Magna has revealed more information about its latest offering designed to enable OEMs to electrify light commercial vehicles, including pickups.
Named the eBeam, the system will enable vehicle manufacturers to replace outdated beam axles with an electrified axle that will use a vehicle’s existing suspension and chassis mounting positions.
The system can be integrated with both BEV and hybrid powertrains, and the company notes it has structure-oriented design, making the eBeam suitable for integration into vehicles carrying heavy loads. Magna says that this solution is economical while preserving the towing and payload capabilities of light commercial vehicles.
The eBeam portfolio consists of a single motor with a single-speed transmission, a single motor with two speeds, and a twin motor setup with single-speed transmission and torque vectoring. Power outputs for these range from 120kW to 250kW. Magna also offers powertrain solutions for four-wheel-drive applications, in which an electric motor can be integrated at the front of a vehicle alongside new software and controls.
Tom Rucker, president of Magna Powertrain, commented, “It is a bold endeavor to electrify pickup trucks, whose owners demand the towing and hauling capabilities they are currently used to, and we’ve accomplished it with our eBeam technology. We know axles are core elements of a truck’s strength, and we are excited to have developed the first significant improvement to the solid beam axle in over 100 years.”
