Volkswagen opts for NXP battery management solutions

It will help Volkswagen to increase vehicle range, extend battery longevity, and enhance safety.

The collaboration was announced by Kurt Sievers, CEO of NXP Semiconductors at the company’s NXP Connects virtual training event.

“As part of the first wave of Volkswagen’s battery electric vehicle initiative, we’ll deliver up to 75 full-electric vehicle models to market by 20291,” said Dr. Holger Manz, Head of Development for Vehicle Energy Supply and High Voltage Systems, Volkswagen AG. “Incorporating a functionally safe battery management system that can scale across many car models makes it easier to achieve the full power potential of a battery, optimised range, and the extension of the battery’s lifetime.”

The agreement is a vindication of NXP’s ability to offer a complete battery management system solution.

“This encompasses the battery pack controller, battery junction box and cell module controller,” explains Robert Li, Vice President and General Manager, PL Driver and Energy Systems at NXP Semiconductors.

Li cites four main challenges for electric vehicle makers.

“They need to reduce battery costs, extend the range of the car and lower battery charging time, electrify the entire car fleet to create a platform concept and maximise reuse of batteries and be able to manufacture in high volume,” says Li.

With its experience in automotive – NXP currently supplies its battery management systems to 16 of the world’s top 20 car makers – Li added that NXP can step up to the plate in meeting the challenges car makers face.

“We have experience in precision analogue, our systems are scalable, built on common hardware and software platforms, and offer functional safety system solutions.”

“We differentiate ourselves by offering complete system solutions,” Li continues.

These encompass the battery pack controller, battery junction box and cell module controller.

It gives NXP the capability to optimises and standardise the system, offer fully validated reference designs, enable coherent functional safety concepts, supply embedded software drivers and build in rugged system level EMC robustness.

This leaves NXP well placed to meet the burgeoning electric vehicle market.

“The number of annual launches of xEVs is increasing,” says Li.

He points to evidence that says the cost parity of internal combustion engine cars and xEV cars is expected by 2024.