THE COMMUNICATIONS HUB OF THE ELECTRIFIED POWERTRAIN Read all back issues and exclusive online-only content at www.emobility-engineering.com ISSUE 031 | MAY/JUNE 2025 UK £15 USA $30 EUROPE €22 Let’s stick together Cell-to-chassis battery development Real substance Motor materials explained Electric motorbikes that are designed to change the world Rise of Ryvid
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56 Deep insight: Megawatt charging systems Evolving MCS technologies leading to the development of multiport charging systems for simultaneous fast charging of multiple vehicles are challenging the thermal management of cables and connectors 64 Focus: Materials The power in e-motor production will go to those that choose the right materials for the right application 74 PS: Downsizing mining’s carbon footprint AI-powered microgrids can optimise the complex energy flows associated with mining and cut carbon emissions 4 Intro Trends are changing in e-mobility design with the latest shifts to new architectures and charging systems demanding innovation in e-motors and cooling systems 6 The Grid Investigating new techniques for cheaper busbar connections, adopting digital twins for optimising battery design, launching new electric ferries, discovering revolutionary battery materials and designing battery packs for easy recycling using AI, and getting hands-off with robotic charging trucks in Rotterdam 16 In conversation: Mike Bassett The head of engineering at MAHLE Powertrain discusses the nuts and bolts of hybridisation, EV innovation and future propulsion solutions 20 Dossier: Ryvid motorbikes set to clean up The scoop on an ambitious company’s plans to electrify mass mobility and tackle urban pollution on the global scale 32 Focus: Pack design optimisation Thermally conductive adhesives are supporting the move to C2C architecture through higher pack energy density and reduced costs 42 Insight: Motor cooling Hot technologies for e-motor cooling that ensure reliability, performance and durability of EV powertrains 50 Digest: ELMs EVOLV ELM Mobility is planning to redefine urban last-mile deliveries with its vehicle packaged in the form a small battery truck in the L7e category 32 50 16 20 3 May/June 2025 | Contents E-Mobility Engineering | May/June 2025
THE COMMUNICATIONS HUB OF THE ELECTRIFIED POWERTRAIN Read all back issues and exclusive online-only content at www.emobility-engineering.com ISSUE 031 | MAY/JUNE 2025 UK £15 USA $30 EUROPE €22 Let’s stick together Cell-to-chassis battery development Real substance Motor materials explained Electric motorbikes that are designed to change the world Rise of Ryvid Designer trends Publisher Nick Ancell Technology Editor Nick Flaherty Contributors Peter Donaldson Will Gray Editorial Consultant Ian Bamsey Technical Consultants Ryan Maughan Danson Joseph Dr Nabeel Shirazee Design Andrew Metcalfe Sub Editor James Buxton Ad Sales Please direct all enquiries to Nick Ancell nick@highpowermedia.com Tel: +44 1934 713957 Subscriptions Please direct all enquiries to Frankie Robins frankie@highpowermedia.com Tel: +44 1934 713957 Publishing Director Simon Moss Operations Director Chris Perry Marketing & PR Manager Claire Ancell Office Administrator Lisa Selley Volume Seven | Issue Three May/June 2025 High Power Media Limited Whitfield House, Cheddar Road, Wedmore, Somerset, BS28 4EJ, England Tel: +44 1934 713957 www.highpowermedia.com ISSN 2631-4193 Printed in Great Britain ©High Power Media All rights reserved. Reproduction (in whole or in part) of any article or illustration without the written permission of the publisher is strictly prohibited. While care is taken to ensure the accuracy of information herein, the publisher can accept no liability for errors or omissions. Nor can responsibility be accepted for the content of any advertisement. SUBSCRIPTIONS Subscriptions are available from High Power Media at the address above or directly from our website www.highpowermedia.com. Overseas copies are sent via air mail. EDITORIAL OPPORTUNITIES Do you have a strong technical knowledge of one or more aspects of e-mobility systems? As we grow we are on the lookout for experts who can contribute to these pages. If that sounds an interesting challenge then don’t hesitate to explore the possibility of writing for us by emailing editorial@emobility-engineering.com ADVERTISING OPPORTUNITIES If you are looking to promote your company to engineers active in the electrification of vehicles, we have various advertising packages available to suit your needs. With a maximum of 25% of the publication allocated to advertising we offer a unique opportunity to become one of E-Mobility Engineering’s exclusive advertising partners, ensuring you are not lost in a crowded market. To