Nissan has adopted valve seats manufactured using cold spray technology, marking a world-first application in automotive engines. The cold spray technology is being applied by Nissan to its latest 1.5l turbocharged engine, which is exclusively designed for power generation within the third-generation e-Power hybrid powertrain.

The first vehicle to feature the e-Power system, the Qashqai compact crossover, began production at Nissan’s factory in Sunderland, UK, in July.

Valve seat design for new engine

The engine employs Nissan’s proprietary STARC 2 concept, which is able to elevate thermal efficiency to 42% by stabilizing in-cylinder combustion.

A key element of the STARC concept is minimizing airflow turbulence from the intake port into the combustion chamber, thereby generating a strong tumble flow.

In conventional engines, the design of the intake port is constrained by the necessity for press-fitted, sintered valve seats, which limit the ability to optimize port shape for ideal tumble flow. Nissan engineers addressed this challenge by developing a novel valve seat using cold spray technology. This process allows a coating to be directly formed onto the cylinder head surface, eliminating the need for a separate valve seat component and enabling an optimized intake port geometry. Furthermore, compared to similar methods, its higher thermal conductivity enables improved cooling performance around the valves.

The alternative valve seat is produced by spraying dissimilar metal powders at supersonic speed onto the aluminum alloy cylinder head surface, forming a robust and durable coating that adheres strongly without melting the base material.

Cold spray technology

Cold spray technology operates below the melting points of the materials involved, enabling the bonding of dissimilar metals without melting. This process prevents the formation of excessive intermetallic compounds and microvoids (porosity) that are common in traditional fusion welding methods. As a result, cold spray coatings exhibit superior adhesion, durability and reliability.

The process incorporates a specially developed cobalt-free, copper-based alloy with excellent thermal conductivity, in-house nozzles inspired by polishing techniques used in forged mold production, and AI-driven quality assurance systems.

Updates to the e-Power hybrid powertrain

e-Power is Nissan’s electric-drive powertrain, which combines a compact gasoline engine, battery and electric motor. The engine functions solely as a generator, providing electricity to power the motor – delivering a fully electric driving experience without the need for external charging.

In addition to the advanced 1.5-liter turbocharged engine, the latest e-Power adopts a 5-in-1 modular electric powertrain unit which integrates the electric motor, generator, inverter, reducer and increaser into a compact and lighter package. This unit delivers significant improvements in both fuel efficiency and cabin quietness.

In related news, Ford recently announced that it is investing approximately US$5bn across its Louisville Assembly Plant and the BlueOval Battery Park in Michigan to deliver a new pickup and produce advanced prismatic LFP batteries, and has launched its new Ford Universal EV platform and Ford Universal EV Production System

The forthcoming 2026 BMW iX3 50 xDrive has been developed with a focus on reducing the product’s environmental footprint that, the auto maker says, demonstrates the group’s “take on implementing a holistic approach to product sustainability across the entire lifecycle”.

During product development, measures were implemented throughout the supply chain, production and use phases that prioritize decarbonization and resource conservation, BMW says.

CO₂e benefits after one year of use

Electric vehicles can start with a higher carbon footprint, primarily from battery production, but because they produce no tailpipe emissions and are powered by electricity — which is becoming increasingly cleaner — their overall emissions per kilometer decrease over time. When compared with internal combustion engine (ICE) vehicles, which continue to produce emissions throughout their lifetime, an EV’s sustainability can be quantified by calculating the distance the vehicle travels until it breaks even.

The decarbonization measures put in place by BWM in the supply chain during the development of the iX3 have resulted in an early break-even point for the Neue Klasse vehicle.

Based on the Worldwide Harmonised Light Vehicle Test Procedure (WLTP), when the BMW iX3 50 xDrive is charged with electricity from the average European energy mix, its CO₂e footprint is lower than those of a comparable internal combustion engine (ICE) model after approximately 21,500km of driving. When the iX3 is charged exclusively with electricity from renewable sources, it beats the comparable ICE model after around 17,500km.

Decarbonization in the supply chain

BMW achieved a 35% reduction in CO₂e emissions in the supply chain during product development through the use of secondary materials and renewable energy and the implementation of innovations in both products and processes.

The Gen6 battery cells of the BMW iX3 high-voltage storage system are made of 50% secondary cobalt, lithium and nickel materials and renewable energies have been harnessed in the anode and cathode materials and cell production. This has resulted in a 42% reduction of CO₂e emissions per watt-hour compared to the Gen5 cell of the previous model.

