SAE International has now chosen the Mahle positioning system as the global standard solution for wireless charging. The internationally renowned non-profit association for the progress of mobility technologies, based in the USA, thus closes the last gap in standardization of inductive charging that has been unfilled for ten years. The cross-manufacturer solution from Mahle now paves the way for the comprehensive and rapid market launch of this attractive alternative to wired charging for batteries and electric and hybrid vehicles.
The Mahle positioning system Dips (Differential Inductive Positioning System) represents a paradigm shift in the field of e-mobility. It is based on a magnetic field and automatically establishes a connection with the controlled charging point as the electric vehicle approaches. A special navigation system in the vehicle display supports the driver, and the car is soon in the ideal position. The charging process begins automatically. This also works with an autonomous parking vehicle, where the parking system receives the necessary positioning instructions instead of the driver. Thanks to the unique Mahle positioning system, the parking process can be carried out very easily and reproducibly in one go. And this also applies to unfavourable environmental conditions such as snow cover or wet leaves on the bottom plate.
In terms of charging infrastructure, Mahle has long relied on wireless charging, which is a convenient and promising alternative for electric vehicles. «Siemens and Witricity are two strong partners at our side with whom we are jointly advancing the complete system of charging infrastructure and automotive engineering» said Dr. Harald Straky, Head of Corporate Research and Advanced Engineering at Mahle.
Mahle chosen for global standard for wireless charging
Flight tests for the largest electric airship in the world
It is called Pathfinder 1 and, after 10 years of development, it has carried out the first flight tests in the Silicon Valley.
It is the 124-metre-long electric airship, developed by the startup LTA Research, with a hand and as many as 110 billion dollars behind it coming from the co-founders: Sergei Brin (founder of Google) together with Larry Page. The aircraft is made up by 13 skeletons that support 12 electric motors that can rotate by 180 degrees, equipped with “drive-by-wire” type control, which allows travelling even under quite complex weather conditions, with wind up to 60 knots (110 kilometres per hour).
Each skeleton has 96 titanium nodes and 288 carbon fiber tubes and the whole structure contains 13 enormous helium tanks on place, wrapped by an as enormous tarpaulin made of Tedlar, a fireproof synthetic fibre. Pathfinder 1 has a system based on Lidar sensors permitting the pilot to know, in real time, the helium volume contained in each tank.
However, behind all that there is a noble purpose: to achieve a 180-metre-long Pathfinder version able to transport an entire field hospital: the primary goal for which Brin is creating its airship is to develop an aircraft that can reach in short times disaster areas and places that are hardly reachable from the ground.
Sales kick off for Lilium, the jet with 36 electric motors
Lilium, the 100% eVTOL jet, made its maiden flight in 2019, a test that has convinced German startup Lilium to take a step toward its goal of launching an on-demand air cab service.
And so today Lilium opened sales for private buyers of its electric vertical takeoff and landing (eVTOL) jets in the U.S. market through exclusive reseller EMCJET.
This is Lilium’s fourth global reseller and the first step in unlocking the large U.S. private aviation market.
The Lilium Jet has 36 independent electric motors integrated into the wings that provide redundancy and safety.
Among the component suppliers is SFK, which supported Lilium in designing bearings for the electric motor.
«With electrification, the aerospace industry will go through a transformation in the coming years. We are pleased to participate in this development as a supplier of bearings for the electric motor of the Lilium Jet» said Greg Zimmerman, Director Aerospace Business Unit at SKF.
The Jet, which has a range of 300 km on a single charge, will be available throughout the U.S., with an initial focus on key Texas cities, including Austin, Houston, San Antonio and Dallas, in keeping with Texas’ commitment to sustainability by offering efficient and environmentally friendly transportation choices for residents and visitors.
The electric photovoltaic truck by Scania
Scania is working at a project that aims at revolutionizing the road transport: a solar-powered truck, whose electric propulsion is generated by solar cells positioned on the trailer connected with the vehicle.
