Renewables

Pre-Switch has announced that its soft-switching IGBT and silicon carbide gate driver architecture, including the Pre-Drive3 controller board, powered by the Pre-Flex FPGA, and RPG gate driver board, can reduce the cost of solar inverters. The two-stage architecture delivers the same switching loss performance as a five-level design, resulting in reduced cost, control complexity and BOM count. 

  In its continued effort to deliver innovative experiences, Lexus has presented Lexus Electrified, its vision for a future generation of electrified vehicles. This was marked by the world premiere of the Lexus LF-30 Electrified Concept at the 2019 Tokyo Motor Show taking place from 23rd October to 4th November.

  The 2019.2 release of powertrain design and optimisation software from Ricardo provides enhancements across the entire suite of products, helping customers deliver cleaner and more efficient products faster to market.

A new compact 80kW ‘crate’ powertrain that makes it easier for specialist OEMs to electrify their low volume sports cars, light commercial and recreational vehicles has been announced. Swindon Powertrain’s High Power Density EV system will ease the transition for manufacturers currently frustrated by the lack of compact, high power EV systems available to buy in low volumes.

Those travelling to WindEurope Offshore 2019 in Copenhagen, Denmark, this November will have a chance to meet with Altra Renewables. Leading brands in renewable energy such as Ameridrives, Stromag, Svendborg Brakes, Twiflex and Warner Electric will be displaying a wide range of services and digital products on stand - all designed to maximise installation reliability. 

  At the Aachen Colloquium, to be hosted on 7-9th October, Ricardo and Geely will present research work into the application of the Ricardo Magma xEV gasoline engine concept into a commercial vehicle series hybrid powertrain, delivering an impressive 45% brake thermal efficiency.

AIWAYS has crossed the bridge from Asia to Europe on the latest stage of its 14,231km prototype engineering drive from China to Western Europe. A pair of prototype AIWAYS U5 battery-electric SUVs departed Xi’an in China on 17th July and, after 7,013km, the convoy crossed China and Kazakhstan, arriving in the city of Kazan in Russia.

The West African solar energy company Daystar Power has installed the 100th solar power system since the company was founded in 2017. With the implementation of the solar energy system at a branch of Unity Bank in Bauchi, Nigeria, Daystar Power successfully installed its 100th solar power system since the companies’ foundation in 2017.

AIWAYS is set to grow its European profile further with a public exhibition at Frankfurt’s central train station. Two U5 all-electric SUV models are part of a 180-square-meter display, the ‘AIWAYS Automobil-Ausstellung’ (AAA), located inside the station’s reception hall for 13 days in September.

  Early results of an R&D project to develop a scalable Electric Drive Unit (EDU) for future electric vehicles is amongst the highlights of Ricardo’s presence at the CTI’s 8th International Congress and Expo, to be hosted on 24th-25th September 2019, in Shanghai, China.