Reducing on-resistance in e-bike designs

Renesas Electronics has developed a new process technology for more efficient, 100 V silicon MOSFET transistors in e-bike designs, writes Nick Flaherty.
The REXFET-1 process reduces on-resistance between the drain and source by 30% to 1.5 mO, which cuts losses and boosts efficiency.

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Machine learning slices powertrain development phase

Researchers at Graz University of Technology (TU Graz) have used machine learning to shorten the development phase of battery EV powertrains by several months, writes Nick Flaherty.
The 10-year Optimisation of Electric Drives (OPED) project combines

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Precise measurement of battery films

The combiSENSOR KSB6430 combines two different measuring principles and converts their advantages into precise thickness measurements. The measuring range of the sensor extends from 5 µm to 3 mm and is therefore designed for both very thin and thicker coatings.

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Battery leak testing

Peter Donaldson delves into the world of battery leak testing.

With the exception of old, British motorbike engines – it was said that if they’re not leaking, there’s no oil in them – leaks from anything are usually a sign of a problem.
The escape of liquids such as coolant and electrolyte are undesirable, and the emission of gases can be the first warning sign of a thermal runaway.

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HIL Testing

Nick Flaherty traces the line where digital models of components meet simulation to experience a vehicle before it is even built

Virtual design methodologies are increasingly being adopted in the development of e-mobility platforms – combining digital models of components with simulation to create a digital twin of an entire vehicle that can be driven before it has even been built.

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Fellten Charge Qube

Peter Donaldson investigates a containerised system that can charge multiple vehicles and doesn’t need a grid connection.

Until the electric power grid is able to support fast charging for EVs everywhere, there is likely to always be a market for something like Fellten’s Charge Qube – a containerised system that stores energy in repurposed battery packs and can charge multiple vehicles simultaneously, with or without a connection to the grid.

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Motor testing

Peter Donaldson examines various means of testing electric motors.

Although mechanically simple, compared with internal combustion engines, the electric motors forming the heart of the propulsion system of EVs of all kinds must go through intensive testing. This involves the use of many technologies and procedures to probe performance, efficiency, reliability and safety at every stage of manufacture and integration.

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In conversation: Tony Fong

Everrati’s head of engineering discusses novel ways of electrifying classic cars with Will Gray

Electric vehicle (EV) technology is moving at a rapid pace and much of that is thanks to people like Tony Fong. As head of engineering at luxury electric car company Everrati, he is pioneering cutting-edge innovation in the most unlikely of places – by implanting the latest powertrain components into old classics to create the systems of the future.

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Doosan Bobcat T7X

Doosan Bobcat is using electrification to not only reduce emissions in construction but also radically change the operation of compact track loaders, reports Will Gray

Construction is not the first industry you think of when it comes to sustainability or electrification. Heavy, power-hungry machines do not immediately suggest the ideal platform for battery-powered performance, yet Bobcat has discovered the opposite, with its new T7X compact track loader outperforming its diesel-powered equivalent in almost every area.

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Cybersecurity

Nick Flaherty uncovers new ways to make e-mobility software safer.

A competition in Japan has discovered 49 vulnerabilities in automotive software, of which the developers were unaware.
In the Pwn2Own Automotive 2025, researchers targeted EV-charging electronic control units (ECUs), where a flaw allowed the manipulation of charging parameters in the powertrain ECU, risking battery thermal runaway.

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