Eric Falkgrim, Technology Leader of the Research and Innovation Department of Scania and Project Manager, explained the project. “The prototype was delivered to a historical customer and partner of Scania Ernst Express, which will test it under real operational conditions on Swedish roads. When we started thinking of that over three years ago, our starting concept were lithium-ion batteries used in electric battery trucks. In the period when Scania worked with this technology, we could assess that batteries have become lighter, cheaper and denser in energy”.
A first preliminary study that lasted six months and was carried out from the end of 2019 to the beginning of 2020, revealed to the team that exploring and applying the technology of solar cells could make sense. So, once obtained the funding by the Swedish State Agency for innovation, the project started in January 2021 with the development of solar cells by the University of Uppsala.
“We knew what we wanted to do already at the beginning: positioning some solar panels on a truck and connecting it with the electric system. However, it was a bit crazy idea because its implementation implies an intense activity of systematization and the development of hardware and software to make the energy transfer and the failure management safe”.
“The hybrid truck/tractor is connected with the trailer by additional batteries, with an energy storage corresponding to 200 kWh and they act as ‘power bank’ for the truck and they are connected with the box of the solar panel that charges the power bank. Solar cells are not made to move in the city inside a vehicle. Therefore, we had to face safety problems connected with the installation of solar panels on a vehicle”.
“The data we already have at disposal say that solar panels significantly contribute in the energy attained with the truck, and it is a part of the overall puzzle when the decarbonized transport is the issue. The first thing we have to discover is “does it make sense?”. The answer? Yes, it is valid enough to operate on the scale we are assessing now”.
The best-selling electric B-Sub in Italy
Jeep Avenger is a compact SUV, 4.08-metre long, belonging to the steeply rising segment of B-SUV, the second largest European field in terms of sale volumes. According to Dataforce data, Jeep Avenger was the best-selling electric B-SUV in Italy in the January-August 2023 period. The release of Jeep Avenger on European roads marks the beginning of a new electrification phase of Jeep brand, which will produce four full-electric vehicles within 2025. With an electric autonomy that reaches 400 kilometres in the Wltp* combined cycle and up to 550 kilometres in the urban cycle, the new electric powertrain combines a new electric motor featuring 400 Volt at 115 kW (156 HP) and 260 Newton metres of torque, with a 54-kWh battery, it too new. By the end of 2030, all new cars by the Jeep brand sold in Europe will be fully electric.
The electric concept car by Lamborghini: over 1000 kW of power
It is called Lanzador and the preview of the model, expected to be available in 2028, has been presented.
The car is equipped with two electric motors, one for each axle, to grant the all-wheel drive and efficiency in all driving conditions, surfaces and driving styles. The highest system power is likely to exceed one megawatt, then over 1000 kW. “With this concept we are inaugurating a new car segment: Ultra GT, which will offer a new unequalled driving experience, typically Lamborghini, due to forefront technologies” commented Stephan Winkelmann, Chairman and CEO of Automobili Lamborghini. The car is defined “a 2+2 seaters Gran Turismo with generous ground clearance” and 100% electric, in compliance with the decarbonization strategy set by Cor Tauri plan that will have entered the phase 2 at the launch time.
A highlight for the driver: control systems can be autonomously adjusted while driving, through controls on the sports steering wheel, to modify actively the car behaviour and to create one’s own personal profile.
Mercury Marine widens its outboard e-motor range
The American manufacturer of Mercury Marine motors is implementing its range of electric outboard Avator and releases on the market the Avator 20e and 35e models, available from September 25th 2023. Outboard Avator 20e and 35e respectively generate 2000 W and 3500 W of power at the propeller shaft. The 20e can produce an acceleration resembling the one of a 5 HP four-stroke outboard, whereas the 35e generates an acceleration that can be compared to a 9.9 HP four-stroke Mercury outboard. Offered with tiller or remote control, both are ideal for powering small vessels including aluminium boats, micro skiffs, rigid inflatables, tenders and small pontoons. “After the success of Avator 7.5e, these outboard motors establish new reference parameters by innovation, performances and connectivity. The investments and the progresses we are making allow Mercury to go on developing the Avator range and to offer soon other electric low-voltage outboard motors that will change the sector “, Buelow, President of Mercury Marine, affirmed.
