E-Mobility Engineering 019 | In conversation: Stephen Lambert l WAE EVR l Battery case materials focus l Quality control insight l Clipper Automotive Clipper Cab digest l Optimising battery chemistries insight l Powertrain testing focus

20 May/June 2023 | E-Mobility Engineering Rory Jackson looks at this motorsport specialist’s latest skateboard for high-performance roadcars All on board D eveloping a new EV on a pre- existing skateboard-type platform offers benefits in terms of the associated times and costs of development cycles. As previously discussed in this magazine, altering the wheelbase of a typical car or truck design by 12-15 cm can entail making so many modifications to the transmission, suspension, and centre of gravity (CoG) that a completely new design becomes necessary, sending the cost of the project into the billions and extending its lead time by 5-10 years. The skateboard approach enables a chassis to be modularly tuned for the loading, propulsion and maintenance requirements of the end-user, leading to a far quicker and less expensive process than in conventional automotive r&d. This decoupling of the body from the chassis also allows production runs to the right-sized, and for bodywork to be assembled in small regional factories close to their customer markets. Despite all these benefits, however, skateboard platforms have not yet found widespread take-up among existing large automotive OEMs, many of whom have elected to stick with their usual (and arguably less efficient) ways of designing and engineering their EVs. But as global EV industry observers will have noticed, a new wave of small-to-medium sized automotive companies is emerging, which means hundreds of new EV manufacturers who are willing to adopt new approaches to automotive design in a way that traditional OEMs are not. Many of them are therefore eager to partner with the right skateboard designer. WAE (formerly known as Williams Advanced Engineering, though now not legally permitted to use the Williams name) is a case in point. Drawing on its experience in Formula E, Extreme E and so on, it has been showcasing passenger car platforms for several years, starting with the unveiling of the FW-EVX skateboard in late 2017. The FW-EVX was designed as a lightweight, durable and scalable