BMW has also used innovative and secondary materials in other components. For example, 30% of the secondary raw material used for the engine compartment cover and the storage compartment under the front hatch is recycled maritime plastic – this post-consumer material consists of old fishing nets and ropes – and secondary aluminum accounts for 80% of the wheel carriers and swivel bearings as well as 70% of the cast aluminum wheels.

Use phase efficiency

BMW’s ‘EfficientDynamics’ approach – which “systematically optimizes every aspect of the vehicle”, according to the auto maker – was employed to maximize efficiency across all vehicle systems. As a result, the new BMW iX3 consumes 20% less energy than its predecessor (WLTP combined) through improved aerodynamics, reduced rolling resistance and lower onboard power consumption, and what BMW terms “the drive’s unparalleled combination of efficiency and dynamics”.

Design for circularity: Interior

The BMW Group prioritized the use of secondary materials, strategic material selection and disassembly optimization to reduce CO₂e emissions. As a result, secondary materials account for one third of all materials used in the iX3 50 xDrive.

One example of the implementation of these three concepts is the Econeer seat cover, available in the interior trim Essential, for which the fabric, adhesive and fleece are all made from PET. This mono-material choice increases recyclability and the textile yarn used consists entirely of recycled PET as well. Other components that prioritize the circularity approach include the center console, instrument panel and interior floor trim (below).

In related news, MHP has developed a DIN SPEC together with Amazon Web Services (AWS) and another partner. The DIN SAE SPEC 91487:2025-08 standards define terms and characteristics for the use of digital twins of batteries in electric vehicles (EVs). Read the full story here

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Hutchinson Precision Sealing Systems, a high-performance sealing solutions company and specialist in the design and manufacture of O-Rings and bonded seals, has developed a new version of its XL O-Rings specially adapted for powertrain applications in electric and hybrid vehicles.

This new version of the XL O-Rings was developed to accommodate the larger dimensions of e-motors, with diameters ranging from 130mm to 250mm and cross sections from 3mm to 6mm.

The solution has been made using materials that offer high resistance to chemicals and are compatible with dielectric fluids and cooling fluids, often in EPDM or AEM. Hutchinson states that its laboratory and technical teams are continually expanding the product range to ensure compatibility with the latest technical fluids used in motor and mechanical system cooling.

The size of the seals requires specific care during assembly. This can be addressed by using self-lubricating compounds and technical surface treatments, enabling OEMs and equipment suppliers to achieve productivity gains.

Hutchinson meets mechanical cleanliness requirements, complying with international standards such as, ISO16232-2018, ISO 14644-1:2015 and VDA19.1:03-2015. The cleanliness procedures limit the maximum concentration of particles and the maximum size of particles and ensure a high level of quality control.

Safe sealing is guaranteed in accordance with the international quality standard ISO 3601. All Hutchinson O-Rings and bonded seals production sites are ISO 9001 and IATF 16949 certified, reflecting a commitment to quality and continuous improvement. Full control of the manufacturing process, from formulation to delivery and the ability to design and develop optimal sealing solutions, has earned Hutchinson approvals from major manufacturers in Europe, NAFTA and Asia.

In addition to XL O-Rings, Hutchinson Precision Sealing Systems has developed a range of sealing solutions for e-powertrain propulsion systems. These include high-speed rotary shaft seals, plate seals, grounding rings, oil spray rings, inverter casing seals and solutions for thermal management and battery pack.

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French company Hutchinson, a leader in high-performance sealing solutions, stands out for its expertise in the design and formulation of tailor-made materials and solutions. For 170 years, Hutchinson has been developing rubber solutions that extend the lifetime and performance of vehicles. Thanks to its innovative spirit and agility, its teams support OEMs and Tier 1 suppliers in the transition to new forms of mobility.

Since 1853, Hutchinson has been developing rubber technologies for the automotive industry. Precision sealing systems are vital to guarantee the reliability of interfaces in demanding applications. Hutchinson’s solutions protect essential automotive applications, ensuring smooth operations and extended service life. Creating the optimal sealing system with the appropriate material and design is crucial for securing sensitive components and maintaining their performance and durability.