discuss the opportunities and how we can work with you to promote your company please contact Nick Ancell nick@highpowermedia.com +44 1934 713957 THE COMMUNICATIONS HUB OF THE ELECTRIFIED POWERTRAIN SUBSCRIBE TODAY visit www.highpowermedia.com ALSO FROM HPM One of the most interesting trends in e-mobility is the shift to new architectures and designs that result from the use of battery electric powertrains. That shift is changing the design of light trucks, as we detail in the ELM Mobility joint venture on page 50, and driving the move to cell-to-chassis architectures, discussed on page 32, for reduced vehicle weight. Both designs emphasise the safety requirements, from re-designing the ELM cab to the encapsulation and cooling of the battery cells in the chassis. Electrifying large trucks is also requiring new standards for safe, fast charging with megawatts of power that is changing the architecture of vehicles and the supporting charging systems, as we discuss on page 56. But this shift is not without its challenges. The innovation in the design of motors and cooling systems is detailed on pages 64 and 42, with the increase in performance providing designers with more options for higher power or reduced size that impinge on battery pack design and cooling options. And this trend is not confined to land. Huge battery packs are driving the largest cruise ships and ferries that will be fitted out later this year and in operation next year. These fully electric and hybrid vessels (Grid, page 6) are the result of cleansheet designs for e-mobility that clearly highlight a fundamental industry shift. Nick Flaherty Technology Editor 4 Intro | May/June 2025 May/June 2025 | E-Mobility Engineering Little big van Profiling a plucky Swiss courier Current events Intelligence and efficiency in motor controllers Lighting the way A new dawn for Lidar Read all back issues online www.uncrewed-systems.com UST 61 : APR/MAY 2025 UK £15, USA $30, EUROPE €22 ELECTRIC, HYBRID & INTERNAL COMBUSTION for PERFORMANCE ISSUE 158 APRIL/MAY 2025 Internal combustion’s saviour Focus on sustainable fuel Hypercar pioneers Toyota and Alpine V6 turbos Unique sound and rhythm Radial Motion’s triple www.highpowermedia.com UK £15, US/CN $25, EUROPE €22
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6 The Grid Busbar connector alternative to electroplating Penn Engineering has developed a new technique to reduce the cost of busbar connections in electric vehicles, writes Nick Flaherty. “The challenge is how to connect busbars,” says John O’Brien, global technologist at Penn Engineering. “One of the things we have seen is a move from cabling to busbars, driven by cost. Busbars are much cheaper for the same current than cables and more suited for automated assembly, which also gives lower cost.” Electroplating with silver is adopted to reduce the electrical resistance of highcurrent busbar-to-busbar connections. However, electroplating can be expensive for aluminium and often requires that the busbars be shipped to an external electroplating supplier, and there is also the increasing cost of the silver to consider. “We like silver for plating but it is too expensive as a conductor as you can end up plating a larger area than you need,” O’Brien says. “So instead of the electroplating, we use the eConnect bushing that we have developed. This is an eyelash-shaped knurl that pierces the oxide layer. This is very effective on copper busbars and essential for aluminium,” he continues. Bushing using a tapered shank gives good connectivity through a hole punched in the busbar, which is formed in a simple preparation process using a die press. A two-stage punch flares the hole on the reverse side. So, if the busbars are manufactured by an external company, they can also install the bushing at the same time, and it can all be installed in the press. Once the bushing is installed, it is used as an electroplated busbar without having to transfer it to an electroplater and back again. The resistance of a single 100 mm2 copper busbar is 16 µΩ providing the theoretical minimum value. A punched hole with a loose connection has resistance of 105 µΩ, while electroplating the two busbars brings this down to 20 µΩ; with bushing, the resistance is also 20 µΩ. With aluminium, the oxide is more of an issue because this increases the resistance. The resistance of a plain aluminium busbar is 26 µΩ, while that of a punched hole with a loose connection is a massive 397 µΩ. Electroplating with silver brings this down to 35 µΩ, which is the same value as that achieved with bushing. However, having to use cleaning and electrical grease means that the value is actually 63 µΩ. “This means you are never getting down to 35 µΩ, and this puts engineers off using