Mercedes-Benz opened the eCampus at the heart of its headquarters in Stuttgart-Untertürkheim, the competence centre for the development of cells and batteries for the future electric vehicles of the brand with the star. The aim is to develop innovative chemical compositions and optimised production processes for high-performance cells with “Mercedes-Benz DNA” and reduce battery costs by more than 30 percent in the coming years. The Mercedes-Benz eCampus covers the entire field of battery and cell technology. It ranges from the development and evaluation of new cell chemistries and industrial-scale cell production to the testing and certification of complete battery units.
Mercedes-Benz is developing various forms of cell chemistry. Among other things, the company is working on lithium-ion cells with high-energy anodes based on silicon composites and innovative cobalt-free cathode chemistries, as well as on solid-state battery technology. The aim is to develop the best possible cells with “Mercedes-Benz DNA” for high energy density, fast-charging capability and performance and to build up expertise for their industrialisation. Specifically, the energy density can be increased to up to 900 Wh/l through the use of new technologies such as high-silicon anodes or solid electrolytes. The only way to scale up production effectively is through comprehensive knowledge of cell chemistry and design. Operations at the new competence centre for battery technologies in the heart of the Stuttgart-Untertürkheim plant will start in two stages. The approximately 10,000-square-metre factory for the industrial production of battery cells has started operations after a construction period of around two years. State-of-the-art production facilities in the “Industrial Cell Lab” make it possible to manufacture and test battery cells with different chemistries on an industrial scale. Several tens of thousands of cells can be produced here every year for the development of future battery generations.
Mercedes-Benz, developments in battery technology
Great results for the UniBoAT project of the University of Bologna
Futura, the sustainable propulsion boat, also composed of solar panels and an electric motor, built by the University of Bologna’s UniBoAT project, won second place in the prestigious Prince Albert Award, third place in the Championship Race, and third place in the Endurance Race, also consolidating its position in second place in the ranking of Italian teams. «Despite the unforeseen events encountered, such as a 40 percent reduction in available energy compared to competitors in the Endurance Race, a broken propeller blade and a rudder anomaly, the team managed to demonstrate the validity and efficiency of the innovative solutions proposed. The team is already working to solve the technical problems encountered, determined to further improve the performance of Futura, a boat that still proved to be an innovative and high-performance technological platform» the University researchers said.
Compared to the past, the team decided to focus on a more powerful engine, introducing the need to develop a 96V system (from 48V) from scratch, with all the associated issues in terms of development and integration of other components. The entire thruster was also designed and built by introducing several innovations over existing solutions, which also led to the filing of a first patent related to counter-rotating trailing propellers for outboard applications, versatility, efficiency and lightness of the system. This year’s UniBoAT Project is part of the larger GreenWave Most Project, funded by the National Center for Sustainable Mobility (MOST) to demonstrate the feasibility of low-impact technologies in all areas of mobility.
Schaeffler tests innovations in electromobility in all environments
Schaeffler tests innovations in electromobility in all environments. In temperatures ranging from -40 °C to +150 °C or in salt fog.
Schaeffler specializes in testing entire systems as well as components of their own products within the Schaeffler Group. These tests are functional, life cycle tests as well as simulations of external environmental influences concentrated in individual test sequences, which are technically and technologically demanding and can perfectly test our innovations for hybrid and pure electric cars. In most cases, Schaeffler engineers are testing innovations and prototypes that will go into series production in a few years’ time. Some of them will also be part of autonomous vehicles.
Sequential tests are a block of up to a hundred different tests, including mechanical, electrical and environmental tests. The test facility is equipped with state-of-the-art technology, measurement systems and stations that meet the most stringent safety requirements.
Thanks to special climate chambers, Schaeffler can create a simulation of the real environment for the test sample as if it were in a real vehicle, including extreme situations. Schaeffler can control the ambient temperature, but also the temperature of the oil or coolant. Schaeffler engineers also use universal climate chambers in their tests, as well as salt chambers that are equipped with inputs to control the sample via additional measuring technology, or shock chambers to test samples during temperature shocks. In the shock chamber we can induce a thermal shock from +220 °C to -80 °C in 20 seconds.
A total bandwidth of electrification options
Only by electrifying the powertrain mechanism can future fuel consumption and emission targets be fully achieved. That’s why Schaeffler offers products covering the total bandwidth of electrification options – from 48-volt hybridization through plug-in hybrid technologies to all-electric vehicle drives.