Hutchinson is constantly innovating by exploring new materials and improving the design of its products. Thanks to its proactive approach, dedicated project teams are developing innovative solutions tailored to the specific needs of customers, guaranteeing them safety and peace of mind. This commitment to innovation allows the company to stay ahead of market trends and improve the effectiveness of its solutions.

Hutchinson’s laboratories and technical departments are attentive to customer needs and market evolution, resulting in the continuous development of innovative solutions and materials.

A complete range of materials adapted to electrification challenges

The development of the fire-resistant EPDM compound 7EP3328 illustrates this approach. Complying with the UL94-V0 standard, this material has been specifically designed to meet the requirements of the sensitive environment of batteries or their cooling circuit.

Hutchinson adapts to market trends, by developing low-hardness compounds, cost-effective materials or sustainable rubber compounds. Hutchinson has created Revea, a range of recycled and/or bio-based materials, while meeting the specific needs of customers.

A long-standing materials expertise enables Hutchinson to design optimum solutions, extending the lifetime of vehicles and facilitating the transition to new mobility for a safe and sustainable future. By adapting to the challenges of electrification, Hutchinson Precision Sealing Systems is a key player in e-mobility, innovating and supporting equipment manufacturers with reliable, high-performance solutions.

For more information, visit pss.hutchinson.com/

Materials developer Elkem has developed an iron silicon powder, a soft magnetic material, suitable for additive manufacturing of electric motor components.

The company states that 3D printing larger motor components has proven difficult to date, with parts tending to be brittle. The powder material was developed via the EU-funded SOMA project (Lightweight solutions for e-mobility by AM for soft magnetic alloys), with project partners VTT (coordinator), Siemens, Stellantis and Gemmate Technologies.

“The powder developed in the SOMA project will now be introduced to the market by Elkem for evaluating the product for future commercial production. The product is currently available in small test volumes,” said Jan Ove Odden, project leader at Elkem.

The powder is produced in a small-scale pilot atomizer, located in Kristiansand at the Future Materials, Norwegian Catapult Centre. So far, the powder has been used to 3D-print components for evaluation of the quality and manufacturing of demo devices. The 3D printing and part qualification has been done at VTT in Finland and Siemens in Germany.

The final use-case was to produce a motor for an electric scooter. The use-case was supported by modeling carried out by Gemmate-Technologies and VTT.

“This is a project with potential to transform motor parts manufacturing. We have successfully created a new specialized powder with good printability based on silicon-steel (with additives). 3D-printed components show enhanced ductility and competitive magnetic properties,” said Tomi Lindroos, research team leader at VTT.

Heraeus High Performance Coatings has unveiled a new method to reduce the gap between rare earth magnet laminates in high-performance electric motors.

The process relies on aerosol deposition of a compound which combines the properties of an epoxy adhesive with the insulation characteristics of ceramic materials.

Traditional lamination methods achieve a gap of around 50, while Heraeus claims a gap of 2-8µm for its process. The result is a higher volumetric density of magnetic material while speeding the production process, thanks to the elimination of a gluing stage.

Once deposited, the material is thermally activated, providing robust adhesion between the layers while maintaining exceptionally narrow gaps, which the company says surpasses the capabilities of conventional manufacturing methods such as glass sphere spacers, thick epoxy coating and spray paint coating.

“This innovative coating technique by Heraeus opens up new horizons in e-mobility, significantly enhancing the efficiency and performance of electric motors,” said Ilka Luck, head of Heraeus High Performance Coatings. “The reduced gap in stacked rare earth magnets is a game-changer in motor design, aligning perfectly with our industry’s goal for higher motor efficiency and sustainability.”

Click here for more on materials, and here for more on electric motors

Keeping the mass of BEV battery packs in check is a constant battle for manufacturers. Increasing the energy density of cells through adjusting chemistry is an area of perennial research – however, reducing the weight of other elements can also net gains.

To this end, researchers at the US Department of Energy’s Oak Ridge National Laboratory (ORNL) have developed a lightweight, metal-free current collector made of a polymer-based composite with carbon fibers. These fibers work in conjunction with a thin film of carbon nanotubes to enhance directional and uniform current flow.

Though current collectors are an inactive component, they are vital to the operation of a battery. Most cells use current collectors produced from aluminum foil for the cathode and copper foil for the anode. Copper, though a good conductor, is quite dense at 8.7mg/cm2  for 10μm thickness foil. Significant reductions in battery weight could be achieved if the mass of these anode collectors could be reduced.