aluminium as a material. Electroplating aluminium with silver is also not very common because it can be quite tricky,” says O’Brien. “Our parts are a copper alloy that’s silver plated, and we also offer tin and nickel plating for budget consideration or to minimise galvanic corrosion.” The standard bushing is rated at 500 A. In testing, it takes 500 A with a temperature rise of 30 C. “We do 1008 cycles with 45 min on, 15 min off at 500 A. This gives a temperature response curve and test electrical resistance with a 3000 A DC power source. The temperature was cycled from −40 to +125 C for 100 cycles, monitoring the resistance of the junction because sometimes there is a loss of continuity, and this monitoring had half a microsecond resolution. “The aluminium busbars are also tested at 175 C to make sure there isn’t oxide growth.” Penn is also working on a calculator to determine the cost savings of using bushing because this varies depending on the type and volume of the busbars. BUSBARS May/June 2025 | E-Mobility Engineering A bushing busbar connector (Image courtesy of Penn Engineering)
The Grid 7 SIMULATION E-Mobility Engineering | May/June 2025 MARITIME Electric ferry targets 2026 Incat in Australia is constructing a 78 m hybrid electric ferry that will be ready for operation in the first half of 2026, writes Nick Flaherty. The 78 m craft, as yet unnamed, has flexible propulsion options with a fully electric battery system of up to 12 MWh as well as hybrid and generator-assisted options. The system supports charging at rates up to 10 MW to reduce the turnaround time. The vessel can carry 600 passengers and the 12 MWh pack gives it a top speed of 27 knots. Additionally, two 230 kW bow thrusters provide enhanced manoeuvrability. The design incorporates lessons learned from the world’s largest batteryelectric ship, the 130 m Hull 096, aimed at cruise ship operations and set to launch on May 1, 2025. Hull 096 uses an electrical system developed by Wärtsilä and the Dolphin NextGen battery system from Corvus Energy that is expected to be used for this smaller version. The battery system for Hull 096, based on the Corvus Blue Whale architecture, incorporates lithium-ironphosphate (LFP) batteries with mechanical and electrical design specifications of a 48.23 kWh, 80 V DC module with capacity of 628 Ah. This provides a pack size ranging from 336 kWh at 560 V to 5.4 MWh at 1120 V with forced air cooling. However, the Dolphin power variant likely to be used for the electric ferry uses lithium NCA (nickel-cobaltaluminium oxide) cells for faster charging in a 6.56 kWh, 50 V module that holds 152 Ah. This would lead to a battery system with over 1800 modules that weighs 86 tonnes. A sister ship in the pipeline could be available within 12 months. The 78 m electric ferry (Image courtesy of Incat) Digital twin for material optimisation battery manufacturers to optimise designs at the earliest development stages, by simulating and testing the battery systems virtually before physical prototyping. Henkel offers four key types of battery simulation for structural integrity, thermal management, fire safety and material application. Structural simulation evaluates battery pack durability and crash resistance, Predictions of heat flow through different mechanisms and pathways help design a safer battery system (Image courtesy of Henkel) optimising designs for weight reduction, robustness and performance under mechanical loads such as impact, crushing and vibration. A thermal management simulation models the heat dissipation and cooling efficiency to analyse the battery performance, lifespan and fast-charging safety in extreme operating conditions. Thermal event simulation predicts heat propagation pathways during a thermal runaway event to enhance battery safety measures and material utilisation, thereby reducing risks for passengers and critical components. The material application simulation models the application of adhesives and sealants used in EV battery production. This reduces risks such as void formation, excessive squeeze-out and component stress. This end-to-end digital twin modelling capability complements Henkel’s Battery Test Centre in Düsseldorf, Germany, which hosts the material and battery testing that provides the underlying data for the digital twin models. Henkel is launching digital twin modelling and simulation capabilities combined with real-world validation of structural materials used in e-mobility designs, writes Nick Flaherty. Henkel is combining its expertise in material application with in-house testing and validation to close the loop between digital and real-world design and testing. “Henkel’s simulation can optimise electric vehicle (EV) battery designs with greater speed, accuracy and efficiency,” says Dr. Stefan Kreiling, global head of innovation for automotive components at Henkel. “By integrating material simulation with real-world validation, we help accelerate innovation cycles, reduce development costs and bring safer, high-performance battery systems to market faster.” The digital twin technology provides a closed-loop battery and materials development process using models of the battery systems and the adhesives, thermal interface materials and battery safety coatings. This allows OEMs and
