Driveline supplier Vitesco Technologies has secured a US$2.1bn contract to supply its new generation axle drive EMR4 (Electronics Motor Reducer) to Hyundai Motor Group. The highly integrated 400V/160kW 3-in-1 unit will be used by the vehicle manufacturer in its global B/C-segment electric vehicle range.
“We are proud to contribute to Hyundai Motor Group’s upcoming electric vehicle platform with this highly attractive axle drive. This order once again confirms us in our strategy with the very early focus on electric mobility,” said Andreas Wolf, CEO of Vitesco Technologies.
Through a variety of optimizations, the use of new technologies and application of its comprehensive industrialization know-how, the Vitesco development team succeeded in making the EMR4 platform even more efficient and powerful than its predecessors. For example, the use of silicon carbide (SiC) semiconductors in the inverter has improved efficiency of both the power electronics and motor.
The axle drive design supports a particularly high level of scalability: with the EMR4, complete vehicle platforms and different vehicle segments can be equipped with just one drive system. This was achieved by applying a consistently modular approach with well-defined interfaces and a design-for-manufacturing philosophy.
“For our new electric axle drive, we have standardized the internal interfaces, while generating the greatest possible flexibility externally, so that we can offer customized and at the same time cost-optimized solutions,” said Thomas Stierle, member of the Executive Board and head of the Electrification Technology business unit at Vitesco Technologies.