Lawrence Butcher, Author at Automotive Powertrain Technology International

Webinar: Cutting through the AI noise – A leader’s guide to engineering-grade intelligence

Lawrence Butcher — Mon, 09 Mar 2026 15:41:13 +0000

Is your AI an engineering partner, or just more friction?

AI hype is everywhere, but how do you trust a ‘black box’ that ignores physical laws and requires costly, data-hungry validation cycles?

With complexity skyrocketing, wait and see is not an option. But the answer isn’t just more AI – you need to invest in the right kind of AI.

Secondmind and BeyondMath are holding a webinar, titled ‘Cutting through the AI noise: A leader’s guide to engineering-grade intelligence’, at 2:00pm GMT / 3:00pm CET on March 24 that will explore engineering AI – a new class of technology built to partner with engineers – and offer actionable insights to take your expert intuition to new heights. Register for the webinar here.

Five key learning points for delegates

The session will be structured to provide delegates with actionable frameworks for mastering automotive complexity:

Navigating the AI landscape: Learn to distinguish between the different branches of AI – perceptual, generative, predictive and engineering – to ensure investments match specific problem sets.

Solving the ‘big data problem’: Discover how to achieve higher precision results using sparse, physics-informed datasets, bypassing the traditional need for thousands of costly physical test cycles.

Establishing trust and transparency: Understand why explainable models and uncertainty quantification are non-negotiable for meeting safety-critical regulatory standards.

Operationalizing engineering AI: Practical strategies for integrating these tools into existing workflows – such as e-motor design and NVH – without the need for expensive “rip and replace” infrastructure shifts.

Mastering complexity: Learn how to leverage AI to surface critical requirements early, avoiding expensive rework in high-dimensional development environments.

Delegates will receive a clear framework for selecting the right AI tools to master the uncompromising constraints of modern automotive engineering.

Lotus reveals plans for range-extended Eletre

Lawrence Butcher — Mon, 09 Mar 2026 15:29:11 +0000

Despite the vehicle being planned as a purely EV platform from the outset, Lotus has announced a range-extended hybrid version of the Eletre, looking to capitalize on increasing demand for REEVs in both the Chinese and other global markets.

It will be based on what the company calls the X Hybrid platform and will combine a 70kWh battery with a 150kW range-extender ICE, capable of producing up to 25kWh in steady-state running. Notably, the vehicle has a 900V architecture and can fast charge at up to 350kW, with a claimed all-in range of 1,200km.

The concept is already being trialled in a China-market-only SUV called the Lotus For Me. According to Qingfeng Feng, the CEO of Lotus Tech, “With For Me, we are proving that advanced technology must serve the drivers, not replace them, delivering constant performance, total control and real safety in every condition, so that consumers can enjoy the emotion of driving and the confidence of protecting what matters most.”

Details of the range-extender ICE have not been revealed, but with Lotus parent company Geely also holding a stake in the Horse Powertrain JV, which markets its X-Range series of compact, range-extender-specific powertrains, it would not be surprising if these engines were used.

More details of the Horse REEV engines can be found here

Donut Lab brings solid-state battery to market

Lawrence Butcher — Mon, 05 Jan 2026 12:00:19 +0000

Donut Lab has unveiled a solid-state battery, set to go into production with Verge Motorcycles in Q1, 2026, reportedly ready to scale to series production volumes.

“While the advantages are obvious, the future of solid-state batteries has been a moving target constantly delayed when companies working in electrification are asked about when they will become a reality,” commented Donut Lab CEO Marko Lehtimäki. “At Donut Lab, our answer on solid-state batteries being ready for use in OEM production vehicles is now – today – not later. Donut Lab has engineered a new high-performance solid-state Donut Battery that can be scaled to major production volumes and seen now in real-world use in the Verge Motorcycles bikes out on the road in Q1.”

Donut Lab asserts that its all-solid-state battery delivers 400Wh/kg of energy density, can be charged to full in just five minutes without limiting charging to 80%, and supports full discharge – safely, repeatedly and reliably.