The Grid AI for battery material discovery from the materials database at UC Berkeley, which has a library of 240,000 materials. That’s a great idea but only covers small areas,” says Xiao. “For the universal chemical space for solid state materials, a back of the envelope calculation says there are 10177 solid state materials; but AI is only as good as the training data.” “We can significantly shorten the discovery phase from years to just a few months to get to five years for mass production, down from 10 years. Our LQM is not just reducing the cost and the time, but the most important thing is to identify materials that have never been thought of, revolutionising the discovery of totally new materials.” Therefore, the company uses the simulation models to generate the data to train the AI model. “It’s a smart way to generate the data because we use AI to guide the generation of the data, so we balance exploration and exploitation. We are screening millions of compounds.” This produces suitable materials that are then tested in simulations, and can then be licensed to partners for testing in terms of suitability for battery production. “Our business model is to work with customers to develop milestone projects,” says Xiao. “For example, we work with Dow to discover new materials using our LQM, for them to develop the IP of the materials and we share the IP. We focus on the modelling part and license the resulting materials to our partners. “We use quantum mechanical simulation to check the results for intermolecular potentials and after that, we will validate those properties. After we have internal validation, we sample the materials to our partners who will test them and give us feedback to refine our searches to find the best candidate. The first stage is to specify the material for the electrolyte, but the interface is also critical for the cathode. Therefore, the next phase of the collaboration will look at the reactions on the surface of the electrolyte. “We have a very clear roadmap with two steps, starting with the battery cycle predictions this year and next year, continuing with the AQvote tool using morphology and electrochemical data to accurately identify factors such as the knee point in the discharge curve.” MATERIALS 8 SandboxAQ has developed a new approach to using artificial intelligence (AI) for the discovery of new battery materials, writes Nick Flaherty. The company has combined a chemical simulation platform with the transformer AI frameworks in large language models to create what it calls a ‘large quantitative model,’ or LQM. “I am thinking about the current way of battery material development, which is very traditional; a trial-and-error process, starting with a hypothesis, synthesis and analytical methods to test the results for the next round of the cycle,” says Ang Xiao, technical lead for materials science at SandboxAQ. “We want to use AI and physical models to revolutionise these cycles with a large quantitative model with numerical equations. We start with chemical structure generation and use AI to predict the performance and properties as well as the cost because this is critical,” he continues. “The two challenges we are facing in materials science are data and model architecture. For the data, we know there is massive amounts of data May/June 2025 | E-Mobility Engineering The LQM process for material discovery (Image courtesy of SandboxAQ)
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10 Battery pack designed for second life RECYCLING A European project has developed a battery prototype designed for ease of assembly and disassembly of battery components, writes Nick Flaherty. The battery pack developed as part of the MARBEL project with car maker Stellantis uses a wireless battery management system (BMS), artificial intelligence (AI) and a digital twin capable of predicting a battery’s remaining useful life, as well as its state of charge and health. The prototype pack is designed to make the battery components easy to assemble and disassemble, directly improving repair efficiency, reuse in other applications and recyclability. Busbars are used for the power connections, and these can be easily assembled and disassembled using