Use of aluminum growing faster than any other automotive material


A new survey reports that the use of aluminum is growing faster than that of any other automotive material, and is expected to grow to content levels of 514 pounds per vehicle (PPV) by 2026, up 12% from 2020 levels. The survey, conducted by DuckerFrontier, analyzes the latest information on material content for North American… Read more »

EnergyX and ProfMOF partner on lithium-ion nanotechnology


Energy Exploration Technologies (EnergyX) and ProfMOF have announced a partnership to promote the use of Metal-Organic Frameworks (MOFs), a relatively new class of nanotechnology materials suitable for applications in the renewable energy and battery storage fields. Capable of separating, transporting and isolating specific elements at the ionic level, MOFs are dense and malleable materials made… Read more »

Vitesco to supply drive control units for Volkswagen EVs


Vitesco Technologies, a maker of electric powertrains, will provide drive control units for the Volkswagen ID.3.  “This product makes us part of Volkswagen’s electrification ecosystem, which is proof of our strong system and electronics expertise across the entire vehicle propulsion system and beyond,” said Vitesco VP Wolfgang Breuer. Vitesco developed the drive control unit for… Read more »

BorgWarner to build integrated drive module for Ford Mustang Mach-E


BorgWarner has announced that it is building an Integrated Drive Module (iDM) for Ford’s new all-electric Mustang Mach-E SUV. The iDM comes complete with a BorgWarner thermal-management system and a gearbox integrated with a motor and power electronics from other suppliers.  “Our knowledge of system integration, paired with our gearing proficiency, allows us to design… Read more »

Blackstone passes milestones for printed next-generation battery cells


Blackstone Resources has been investing in patented 3D-printing techniques and research into the mass production of solid-state batteries that offer greater energy density and a higher number of charging cycles than current cell designs. The company says its 3D-printing battery production technology is more flexible and cost-effective than traditional methods. It covers a wide range… Read more »

CATL to supply batteries for Trailer Dynamics electric semi-trailer


Contemporary Amperex Technology (CATL) and Trailer Dynamics have signed a battery supply agreement for a new way to electrify long-haul trucks. CATL will develop, manufacture and supply batteries for the Newton eTrailer, which will launch in 2023. The Newton eTrailer, Trailer Dynamics’s first electric semi-trailer, is designed to respond to the driving behavior of its… Read more »

Bentley looks to the future of EV motors


Bentley Motors has concluded a three-year research study intended to transform EV powertrains, using a fully integrated e-axle that doesn’t use rare earth magnets.  Bentley’s OCTOPUS (Optimised Components, Test and simulatiOn, toolkits for Powertrains which integrate Ultra high-speed motor Solutions) study led to an electric drive system that eliminates the need for both rare earth… Read more »

HBM’s torque transducer for high-speed applications testing


Measurement technology specialist Hottinger Baldwin Messtechnik (HBM) has announced that its T40MS torque transducer, intended for testing electric drives and transmissions, is now available as a cost-optimized solution. The T40MS is suitable for high-speed measurements up to 30,000 rpm. It covers the available nominal torques of 500 Nm, 1 kNm and 2 kNm in a… Read more »

HBM’s torque transducer for high-speed applications testing


Measurement technology specialist Hottinger Baldwin Messtechnik (HBM) has announced that its T40MS torque transducer, intended for testing electric drives and transmissions, is now available as a cost-optimized solution. The T40MS is suitable for high-speed measurements up to 30,000 rpm. It covers the available nominal torques of 500 Nm, 1 kNm and 2 kNm in a… Read more »

Volkswagen expands EV engineering facility in Chattanooga


Volkswagen is expanding its Chattanooga factory to build a North American center for EVs—not only for assembly but for engineering the EVs of the future. VW’s Engineering and Planning Center (EPC) will soon feature a high-voltage laboratory designed to develop and test EV cells and battery packs for upcoming models assembled in the US. The… Read more »