According to the research at ORNL, the composite anodes exhibited reduced charge transfer resistance and improved rate capability compared with the anodes fabricated on conventional copper foil-based current collectors. They are also lighter, approximately 1.5mg/cm2, than copper foil, helping increase the gravimetric energy density of cells. Furthermore, the carbon polymer material is less prone to corrosion and can stretch more easily for roll-to-roll manufacturing of electrodes.

The full paper on development of the collectors can be found here.

The development of new materials has always been intrinsic to advances in powertrains, and developments canstill benefit ICE and BEV design.

Those of us involved in powertrain design need a certain degree of materials knowledge, even if it merely consists of a list of components and the exact materials from which each is to be produced, without knowing the reasons why. A successful design uses a material that allows us to produce a sufficiently durable part with an acceptable mass and cost. If we hit those targets, our bosses and customers are usually happy. In an almost static market with slow and minor incremental improvements in end-product capability, the choice of materials changes very little over years and decades.

However, the dawning realization of climate change has pushed all of us, whether involved in traditional IC engine design, hybrid powertrains or full electric propulsion, to look carefully at every aspect of what we do. Can we produce new products that involve fewer CO₂ emissions in production and use? Generally, the answer is yes. We can produce something more efficient, light and recyclable.

Of course, this new focus on reducing CO₂ emissions extends beyond the use of resources in production to reducing the emissions of the energy source. Renewable power generation, biofuels, synthetic hydrocarbon fuels and hydrogen can all offer means to reduce current powertrain emissions.

However, as we look to produce better products, new materials can enable improved design. In the few pages of an article, or even using a full magazine, we can’t hope to cover all the latest emerging materials. We can only talk about a few examples of materials development. From engines to transmissions and from batteries to e-motors, improved materials, along with better manufacturing techniques, will play a part in delivering a lower rate of CO₂ build-up in the atmosphere. Reducing the existing atmospheric concentration of CO₂ is another story.
As engineers, we should be technology-agnostic and do what we believe or know to be best, based on data. We should be above the highly polarized debate between those with entrenched views based only on emotion. We can all see the benefits of producing better powertrains, of every type.

ICE and Transmission Materials
Engine materials are split into a few basic types, and are generally easily recycled. With a few hours and a basic toolkit, a good mechanic will split an engine or transmission into non-ferrous and ferrous piles, probably with further quantities of polymers and composites.

When we look at the rapidly decreasing budgets allocated to engine design and development and the rise of electrified powertrains, we may feel that there is little benefit to further work on engine materials. However, engines, in one form or another, are likely to be with us for some time to come and materials development can enable further increases in efficiency or a reduction in mass and engine volume for a given output.

There are certain areas of engine design where lightweight components are of particular value. The valvetrain is one such area. The paper by Kanzaki et al1 demonstrates that even small savings in valvetrain mass on a new engine design can enable the use of shorter valves, lighter springs and therefore a reduction in cylinder head height. A shorter engine can be significantly lighter and, particularly where the engine height defines the hood line, influence the whole vehicle design and aero performance. A smaller, lighter engine requires less substantial mounting hardware, and lower vehicle mass permits the same performance with a lower-output engine. This is a virtuous circle, enabled by clever design and materials development.

In practice, the increasing adoption of titanium for valves, springs, spring retainers and collets can help with valve control. However, when applied to a clean-sheet design rather than a legacy one, it can be even more beneficial. Several companies have also researched aluminum poppet valves. The most successful of these have employed aluminum MMCs (metal matrix composites), which have proved viable for spring retainers in testing.

Another area of significant potency for mass reduction is the piston assembly. Weight saved on the piston can allow a lighter piston pin. Savings on the piston assembly and pin can in turn permit the use of a lighter connecting rod. All of the foregoing can reduce bearing stress (or bearing area for a given stress), which should give lower friction. The lower rotating and reciprocating mass requires less balance mass on the crankshaft. Where the crankshaft counterweight defines the bottom of the engine, we might find that not only is the engine lighter, but the crankshaft centerline can be lowered in the car.

Materials developments enabling the reduction of piston assembly and cranktrain mass include higher-strength aluminum for pistons, titanium (DLC coated) for piston pins and aluminum MMC for connecting rods (titanium rods have been used in some production road motorcycles for more than 30 years and for almost 20 years in some niche production passenger cars).