standard screwed fasteners. The flexible formats have been refined to simplify assembly operations and withstand potential vibrations within the vehicle’s battery pack. As well as adopting wireless connectivity in the BMS to remove the wired connections in the cells, it adds real-time smart energy monitoring, significantly reducing weight, cost and design complexity. An intelligent electronic device (iSCM – intelligent Smart Cell Manager) has been developed for each battery cell, allowing local cell monitoring and direct communication with the BMS through Bluetooth technology. For a 16-cell battery pack, this means wiring can be reduced from more than 20 m to just 80 cm, lowering material costs, weight and assembly complexity while enhancing overall efficiency. Data collected by the BMS, together with information generated by the iSCM, are fed into a digital twin driven by AI and machine learning algorithms, enabling predictive analytics by combining multiple data sources in a single webbased application. The system can predict the remaining life, state of charge and health of the battery, and estimate when the battery will reach the end of its lifespan, among other key parameters. The cooling system design, which also ensures uniform heat removal from the cells and busbars, is combined with optimisation algorithms for the charging process. A switchable junction box has also been added to support flexible battery architecture, allowing seamless transitions between 400 and 800 V and vice versa, depending on the requirements for supporting the modularity of both smaller and larger battery packs. “The focus on circularity creates a pathway to more sustainable electric vehicle technology. At the same time, by optimising battery performance, we address the main hurdles that hinder electric vehicles’ acceptance and adoption, such as limited range and lengthy charging times,” says Eduard Piqueras, European programme manager at the Eurecat Technology Centre and MARBEL project coordinator. MARBEL has also integrated advanced materials’ recovery strategies to reclaim high-purity graphite, lithium, nickel, manganese and cobalt from end-of-life cells, complying with the European Regulation on Sustainability Rules for Batteries and Waste Batteries. It also uses 60% recycled aluminium, cutting 777 kg of CO₂ equivalent emissions per battery pack. The MARBEL consortium includes 16 partners across eight countries with six universities and research centres, as well as Ficosa, AVL Thermal HVAC, AVL Italia, ASAL, Agrati and SK Tes. May/June 2025 | E-Mobility Engineering Battery pack designed for easy recycling (Image courtesy of MARBEL)
The Grid 11 BATTERIES Next generation SCiB module for heavy duty designs Toshiba has developed a new version of its SCiB battery module for electric buses and ships, writes Nick Flaherty. The new version uses an aluminium baseplate that dissipates approximately twice the heat of current modules for higher power applications. Aluminium has lower thermal resistance than the resin materials usually used in the Toshiba module baseplates. However, because it is a conductor, the baseplate must be insulated from the battery cells. Toshiba has developed a novel structure that achieves the required voltage resistance. When used with the same cooling system normally applied by vehicle makers, the heat dissipation is approximately double that of current modules, significantly extending battery life. Constant input and output at high power levels in a short period generates life-shortening heat within batteries. This challenges battery developers to manage heat dissipation and maintain battery life with high power input and output over short periods. The SCiB cells have a lithium titanate negative electrode for safe operation and low-temperature performance from −30 to 50 C. This also allows fast charging in 6 minutes to 80% of capacity and a 100% effective state of charge, and a 20,000 cycle lifetime that means the cells are widely used in hybrid vehicles. Users of module products want a balance between constant high input and output of 160 A continuous and 350 A for 30 seconds with long battery life. The Type4-23 module is the first to feature an aluminium baseplate for heat dissipation with two parallel strings of 12 x 23 Ah cells in series to provide 45 Ah. This gives a nominal voltage of 27.6 V for energy of 1.242 kWh in the 16.5 kg module. Overmould rib process for electric aircraft led by NIAR’s Advanced Technologies Lab for Aerospace Systems (ATLAS) with eVTOL maker Joby Aviation, together with Toyota, KraussMaffei, Victrex and Prospect. “This was a particularly challenging component, traditionally machined from a metal billet in a process that removes over 80% of the material and takes