CliPHvent vent valves increase battery safety of electric vehicles
The Prädifa Technology Division of Parker Hannifin has introduced CliPHvent, a new generation of vent valves for EV battery housings. In the event of pressure differences between the interior of a housing and the environment, as well as when sudden overpressure occurs inside a housing, CliPHvent ensures controlled pressure compensation or fast venting. This is particularly important in case of a thermal event in the traction batteries of electric vehicles.
Protection against sudden pressure increase caused by overheating
A “thermal event” or “thermal runaway” describes the sudden and rapid heating of a single or several battery cells due to a defect such as mechanical damage, an electrical short circuit, or overload. Especially in the powerful batteries supplying the propulsion energy in electric vehicles, thermal runaway causes huge amounts of gas to form inside the housing which leads to an uncontrolled and rapid rise in pressure and may have serious consequences up to and including the complete destruction of the traction battery and even the whole vehicle. CliPHvent vent valves from Parker Prädifa have been specifically developed to prevent that. By enabling fast venting via the integrated seal, they protect the battery housing resulting in higher safety of the traction battery. In the case of thermal runaway in a single battery cell, a domino effect, i.e., the spreading to adjacent cells followed by rapid propagation across the entire traction battery and its complete destruction, can be prevented.
Compensation of minor pressure differences, protection against ambient influences, easy installation
Minor pressure differences between the interior of the housing and the environment due to air pressure or temperature changes are compensated via a membrane. In addition, Parker aspire® membranes are water- and oil-repellent. As a result, CliPHvent vent valves provide reliable protection against ingress of external liquids and dirt.
The special, compact design of CliPHvent vent valves enables easy snap installation without the use of tools, on the battery housing or inside a bore.
Additional information about CliPHvent can be found at https://www.parker.com/de/en/divisions/praedifa-technology-division/solutions/cliphvent.html
Yasa, new grant of over £7M from the Advanced Propulsion Centre
As part of a project to develop a high-frequency capable high voltage dual inverter with a pioneering dual-redundant braking system, Yasa received new grant of over £7M from the Advanced Propulsion Centre. This is part of the ultimate aim to enable significant weight and cost savings whilst increasing regenerative braking potential in battery electric vehicles (BEVs). This project addresses key market demands for ever increasing BEV performance and efficiency, whilst also creating a validated safety case, which does not currently exist. The project will enable the realization of next generation electric-vehicle motor technologies. These complimentary and innovative technologies will together enable a step change in vehicle design and significant performance.
Yasa have partnered with semiconductor specialists Cambridge GaN Devices, and Horiba Mira, and over the next 2 years, Project Re-Gen perfectly embodies world-class UK-based innovation, anchoring production expertise in the UK with a strong immediate route to market and great future expansion opportunities, delivered by a strong consortium with significant growth potential.
Founder and Cto, Dr Tim Woolmer said: “We are delighted once again to be recognized by APC for Yasa’s ongoing commitment to the development of Net-Zero automotive technology. This award will be fundamental to our work in expanding our core expertise to incorporate power electronics and safety systems, enabling new architectures for electric cars of the future. We are thrilled to be working alongside Horiba Mira and Cambridge GAN Devices to bring this exciting development to the market in the coming years”.
Electron-beam welding, £ 430,000 research grant
Automating electron-beam welding, partnership between Ford and Cambridge Vacuum Engineering
Cambridge Vacuum Engineering (CVE), a UK supplier of laser and electron-beam welding systems, and Ford, today announced that they have won a £430,000 research grant from Ukri’s Driving the Electric Revolution Challenge, offered by Innovate UK.
The aim is to explore the automation and expansion of electron beam welding for joining copper and aluminium components used to power electric motors for the automotive industry. As part of the EB-eDrive project, CVE and Ford are trying to reduce the time needed to produce hairpin stators, the electromagnetic system that is crucial for the smooth running of electric vehicle motors. Speeding up this process could help to increase the production of electric vehicles in the UK, supporting government targets. It would also help strengthen the country’s position in the research and development of advanced manufacturing technologies.
Zooming in on technology, electron beam welding is significantly faster than traditional laser welding techniques. The technology is already making a big difference in other clean energy applications, significantly accelerating the rate at which wind turbines and nuclear reactors can be produced, while reducing the amount of energy used and the carbon footprint of the associated processes.