The use of high-thermal-conductivity piston rings made of copper alloys offers the promise of mass savings and efficiency improvements. The mass savings come through a reduction in piston temperatures and therefore an increase in allowable stress. Efficiency improvements may be realized by being able to increase compression ratio and providing scope to push the ring a little higher on the piston.

One company that is particularly active in materials development for engines is Materion, which has put its money where its mouth is by funding engine testing with renowned British engine expert Cosworth. Producing MMC and non-MMC piston materials, MMCs for other applications (including connecting rods) and novel copper alloys for piston rings, Materion is not letting the stories predicting the demise of the IC engine deter it from developing materials.

In engine tests, the company’s PerforMet copper alloy has shown real promise for use in piston rings.2 A 2.3 liter Ecoboost engine equipped with high-strength MMC pistons and copper-alloy piston rings showed measurable improvements not only in engine mass but also in also friction and brake specific fuel consumption (BSFC).

Plastic engines
Polymers have always offered the possibility of lightweight components, but engineers have tended not to adopt them due to the durability and cost-effectiveness of metals. Matti Holtzberg, one of the original pioneers in the field of polymer materials development for engines, was involved in the original Polimotor project, which produced a largely polymer racing engine in the 1980s.

Back then, a competitive racing engine featuring polymer cylinder block, piston skirts, valve stems and many other parts seemed to open up some very promising avenues of development but was then largely forgotten. The project was hugely ambitious and, if not a total racing success, was certainly an engineering triumph very worthy of study.  The SAE paper by Gaudette3 covers the early history of the materials, when polyamide-  imide was used. More recently with Polimotor, Holtzberg has developed fiber-reinforced materials that offer the potential to save weight on structural parts. Cylinder blocks and other large components have been molded, and the materials are also suitable for additive manufacturing techniques. Given the interest in using AM for prototyping, developing a material suited to injection molding and AM is a sensible idea.

Electric Vehicles
The rise of electrified passenger car transportation has been remarkable, especially since the restriction of personal movement during the Covid pandemic showed us how quickly the concentration
of certain pollutants declined. It was always accepted that the decarbonization of personal transportation would be a key element in reducing the rate of increase of atmospheric CO₂, but the willingness of large parts of the car-buying public to embrace this was perhaps not understood (even by potential buyers). Although there are different ways to achieve the decarbonization of transportation, it is clear that BEVs will form a significant part of any solution. Therefore, the development of new materials for transportation electrification is important.

Battery Materials
The development of new battery materials continues at pace. While the basis of automotive cell production remains dominated by lithium, new anode and cathode materials under development offer significantly increased energy density. This is important in the adoption of BEV; for a given battery mass, increased energy density has the potential to produce greater vehicle range and increase the speed of charging. Alternatively, for a given amount of energy storage, a significantly lighter and cheaper battery will result.

The development of solid electrolyte materials has piqued the interest of several automotive OEMs owing to the wide range of benefits potentially on offer. Solid-state batteries should be safer, offer greater energy density and work well over a wider range of temperatures than the existing cells, which employ flammable liquid electrolytes. Although they promise very useful technical advantages, solid-state batteries are not yet at a level of technical maturity to be produced at scale. Although producing any product in huge quantities significantly reduces cost, solid-state cells are currently projected to be significantly more expensive per kWh of energy capacity than their more conventional liquid-electrolyte equivalents.

Thermal Insulation
Although we are all familiar with cork as a sealing material for expensive drinks, we may not be aware of its wider use as a very effective thermal insulator. Cork oaks are noted for their ability to regenerate following a forest fire. The effectiveness of the bark (from which cork products are produced) in protecting the main trunk of the tree means that cork oaks can often regenerate a new canopy from the main trunk. The cork bark is harvested from living trees and has been used as a thermal insulator in aerospace and spaceflight applications for many years. It is also gaining in popularity as a sealing material in electric vehicle applications and as a fire-resistant thermal insulator to protect battery cases in the event of battery thermal runaway.

This was one of the enabling technologies in the battery produced by Electroflight to break the electric air-speed record in 2021. Such materials are not plain cork but a composite made of cork granules in a matrix of phenolic resin. In testing, a 2-3mm thickness of the cork-phenolic composite material was sufficient to prevent the carbon-composite battery case catching fire and even reaching the glass transition temperature of the case’s epoxy matrix.