more than 100 hours to complete,” says Dr. Waruna Seneviratne, director of NIAR ATLAS. “In contrast, the thermoplastic part was formed from a flat thermoplastic organosheet in under two minutes. The expertise of each partner was instrumental in achieving this success. “These advancements underscore the potential of automotive-matured overmoulding technology for highrate production of both primary and secondary aircraft structures,” says Seneviratne. The project has also expanded its collaboration to include Fill Engineering, aiming to develop a fully integrated manufacturing cell for rib structure production. This incorporate material preparation, tape-laying, ultrasonic tack welding, consolidation, organosheet trimming and overmoulding. The production cell is scheduled for commissioning at NIAR in autumn 2025. Last year, NIAR researchers collaborated with KraussMaffei to develop a thermoplastic overmoulded window cover for passenger-to-cargo conversions that can be produced in just 90 seconds. The resulting component was 20–30% lighter and cost half as much as its metal counterpart. AVIATION The National Institute for Aviation Research (NIAR) at Wichita State University has developed a thermoplastic rib structure to simplify the manufacture of eVTOL systems, writes Nick Flaherty. The fully automated hybrid thermoforming and injection overmoulding process cuts production time from 100 hours to two minutes, marking a major breakthrough in aerospace manufacturing efficiency. By integrating two key polymer processing techniques, the process enables production of high-performance, lightweight components with greater design flexibility and cost efficiency. The development was part of the Air Force Research Laboratory’s Manufacturing for Affordable Sustainable Composites programme E-Mobility Engineering | May/June 2025 The SCiB module (Image courtesy of Toshiba)
12 Technical consultants Ryan Maughan is an award-winning engineer and business leader with more than 20 years’ experience in the High-Performance, Heavy-Duty and Off-Highway Automotive markets. Prominent in the development of Power Electronics, Electric Motors and Drives (PEMD) for these demanding applications, he has successfully founded, scaled and exited three businesses in the electric vehicle space. He is currently CEO of eTech49 Limited, an advisory business specialising in disruptive hardware technology in PEMD. In addition, he is Chairman of EV North, an industry group representing the booming EV industry in the north of England, a board member of the North East LEP and an adviser to a number of corporations. Danson Joseph has had a varied career in the electrical power industry, having worked in areas ranging from systems engineering of photovoltaic powerplants to developing the battery packs for Jaguar Land Rover’s I-Pace SUV. With a PhD in electrical machines from the University of Witwatersrand in South Africa, Danson has focused on developing battery systems for automotive use. After completing the I-Pace project he formed Danecca, a battery development company with a focus on prototyping and small-scale production work, as well as testing and verifying cells and packs destined for mass production. Dr Nabeel Shirazee graduated from Leicester University in 1990, where he studied electrical and electronic engineering. An MSc in magnetic engineering followed at Cardiff University, where he continued his studies, earning a PhD and developing a permanent magnetic lifting system that has been patented by the university. His interest in magnetics led to a patented magnetic levitation system that was awarded the World’s No 1 Invention prize at INPEX in the USA. In 1999, he founded Electronica, a magnetics research and design consultancy. Since then, he has been involved in various projects, including the design of an actuator motor for a British aerospace company. He has also licensed the levitation technology in France. Ryan Maughan Danson Joseph CHARGING Robot charging for Rotterdam Rocsys has demonstrated its robot self-charging system working with electric trucks in a port in the Netherlands, writes Nick Flaherty. The Rocsys platform includes the first interoperable robotic hands-free charging system for ports, logistics and robotaxi industries. The demonstration was part of the European Magpie project to automate activity at ports and logistics centres. The automated system uses computer vision that navigates the charging plug toward the inlet socket of the truck regardless of orientation. This uses an artificial intelligence (AI) framework to obtain 3D information with a single camera under harsh weather conditions such as rain, snow, fog and bright sunlight. Integrated LED lighting allows the system to work day and night. Soft