As the industry moves quickly toward more-electric vehicles, industry suppliers are responding. The latest incumbent supplier to get onboard is Mahle and its Mahle Powertrain (MPT) unit, which is expanding its portfolio with a specific focus on “e-mobility.”
The development service provider headquartered in Northampton in the UK is chasing the new electrification business as it aims to outperform its peers in 2021. It is investing €12 million in the construction of five new testing and development facilities.
“Our portfolio includes electrification, the development of fuel cells, and solutions to support the use of hydrogen and alternative fuels in smart electrified combustion engines,” said Simon Reader, MPT’s Director of Engineering, at a press conference earlier this week. “We want to grow further in this area in particular. We’re in an excellent position to help our customers develop their sustainable mobility solutions.”
MPT’s main activities lie in the design, simulation, and development of batteries, fuel cells, electric motors, adding to capabilities in powertrains, transmissions, software, vehicle electronics, and control systems. That is why the Mahle subsidiary aims to increase its focus on training/retraining its employees in the new fields in particular.
New facilities
MPT is continuing its investment in battery engineering with phase 2 of its electrified powertrain strategy. This latest investment follows 2019’s launch of MPT’s battery module test and analysis facility, where battery modules can be tested in an array of steady-state and dynamic climatic conditions. Phase 2 builds on MPT’s electric development programs to further aid electric vehicle battery optimization, focusing on an advanced understanding of battery architecture, control systems, charging rates, and cooling.
“This next phase will provide our vehicle manufacturer and Tier 1 customers with vital battery technology insight, offering a boost to UK manufacturing competitiveness,” said Derek Wise, Chief Engineer for Mahle Build and Test. “We will be able to conduct development and validation with the aim of better understanding the technologies that support physical battery chemistry: cooling and control systems, for example, will be the key factors in optimizing battery performance for specific applications.”
The new facility, incorporating build and three climatic test chambers, will come online in Q3 2021 for battery development and validation testing, and charge and discharge rates.
Phase 2 will add to MPT’s portfolio of electrical test capability, giving a total of 1.25 MW of electrical power across six separate rigs and chambers. Some innovative new features will be included in the battery test chambers to increase flexibility. The test environment will be precisely controlled to mimic a variety of real-world conditions, with temperature control between -40°C and +80°C and humidity control between 24-93%.
“The elusive goal that has been mooted by the industry is the ‘million-mile’ battery,” continued Wise. “For such an ambition to be attainable, collection and strategic use of data relating to battery characteristics will be absolutely essential. It is not simply battery chemistry that is holding back advancement, but the control systems, cooling, and charging rates, which have already advanced significantly in recent years as the industry better understands the technology. By significantly extending the lifecycle of EV batteries we address the second-use conundrum by effectively eliminating the challenge.”
In Stuttgart, MPT is operating a new test rig for electric drives. It is being used to develop and test e-axles and e-drive units for a wide range of electric and hybrid vehicles.
MPT will also open a second test chamber at its Real Driving Emissions (RDE) Centre in Northampton this year. The chamber will be suited for the development and validation of electric vehicles under a range of climatic conditions and will be equipped with a four-wheel-drive chassis dyno and a battery emulator.
In addition, new test facilities in Germany and the U.S. will focus on the development of e-bike drives and ongoing optimization of clean internal combustion engines.
MPT’s new development is part of a larger EV development strategy, with further phases being rolled out in 2022. It will further address the automotive industry’s need for more focused battery development capabilities. From the real-world testing and strip-down of battery modules to battery pack build, test, simulation, and analysis, MPT’s program aims to cover the entire EV battery development process.
Better heating boosts winter cruising range
Keeping the cabin of an electric vehicle warm in colder months takes a considerable toll on its available cruising range. With a new generation of high voltage PTC (positive temperature coefficient) heating elements, Mahle is now helping electric vehicles improve their performance during the winter.
An innovative method of integrating electronics makes these heating elements more compact, lighter, and cheaper. By using a heat pump, cruising ranges can even be extended by up to 20% and more when temperatures are around freezing.
“Our heating systems make electric vehicles more comfortable and help to extend their cruising range—an important issue, especially in winter,” said Dr. Jörg Stratmann, outgoing Chairman of the Mahle Management Board and CEO. “By consistently pursuing the ongoing development of our portfolio aimed at temperature control in the cabin, Mahle is making e-mobility more attractive.”
The company’s electric heater innovation does away with temperature sensors and instead uses an intelligent system of hardware and software that incorporates the heating elements and integrates all of the functions. The built-in electronics continuously analyze the electrical resistance of the PTC elements in the heater and sense and adjust to maintain temperatures.
While Mahle PTC heaters are already fitted in many vehicles already, this further development specifically focuses on the growing fleet of electric vehicles.
Fuel cells for commercial vehicles
While battery electric vehicles are getting the lion share of recent electrification news, a number of proponents are pushing fuel cells for propulsion, especially commercial vehicles.
Last year, Mahle and Canadian fuel-cell manufacturer Ballard Power Systems Inc. agreed to work together on developing fuel cell systems for commercial vehicles in various weight classes. The long-term goal of the cooperation is to manufacture complete systems for the European, North American, and Asian markets.
“Climate-neutral hydrogen is the energy carrier of the future and, at the same time, key for the achievement of climate targets for medium and heavy commercial vehicles,” explained Stratmann. “Through our cooperation with Ballard, we will provide a strong stimulus to the development of fuel cell drives that are suitable for large-scale production.”
During the first phase of the cooperation, Ballard will be primarily responsible for system design relating to the fuel-cell stack. Mahle is bringing its extensive experience in the areas of thermal management, power electronics, and packaging.
“Given increasing policy support for low-emission powertrains, in particular, we are pleased to work with Mahle on driving forward our shared vision of carbon-neutral heavy-duty transport,” said Randy MacEwen, CEO of Ballard Power Systems Inc.
Earlier this month, Ballard announced that its PEM (proton exchange membrane) fuel-cell technology and products have now powered FCEVs (fuel-cell electric vehicles) in commercial heavy- and medium-duty motive applications for an industry-leading cumulative total of more than 75 million km on roads globally.
“Ballard is well-positioned to address heavy- and medium-duty motive applications, including bus, truck, train, and marine, just as the global commitment to zero-emission mobility is accelerating,” said Dr. Kevin Colbow, Ballard CTO. “To date, almost 50 countries have launched carbon-pricing initiatives, 75 countries have net-zero carbon emission targets, and 32 countries—representing over 70% of global GDP—have announced hydrogen roadmaps. Moreover, the total addressable market for zero-emission modules to power commercial vehicles exceeds $130 billion annually.”
About 80% of that distance milestone has been achieved in FCEVs deployed in China, with the remaining vehicles deployed in Europe and North America. This includes more than 3400 fuel-cell electric buses and commercial trucks.