Electric Motor Materials
Electric motors are the subject of intense development to best combine performance with low mass, reliability and acceptable costs. Of course, everyone understands that the electric motor is wonderfully efficient as a device to convert stored energy to mechanical work. Internal combustion engines have an inherent limit on their efficiency (and practical engines are a very long way from approaching that limit), but electric motors are already commonly more than 90% efficient over a great part of their operating range. The sources of inefficiency are mainly electrical; mechanical losses are often due to a couple of bearings and perhaps a seal or two. The electrical losses fall into two groups: resistive losses (commonly called copper losses) and eddy current losses (commonly called iron losses).

Copper losses are hard to avoid, being due to the currents used in the electric machine and the fundamental physical properties of the copper material itself. In general, highly pure coppers are used because they have the highest electrical conductivity. There is little to be gained in terms of decreasing copper losses through materials development. However, the processing of copper materials through different product forms and electrical insulation is important. For example, in high-frequency applications, the skin effect is important and a common approach is to use multi-stranded wires. Losses are also reduced if each of these wires takes its turn on the outside of a wire bundle. Braided or woven wire forms called litz wire minimize losses in high-frequency electrical machines and can also be formed into rectangular sections if required to aid winding efficiency.

When a large number of conductors are used in a slot, the thickness of the insulating coating on each wire can be significant, so wire manufacturers are always trying to improve the wire coatings (often referred to as ‘enamel’ even though they are commonly polymers) by reducing coating thickness without compromising quality.
Iron losses are a different matter and there is a great deal to be gained here, but this has to be done without compromising the other properties of electrical steels that enable great performance from a small motor. Eddy current losses are proportional to the square of the frequency of the machine and the square of the thickness of the material. Although the losses are also proportional to other properties of the steel, by far the most effective way to reduce iron losses is to divide the thickness of the material into layers that are electrically insulated from one another. Generally speaking, iron losses due to eddy currents per unit volume are inversely proportional to the number of laminations. There is a cost penalty to using ever-finer laminations, and the use of the thinnest materials is often only justified in high-frequency machines.

The development of electrical steel materials that can carry high magnetic flux density enables the production of motors that are notably compact and light. In the lightest and smallest machines it is desirable to use materials that only become ‘saturated’ at high magnetic field strength and have low eddy current losses. Such materials are often high in cobalt content and, as such, are expensive and come with supply chain and environmental disadvantages. Elements that would normally be used to reduce eddy current losses, such as aluminum and silicon, reduce the field strength at which magnetic saturation occurs.

It is therefore the case that the choice of an appropriate electrical steel to optimize cost, machine performance and weight has to take into account many variables.

Many of the motors used for automotive propulsion are of the permanent magnet type. These offer the highest torque density but at the cost of using more expensive materials in the form of permanent magnets that are part of the rotor. The magnet materials that produce the highest torque densities are known as rare earth magnets, but they suffer from a tendency to permanently lose their magnetism if they reach a certain temperature. There is much ongoing development to produce magnets that are more resilient in this regard without losing their inherent magnetic strength.

Inverter Materials
The rapid, complex switching operations required to control the currents for propulsion motors are taken care of by inverters, converting DC input from the battery to high-frequency AC (and vice versa). The inverter switches have commonly been based on silicon. To facilitate higher switching frequencies and voltages, increasing numbers of producers are turning to silicon carbide (SiC). You may also hear gallium nitride (GaN) mentioned, but this is generally used for higher switching frequencies and lower power than is common in electric vehicle powertrains; however, work on higher power applications is well advanced. In addition to SiC inverters being smaller and lighter than their silicon counterparts, they offer significant efficiency improvements.

Summary
From IC engines to EV powertrains, material development continues to enable considerable product improvements. Lighter, more efficient powertrains will result from materials being developed at present. An article of this length cannothope to cover all the important new materials and those under development. However, if, as an engineer, you look into the areas that concern you, it is certain that new materials are under development that could unlock great potential for future projects.

References
1) Kanzaki T, Hara N, Mori A and Ohtsubo K, Advantage of Lightweight Valve Train Component on Engines, SAE Paper 980573, 1998
2) Krus D, Tarrant A, Mack S, Egger A and Gudd D, Dynamometer Testing of Combustion Chamber Component Materials Designed to Improve Efficiency While Maintaining Engine Performance and Durability, Materion white paper
3) Gaudette E P, Plastics within the Internal Combustion Engine, SAE Paper 850815

Through a new collaboration, Nidec and Renesas Electronics will co-develop semiconductor solutions for a next-generation e-axle known as the X-in-1 system. The solution will integrate an electric vehicle drive motor and power electronics.