Unlike conventional lithium-ion batteries, the Donut Battery is reported to experience minimal capacity fade over its lifetime, with a design life of up to 100,000 cycles, offering practical longevity that far exceeds existing technologies. Safety is built in at the core: no flammable liquid electrolytes, no thermal runaway chains and no dendrite formation. This eliminates the root causes of battery fires, making the Donut Battery extremely safe and truly revolutionary.

Performance has been rigorously tested across extreme conditions. At -30°C, the battery retains over 99% of its capacity, and when heated to temperatures exceeding 100°C, it continues to retain over 99% capacity with no signs of ignition or degradation.

Notably, Donut Lab states that its solid-state battery is made entirely from abundant, affordable and geopolitically safe materials, does not rely on rare or sensitive elements and demonstrates a lower cost than lithium-ion.

Onsemi to develop next-gen GaN devices with Global Foundries

Lawrence Butcher — Fri, 02 Jan 2026 10:36:26 +0000

Onsemi has signed a collaboration agreement with Global Foundries (GF) to develop and manufacture next-generation gallium nitride (GaN) power devices, starting with 650V products built on GF’s 200mm enhancement-mode (eMode) GaN-on-silicon process.

The two companies state that the combination of GF’s GaN-on-Si technology with Onsemi’s silicon gate drivers, controllers and thermally enhanced packaging will deliver higher power density in smaller, more efficient power-conversion systems. Target markets include AI data centers and automotive, industrial and aerospace/defense applications, where rising power demand is colliding with tight space and thermal constraints.

Onsemi expects the first customer samples in the first half of 2026, with plans to ramp to volume production thereafter. Initial application targets include onboard chargers and DC-DC stages for electric vehicles; solar microinverters and energy storage systems; and motor drives across industrial and aerospace/defense platforms.

Beyond the initial 650V devices, Onsemi is hoping the agreement will form part of a broader GaN roadmap spanning lateral GaN across low-, medium- and high-voltage classes alongside ultra-high-voltage vertical GaN. The company says that higher-frequency switching will enable device simplification and improved efficiency, as well as opportunities for the development of bidirectional topologies and greater functional integration that will shorten design cycles and improve system efficiency.

Real-world testing of Smart’s all-new electric city car advances

Lawrence Butcher — Fri, 02 Jan 2026 10:22:46 +0000

Real-world testing of the Electric Compact Architecture (ECA) underpinning Smart‘s latest city car, the all-electric #2, is progressing. To validate the new platform, Smart engineers are carrying out tests using Smart fortwo body shells.

As well as its distinctive ultra-compact size, the #2 will retain the fortwo’s two-door, two-seat configuration, real-wheel-drive dynamics and signature wheels-at-the-corners stance. According to Smart, this DNA, however, is just the starting point for the complete reinvention of its city car. With a fully redesigned interior and exterior from the Mercedes-Benz design team, the Smart #2 will launch with a fresh identity. The new ECA will provide the basis for a next-generation electric drivetrain and cutting-edge safety technology.

Recent testing of the ECA has been made possible by an unconventional engineering approach. Engineers have fitted the new platform beneath existing Smart fortwo body shells, creating a fleet of representative test vehicles. Using these prototypes, Smart’s R&D team is conducting validation work at facilities around the world. At a proving ground in China, engineers are focusing on core driving dynamics: refining ride and handling for city agility, verifying structural strength and optimizing brake system performance.

At the same time, testing at other locations is focusing on crash safety, suspension durability, battery performance, software systems and climate control under a range of conditions. This work forms a key part of preparing the vehicle for its next phase of testing and, ultimately, for series production.

According to the company, the program is on schedule for the vehicle’s launch in late 2026.

