With the global trend toward electrification in the automotive industry, Magna is introducing its etelligentDrive systems. Leveraging its legacy of powertrain leadership, Magna offers automakers a variety of solutions for electrified powertrain architectures – from hybrids to full electrics.
Magna’s etelligentDrive systems will be on display at CES 2018. The company’s e1 concept vehicle will be used to demonstrate different electric-drive (e-drive) concepts and systems, as well as demonstrate Magna’s vehicle integration capabilities. The e1 system consists of one highly integrated e-drive system on the front axle and one on the rear axle with two electric motors (e-motors).
Magna says the demo car achieves superior longitudinal and lateral dynamics combined with excellent vehicle stability for more safety. Each e-drive system in the demo vehicle uses 140-kilowatt motors, adding up to an overall performance of 420-kilowatt peak. The e-motors are combined with a single-speed reduction-gear transmission and an inverter into a very compact package.
“We believe in the next few years there will be several different variations of powertrain architectures on the market aimed at numerous ways to achieve CO2 savings,” said Swamy Kotagiri, Magna’s chief technology officer. “With our powertrain expertise, we will continue to deliver cutting-edge products to the market that match the progression of internal combustion engines up to full electric vehicles.”
Magna’s electrified powertrain capabilities include key components for modern e-drive systems: e-motor, gearbox, inverter and control software that can be easily integrated into vehicles. The solutions range from products for 48-volt mild hybrids to highly integrated e-drive systems for battery electric vehicles. Electrified auxiliaries like thermal management modules, electric water pumps or electric oil pumps complete the portfolio. For nearly 10 years, Magna has been supporting customers in the U.S. and Europe from concept to production with products for battery electric and plug-in hybrid vehicles.
In 2009, the company announced a vehicle-development partnership with Ford Motor Co. to introduce a zero-emission lithium-ion battery electric vehicle (BEV) – this became the Ford Focus BEV, which entered the market in 2011 and is still produced today. Magna is responsible for providing the e-motor, electronic control module/inverter and the transmission for this vehicle.
Since 2012 Magna has supplied Volvo with the electrified rear axle drive system (eRAD) featured on the Volvo V60 and S60 plug-in hybrid models. Magna’s eRAD system offers multiple hybrid driving modes while also adding electric all-wheel-drive capability.
More recently, the company announced a joint venture partnership with Hasco in China to produce a high volume e-drive system for a German automaker.
