW Group has today become the first and only car manufacturer in the world with the necessary know-how to use CFRP in mass production. The processing technology used is unique and cycle times for even the more complex CFRP components are unusually short. The same is true of the specially developed bonding process used in the fully automated assembly of body parts.

    As well as setting standards in the production of CFRP finished components, the BMW Group also attaches utmost importance to the use of environmentally friendly, resource-efficient and largely CO2-free processes in the manufacture and processing of the raw materials themselves. From fibre production right through to recycling of fibres and composites, the company is involved in all the various process steps in a state-of-the-art CFRP production chain that begins in Moses Lake in the USA and moves through Wackersdorf and Landshut to final assembly in Leipzig.

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    DENSO to Test Wireless Charging System

    Global automotive supplier DENSO Corporation will begin a ten-month field test of its wireless battery charging system in Toyota City, Aichi Prefecture, Japan. The field test is intended to identify any potential operational issues and also look at ways to enhance the convenience of wireless charging. The field test will begin on Feb. 24 and end in December 2014.

    How it works:

    When there are two coils apart, electric current can flow through one coil by applying electricity to the other coil. The wireless charging system uses this mechanism to wirelessly transmit power from a power transmission pad on the ground to a power-receiving pad equipped on a vehicle.

    For the test, DENSO has equipped a Yamato Transport delivery truck with a power receiver that will wirelessly receive the energy from a power transmission pad located on the pavement of a 7-Eleven convenience store parking lot. The electricity charged in the truck’s battery is then used to power the refrigeration system while the engine is stopped during pickups and deliveries. Not only will the system improve convenience, but it will also help reduce emissions of refrigeration trucks since the battery will continue to power the refrigeration system even when the engine is off.

    DENSO has been developing the wireless charging system with the goal to commercialize by 2020. DENSO is working to reduce the size, weight, and cost of the system while also looking to enhance convenience.

    In Japan, Toyota City is designated as an experimental city for next-generation energy sources and social systems, a program which has been promoted by Japan's Ministry of Economy, Trade and Industry since April 2010.