Fuji Electric and Bosch collaborate on SiC power modules

Lawrence Butcher — Fri, 02 Jan 2026 10:07:10 +0000

Fuji Electric has signed an agreement with Robert Bosch to collaborate on silicon carbide (SiC) power semiconductor modules for electric vehicles, focusing on mechanical package compatibility.

The companies plan to develop SiC power modules with matching outer dimensions and terminal positions, enabling either supplier’s module to be integrated into an inverter without mechanical redesign. Fuji Electric and Bosch say the approach is intended to shorten design cycles and enable customers to diversify sourcing while maintaining existing inverter specifications.

Alongside the module work, the partners also plan to jointly develop supporting application technologies, including guidance on cooler design and terminal connection methods, and to provide technical support to customers. The companies expect the initiative to strengthen supply chain resilience and support wider EV adoption.

New study suggests sodium-ion batteries can charge as fast as lithium-ion chemistries

Lawrence Butcher — Wed, 17 Dec 2025 16:20:51 +0000

A new study from the Tokyo University of Science is challenging the assumption that sodium-ion battery cells are inherently slower to charge than lithium-ion counterparts.

Published in Chemical Science, the paper reports that sodium-ion batteries (SIBs) using hard carbon (HC) anodes can be intrinsically faster-charging than lithium-ion batteries (LIBs) when the comparison is made on a like-for-like basis and without the test artifacts that typically influence high-rate measurements.

According to the researchers, conventional rate capability tests performed on composite electrodes can obscure the true kinetics of hard carbon. In particular, electrolyte and ion-transportation limitations within the electrode structure can dominate the measured response at high current, masking the underlying insertion behavior of the active material itself. To isolate the anode’s fundamental performance, the team adopted a diluted electrode approach designed to minimize electrolyte transportation effects and enable a quantitative comparison between sodium insertion (sodiation) and lithium insertion (lithiation).

With transportation constraints reduced, the researchers found sodiation to be intrinsically faster than lithiation in the same hard carbon negative electrode. The analysis also pointed to pore filling as the rate-determining mechanism, with sodium requiring lower energy than lithium to form pseudo-metallic clusters within hard carbon nanopores – an energetic advantage that translates directly into improved high-rate charging potential.

“Our results quantitatively demonstrate that the charging speed of an SIB using an HC anode can attain faster rates than that of an LIB,” said Prof. Shinichi Komaba, who led the research team, which included third-year PhD candidate Yuki Fujii, and Assistant Prof. Zachary Gossage from the university’s department of applied chemistry.

The team say that the result is not simply a lab curiosity, but a design direction. By accelerating the pore-filling kinetics in hard carbon, through materials engineering targeted at the nanopore structure, future SIB anodes could access even higher charge rates without relying on external mitigations.

“A key point of focus for developing improved HC materials for fast-chargeable SIBs is to attain faster kinetics of the pore-filling process so that they can be accessed at high charging rates,” Komaba added.

Watt Electric Vehicle Company to integrate Donut Lab’s in-wheel motors into PACES platform

Lawrence Butcher — Wed, 17 Dec 2025 12:31:37 +0000

Donut Lab has signed a partnership agreement with Watt Electric Vehicle Company to integrate its in-wheel electric drive units into Watt’s PACES (Passenger And Commercial EV Skateboard) platform.

The companies say a functional prototype “skateboard” will be shown at CES 2026 in Las Vegas, Nevada, at Donut Lab’s stand. This demonstrator is based on Watt’s low-volume aluminum “module-to-chassis” platform, with the battery integrated into the structure. Initial configuration is planned as a rear-axle, direct-drive layout using two in-wheel motors. A four-wheel-drive variant is scheduled to follow later in 2026.

According to the companies, the integration is intended to reduce overall system mass and packaging volume by removing conventional e-axle components and associated driveline hardware. Donut Lab says its architecture enables each wheel motor to be controlled independently, enabling torque vectoring via software, with motor control updates in the millisecond range.