Mercury Marine has collaborated with Mastervolt, another sister company of Brunswick Group through Navico, to develop a 2,300 Wh IP67 waterproof and transportable lithium-ion battery. The latter can be directly used or through the Avator Power Center, which manages the coupling of 4 batteries maximum, to obtain 9,200 Wh and more autonomy. Cells can be connected without tools.
The largest electric ferry in the world is coming
The largest ferry in the world, purchased by the Uruguayan company Buquebus at Incat Tasmania will be equipped with propulsion systems manufactured by Wartsila.
The package of modules, including battery and energy storage system, will be four-time bigger than the one of whatever electric-hybrid ship currently in operation, the Finnish manufacturer explains in a note.
The supply will include a power conversion system, a DC shore-based charging system, 40 MWh battery modules, the DC hub, eight electric motors, eight WXJ1100 axial-flow water jets and ProTouch propulsion control system.
The vessel, 130-metres long, will be delivered in 2025 and will operate between Argentina and Uruguay, carrying 2,100 passengers and 225 vehicles.
“The propulsion configuration with eight waterjet thrusters and electric motor is the most efficient currently at disposal on the market by speed range and application type, while boasting all the highlights of the axial flow waterjet technology by Wärtsilä such as low weight and draft, excellent manoeuvrability and low maintenance “, commented Roger Holm, president of the company’s Marine Power division.
From two-wheel-on-road to industrial application
Electrified Automation has launched a new electric motor range. It is EA 193 Series, permanent magnet electric motors that will support a range of applications from two-wheel-on-road to industrial and follow the success of its automated manufacturing technology.
The company affirms they have supplied a product that reaches «the highest performances in a compact package». Moreover, the patented design offers some advantages in terms of sizes, weight and performances for a series of applications.
Jim Winchester, managing director at Electrified Automation said: «For three years we have been challenging conventional electric motor manufacturing methods with our automation technology. We have had an incredible response from customers and automation will always be a cornerstone of our business, but our future is about using this as a platform to take our own motors directly to the market». «We know that one of the primary priorities for OEM is a reliable reactive supply chain able to supply the volumes they wish when they want them. For this reason, we have designed the motor architecture to maximize the automation potential, then it is fully optimized for the mass-production of high-end products», he added.
The company states that it has delivered a product that achieves «maximum performance in a compact package».
Jante, the new electric motor by Cake for light bikes
The new motor by Cake to be introduced into the rear hub designed for light electric motorbikes, with particular reference to offroad models, is called Jante. It is a unit developed from scratch with IPM – Interior Permanent Magnet technology – and conceived to have high performances, permitting to reach speeds exceeding 100 km/h and torque values that surpass 500 Nm in the rear wheel.
In particular, engineers have worked to enable a fluid power delivery with a good thrust already at low speeds and to maintain high torque also at high rotation speeds, the credit goes also to the air-cooling system. The motor can be coupled with batteries equipped with a technology that allows their fast replacement in less than 30 seconds without needing particular tools.
“We are very excited to introduce our new high performance Jante Drivetrain. Jante represents a significant advancement in CAKE’s electric motor design, providing our customers with a superior product that meets their needs for performance, efficiency, and reliability. The biggest reason for our in-house developed motor is to take major steps forward, increasing performance for the category of lightweight electric motorcycles. At the heart of our vehicles everything is based on CAKE components that together deliver performance to the next level. We are happy to see our drivetrain technology being used in a number of bold projects. CAKE battery controller algorithms and more are already in other builds, and the new Jante is a significant addition to our drivetrain technology”, said Stefan Ytterborn, CAKE CEO and Founder.