robotics ensure that the plug finds its way safely into the socket with 6-degrees of motion for translations and angles, handling sudden shocks and allowing customer offloading of cargo, passengers or drivers at the same time. It can also absorb unexpected vehicle motion while connected. The Grid May/June 2025 | E-Mobility Engineering Dr Nabeell Shiirazee esearchers in the US have developed a solid-state lithium-air battery cell with a potential energy density of 1000 Wh/kg (writes Nick Flaherty). The capacity is potentially four times that of the current lithium-ion battery technology used in heavy-duty vehicles such as aircraft, trains and submarines. The electrolyte is a mix of polymer and ceramic materials that takes advantage of the ceramics’ high ionic conductivity and the high stability and high interfacial connection of the polymer. The electrolyte is based on Li10GeP2S12 nanoparticles embedded in a polyethylene oxide polymer matrix. The result allows for the critical reversible reaction that enables the battery to function – lithium dioxide formation and decomposition – to occur at high rates at room temperature. It is the first demonstration of this in a lithium-air battery. “We found that solid-state electrolyte contributes around 75% of the total energy density,” said Mohammad Asadi, Assistant Professor of chemical engineering at Illinois Institute of Technology. “That tells us there is a lot of room for improvement, because we believe we can minimise that thickness without compromising performance, which would allow us to achieve a very high energy density.” Prof Asadi said he plans to work with industry partners to optimise the battery’s design and engineer it for manufacturing. The prototype cell is rechargeable for 1000 cycles with a low polarisation gap, and it can operate at high rates. BATTERIES Lithium-air’s quadruple potential The Grid March/April 2023 | E-Mobility Engineering 11 Higher energy through three-layer electrolyte A new self-extinguishing, solid-state lithium-metal battery cell could allow higher energy densities, Conventional, solid-polymer electrolyte batteries struggle to make good contact with the metal electrode, which is necessary to prevent lithium dendrites. These grow with charging cycles and can reduce battery cell performance, and even create a short circuit. A three-layer electrolyte, developed at Daegu Gyeongbuk Institute of Science and Technology (DGIST) in Korea, offers enhanced fire safety and longer life. Each layer has a distinct function: decabromodiphenyl ethane (DBDPE) as a fire retardant; zeolite to boost the electrolyte’s strength; and a high concentration of a lithium salt, lithium bis (trifluoromethanesulfonyl) imide (LiTFSI), to allow more rapid movement of lithium ions for fast charging. The solid-state electrolyte allows the layering architecture, where the middle layer boosts the battery’s mechanical strength, and the softer outer surfaces improve electrode contact, allowing easier movement of lithium ions. Experimental data shows the 4.8 V lithium metal battery cell developed by the research team retained about 87.9% of its performance after 1,000 charging and discharging cycles at a 1 C charging rate. This is a notable improvement in durability compared with traditional batteries, which typically maintain 70-80% of their performance. The battery cell has an initial capacity of 153 mAh/g and can extinguish itself in a fire, significantly reducing the fire risk. March/April 2025 | Robot charging of electric trucks (Image courtesy of Rocsys)
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CWIEME 2025 Tuesday 3 – Thursday 5 June Berlin, Germany www.berlin.cwiemeevents.com The Battery Show Europe Tuesday 3 – Thursday 5 June Stuttgart, Germany www.thebatteryshow.eu hy-fcell Canada Tuesday 3 – Thursday 5 June Vancouver, Canada www.hy-fcell.ca iVT Expo Europe Wednesday 11 – Thursday 12 June Cologne, Germany www.ivtexpo.com 38th International Electric Vehicle Symposium Sunday 15 – Wednesday 18 June Gothenburg, Sweden www.evs38.org MOVE Wednesday 18 – Thursday 19 June London, UK www.terrapinn.com/exhibition/move ITEC 2025 Wednesday 18 – Friday 20 June Anaheim, CA, USA www.itec-conf.com Mobility Live ME 2025 Tuesday 24 – Wednesday 25 June Dubai, UAE www.terrapinn.com/exhibition/mobility-live-me Foam Expo North America Tuesday 24 – Thursday 26 June Novi, MI, USA www.foam-expo.com Adhesives & Bonding Expo North America Tuesday 24 – Thursday 26 June Novi, MI, USA www.adhesivesandbondingexpo.com CWIEME Shanghai Wednesday 25 – Friday 27 June Shanghai, China www.coilwindingexpo.cn Vehicle Electrification Expo Tuesday 8 – Thursday 10 July Birmingham, UK www.ve-expo.com Battery Cells & Systems Expo Wednesday 9 – Thursday 10 July Birmingham, UK www.batterysystemsexpo.com 7th EV Charging Infrastructure Summit – North America Tuesday 15 – Wednesday 16 July Chicago, IL, USA www.smartgridobserver.com/EV-Summit-Chicago2025 The Battery Show Asia Tuesday 15 – Thursday 17 July Hong Kong www.thebatteryshow.asia iVT Expo Wednesday 20 – Thursday 21 August Chicago, IL, USA www.ivtexpo.com/usa Cenex Expo Wednesday 3 – Thursday 4 September UTAC Millbrook, UK www.cenex-expo.com IAA Mobility Tuesday 9 – Sunday 14 September Munich, Germany www.iaa-mobility.com Diary 14 May/June 2025 | E-Mobility Engineering