Watt chief executive Neil Yates said the in-wheel motors, inverter and control software align with the PACES platform’s lightweight strategy and will expand the platform’s capability for performance-focused applications. Donut Lab chief executive Marko Lehtimäki added that the low mass of the PACES skateboard will help maximize the benefits of high-torque and high power-density in-wheel motors.

Watt and Donut Lab say that the combined skateboard is intended to support multiple vehicle types, ranging from off-road and sports applications to light commercial vehicles, using common underbody hardware. They also state that the simplified powertrain layout could reduce manufacturing and service complexity compared with more conventional EV drivetrains.

In related news, xxx

Lawrence Butcher — Fri, 31 Oct 2025 13:36:41 +0000

With PMW Expo 2025 rapidly approaching, this year’s content program has been finalized. Taking place in Cologne, Germany, on November 12 and 13, the expo will see dozens of sessions held across both days, offering insights from industry leaders focused on driving performance and innovation.

A selection of the presentations confirmed to take place at the Koelnmesse next month is listed below:

AM for High-Performance Automotive Symposium: Transforming and redefining the additive process at lightning speed with Red Bull Ford Powertrains

Thursday, November 13, 12:00pm-12:30pm

Presented by Christian Hertrich, chief powertrain engineer at Ford Racing, and Rajan Singh Panesar CEng, materials engineer at Red Bull Powertrains, this session will explore elements of Ford Racing’s partnership with Red Bull Powertrains.

Focus will be given to how Ford Racing is aiming to use its manufacturing prowess and additive manufacturing capabilities to further the development of its 2026 Formula 1 power unit, as well as how a shorter and more efficient passenger car development cycle might be an unintended byproduct of its quest for Formula 1 glory.

Advanced Powertrain Technology Forum: Developing a hybrid powertrain to deliver a naturally aspirated driving experience – Lamborghini’s new L411, biturbo V8 hybrid

Wednesday, November 12, 12:30pm-1pm

Led by Lamborghini’s head of vehicle motion and energy management, Davide Bizzarri, this session will explore the development of Lamborghini’s new L411, biturbo V8 hybrid power unit.

The talk will focus on the challenges Lamborghini faced to adopt the benefits of a hybrid powertrain, while ensuring the user-end supercar experience was not compromised.

Advanced Powertrain Technology Forum: How to engineer a battery for the world’s toughest rally – and win!

Wednesday, November 12, 11:00am-11:30a,

Francesco Monti, CEO of Podium Advanced Technologies, will discuss the development of the battery for the Audi RS Q e-tron, which competed in the Dakar Rally from 2022 to 2024.

Although designing high-voltage, high-performance battery systems is Podium Advanced Technologies’ core business, the prospect of developing a battery capable of surviving over two weeks in the desert presented the company with an entirely new set of challenges.

Advanced Powertrain Technology Forum: Panel Discussion – Mission H24, pioneers in hydrogen endurance racing

Wednesday November 12, 3pm-4pm

A roundtable discussion will be held featuring key stakeholders involved in the Mission H24 program, a collaboration between the Automobile Club de l’Ouest and H24Project that aims to develop the technology for a hydrogen prototype category at the Le Mans 24 Hours.

The panel will include Mission H24 technical director Bassel Aslan, Bosch Motorsport director of projects Michael Muerlebach, Fortescue Zero general manager for motorsport Douglas Campling, Forvia head of engineering–sales Pierre Tipner and Motion Applied’s head of telemetry, control and analytics for motorsport, Sam Guest, with further panelists to be added shortly.

AM for High-Performance Automotive Symposium: Revolutionizing design and manufacturing in automotive forever

Thursday, November 13, 11:30am-12pm

Ralf Frohwerk, global head of business development for Nikon SLM Solutions, will provide insights into the industrialization goals of additive manufacturing in the automotive industry.

A particular focus will be placed on metal AM, including how the powder bed fusion (PBF) metal AM process fits within the automotive sector, with case studies highlighting the added value of metal AM applications.

For the full program at the Advanced Powertrain Technology Forum click here