Turin, a new R&D Centre for electric and electronic components
MTA, multinational that operates in the global automotive sector through the two Electric and Electronic divisions, has announced the establishment of a new Research & Development Centre in Turin, in Mirafiori area, automotive excellence pole. The new centre, already in operation, will employ at steady-state about 25 engineers dedicated to the development of electric and electronic components, with a particular focus on products such as OBC (On Board Charger) and DC/DC converters intended for hybrid and electric vehicles, automotive, truck and heavy-duty applications. The new centre will host also a laboratory with test benches and forefront equipment to allow the autonomous execution of tests on power electronics components developed here.
“We intend, as it already happens with Milan Polytechnics, to establish a relationship of fruitful know-how exchange with Turin Polytechnics, an excellence for the whole automotive world. Therefore, the centre will allow us to support vehicle manufacturers even better, with an increasingly articulated and technologically advanced offer for new-mobility requirements”, stated Antonio Falchetti, Executive Director of MTA.
Opportunity for women in the auto-rickshaw industry
As part of the Moving Boundaries 2 campaign, Mowo Social Initiatives Foundation has set out to train 500 women across Karnataka, Madhya Pradesh, Telangana, Maharashtra, and Delhi in electric auto driving. This transformative initiative, which kicked off on March 8th, 2024 aims to empower women by providing them with skills and opportunities needed to thrive in the electric auto-rickshaw industry. The team comprises an 8-member all-women crew steering an array of electric vehicles –auto-rickshaw, bike, and cargo van, set to cover 3,333 km over 30 days.
«Our inspiring team of 5 women auto-rickshaw drivers consists of Naseem, Bhavani, Prabha, Reena, and Saritha. These trailblazers are driving ETO Motors electric auto-rickshaws in a relay format, setting an example and inspiring countless others to join the movement towards electric vehicle livelihoods» explains Tamanna Chaudhary di Mowo. Partnering with ETO Motors, an electric three-wheeler company, Mowo is dedicated to providing comprehensive training and support to participants. The vehicle is the BDY T3 electric van.
Cell testing: Unico presents a new innovative solution
The new BAT300 series by Unico was presented recently in the USA during an international seminar about batteries. It promises to establish a new standard in testing cells. The BAT300 series, designed for test applications that value economy and flexibility over ultra-high accuracy, is based on the IDAC Unico power platform and offers other performance, efficiency, and versatility at a reduced cost. The last offer by Unico is an all-in-one compact solution (from 480 V CA to CC) that reduces to the minimum the energy consumption and maximizes test efficiency.
Steve Bright, the CEO of Unico, affirmed: «with the recent acquisition of Present Power Systems, we’re already leveraging the technologies of our new Advanced Technology Group, and the BAT300 series represents our first product to come out of the acquisition». He continues by adding that «the new IDAC Power Platform enables Unico to strengthen our presence in the battery markets and venture into new areas such as onboard charging, home charging, battery recycling, and more».
The BAT300 series is ideal for cell creation inside gigafactories, aging and functionality testing in R&D laboratories, and end-of-life (EOL) activities in cell/module production lines.
E-motors tested in a simulated atmosphere equivalent to 43,000 feet of altitude
Wright Electric Inc., the producer of advanced motor, generator, and inverter technologies, announced that they successfully tested their motor in the Wright Lab at a simulated atmosphere equivalent to 43,000 feet of altitude without Potential Discharge (PD).
Conducted at 1,000 volts, this test sets the stage for simulated altitude testing at the Nasa Neat facility later this year. PD-free performance is crucial to operating electric motors on aircraft. When electric motors run at high voltages, the insulation surrounding the conductive components is subjected to electric stress. Over time, this stress may weaken the insulation, leading to PD. It can further accelerate the degradation of insulation, potentially causing motor failure, among other safety concerns.
As altitude increases, the voltage level needed to cause PD decreases. Because of this, PD is not an issue for many electric aircraft under development, such as air taxis, which cruise around 3,000 feet where typical insulation is sufficient. Wright Electric is developing motors and inverters for commercial aircraft that typically cruise at 36,000 feet, making air taxi solutions impractical. Jeff Engler, Founder and CEO of Wright Electric, explained, «45% of all aviation emissions are from single-aisle flights. By proving those flights can be flown without potential discharge, we are one step closer to eliminating this massive form of pollution.»