The development of scalable electric drive units
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.
The revolutionary scalable EDU being developed by Ricardo comprises a high performance compact electric machine and power inverter, coupled to a multi-speed powershift transmission. In addition to offering a scalable solution for future EVs, the unit is intended to provide power and torque density, NVH performance and system efficiency.
Its design draws upon the results of the collaborative European research project EcoChamps, including hairpin electric machine winding, and shared cooling for the motor, transmission and inverter.
The early results of this work will be revealed, together with the virtual product development processes used in the project - a subject on which there will be a separate presentation by Ricardo. Final results of the EDU development are expected to be revealed later in 2019.
“I am pleased that Ricardo is able to share the results of this advanced EV powertrain research with our Chinese automotive industry colleagues at Shanghai’s CTI Symposium,” commented Ricardo Asia President, Gary Tan. “This work demonstrates how Ricardo can bring the latest ideas and research from our teams across the globe to deliver the advanced technologies for China’s new energy vehicles of tomorrow."