An ever-increasing number of EVs utilize 3-in-1 units/e-axles which integrate a motor, inverter and a gearbox (reduction gear). To achieve high levels of performance and efficiency from a more compact, lighter and cost-effective package, power electronics controls – including DC-DC converters and onboard chargers (OBCs) – are being integrated into EVs. In addition to these, certain manufacturers are developing X-in-1 platforms which integrate several functions to speed up adoption across differing model types.

X-in-1 systems are complex due to having several integrated functions. As a result, maintaining a high-level of quality can be challenging, meaning preventive safety technologies – including diagnostic functions and failure prediction systems – are vital to ensure security and safety.

To overcome such issues, Nidec’s motor technology will be combined with Renesas’s semiconductor technology to develop a proof of concept (PoC) for the X-in-1 system that benefits from a high reliability and performance. The first PoC is scheduled to launch by the end of 2023 and will feature a 6-in-1 system, consisting of a DC-DC converter, OBC and power distribution unit (PDU), in addition to a motor, inverter and gearbox.

Building on the first system, the partnership will work on the development of a highly integrated X-in-1 PoC in 2024. This solution will include a battery management system (BMS) and additional components. The first PoC will feature power devices based on SiC (silicon carbide), while the second will replace the DC-DC and OBC power devices with GaN (gallium nitride).

“As we celebrate Nidec’s 50th anniversary, we take on a significant challenge of developing a world-class next-generation X-in-1 system, which goes back to our core principle of pioneering the world’s best innovations,” said Mitsuya Kishida, executive vice president and executive general manager of Automotive Motor & Electronic Control Business Unit at Nidec.

“By harnessing our strengths in automotive technology and developing PoCs together with Renesas, a leader in automotive semiconductor solutions, we aim to lead the market as a world-leading e-axle provider.”

“We are very pleased to announce our collaboration with Nidec, who has an exceptional track record of success in e-axle traction motors,” said Vivek Bhan, senior vice president, co-general manager of High Performance Computing, Analog and Power Solutions Group, Renesas.

“Our contribution to this collaboration extends beyond hardware design, encompassing software development which is critical to enabling rapid development of PoCs for our customers.”

ZF and Wolfspeed have announced plans to establish a joint European R&D center for silicon carbide power electronics in the Nuremberg Metropolitan Region in Germany. The facility is part of a partnership announced earlier this year, which also includes an investment by ZF to support the development of the Wolfspeed Silicon Carbide chip factory in Ensdorf, Saarland.

The partnership’s goal is for the European R&D center and the Ensdorf device fab to help establish a new European silicon carbide technology and innovation network, the supports the development of silicon carbide systems, products and applications that encompass the full value chain, from modules to entire systems to greatly reduce time-to-market.

The new joint research facility is supported by the German federal government and the regional government of Bavaria. Funding for both sites is still subject to the approval of the European Commission under the EU’s Important Project of Common European Interest (IPCEI) scheme. Once IPCEI funding approval has been granted for both facilities, construction is expected to begin later on in 2023.

The research center will cater for the requirements of multiple vehicles, including the consumer, commercial, agricultural and industrial markets. Through the joint development work, the partnership seeks to bring a multitude of technology improvements, including enhanced efficiency, improved power density and a higher overall performance.

“The research center is of outstanding importance for the energy and mobility transition in the EU and supports the strategic goals of Europe,” said Dr Holger Klein, CEO of ZF. “In addition, optimizing silicon carbide technology advances industrial transformation and strengthens the independence of European supply chains.”

“This research facility further strengthens our partnership with ZF and underlines our long-term commitment to turn our unique know-how from more than 35 years of experience in silicon carbide power electronics into state-of-the-art solutions for our industry partners,” commented Gregg Lowe, CEO of Wolfspeed.

“This connection is unique and will lead to enormous advances in silicon carbide-based electrical systems and electric drives,” explained Stephan von Schuckmann, member of the board of management, ZF. “This is made possible by the close networking of the research center and production, because fundamentally redesigned silicon carbide chips also require new production processes.”