16 May/June 2025 | E-Mobility Engineering Mike Bassett, Head of Engineering at MAHLE Powertrain, speaks to Will Gray about hybridisation, EV innovation and why the future of vehicle propulsion has many routes Finding the right direction Mike Bassett leads approximately 180 engineers and technicians tasked with innovating the technology behind MAHLE Powertrain’s advanced propulsion systems. Having initially been schooled in the thermodynamics of ICE engines, his route has followed a fascinating path as the world pivots from petrol, via hybridisation, to a currently EV-focused future. Accelerating developments in synthetic and zero-carbon fuels, advances in hydrogen fuel cell technologies and continued queries over battery resources, efficiency and range, however, all mean that while electrification might represent the most efficient solution, innovation in the areas of hybridisation, vehicle dynamics and even ICE technology could still be of huge value. Over the past 18 years, while at MAHLE Powertrain, Bassett has worked with one common focus in all these areas of technology, and he explains: “The projects I really enjoy are the most technically challenging ones, where perceived wisdom breaks down and you go back to the core principles, look in detail at the fundamental workings of things and find out how to improve them. “Most of the work we do with clients is confidential, but we’ve also done a lot of our own research projects over the years to demonstrate technology, and we’ve achieved innovation in many different areas. Some of our work is on particularly niche applications, and they really do drive some unusual requirements that then make you stop and think.” During Bassett’s career, priorities have changed from his initial work on innovations to create ICEs that deliver more powerful performance cars to his more current-day work on the creation of hybridisation and battery solutions, which make vehicles more efficient and effective in an era where emissions are taking increased priority. Back in his PhD days at the University of Manchester Institute of Science and Technology, his work involved modelling the gas dynamics in ICE intake and exhaust systems, and that led him to a job at Lotus Engineering, where he helped develop code that simulated intake and exhaust pressure waves. He also spent time looking at whole-vehicle efficiency and simulating fuel consumption over drive cycles in various vehicles. At the time, Lotus was developing a Proton Gen 2 hybrid demonstrator vehicle for its parent company, which led Bassett to make his first foray into hybridisation. Working on simulation of the vehicle drive cycle, he defined the specifications and sizes of components across the vehicle’s The WMC 300E+ motorbike concept alongside its battery pack (All images courtesy of MAHLE Powertrain)
17 Mike Bassett | In conversation E-Mobility Engineering | May/June 2025 cycle fuel economy analysis into exploring the impact of the company’s engines on vehicle efficiency. This proved to be very valuable in 2010, when the company began research on EV range extenders and formed a hybrid product group. Bassett was placed in charge, and he and his team were tasked to develop a fully functioning C-segment passenger car as a demonstrator vehicle. “That was a career highlight for me,” he reflects. “It involved developing a range extender unit, putting it in a vehicle and developing the strategy for running it for the best efficiency, while also maintaining good noise, vibration and harshness (NVH) levels. I still look back on that project with fond memories. “We received a lot of interest from vehicle manufacturers who were considering range extenders. So, we developed the engine in 2010, created the vehicle in 2012 and for the next five years we were still getting regular inquiries about the possibility of buying that engine, but we struggled to turn that into a commercial reality. “Recently, though, we saw interest rekindled with a Chinese engine manufacturer, and we have literally just finished developing a high-efficiency range extender for them. I was surprised that it didn’t get more traction originally, so it’s good to finally see market pull for that. Sometimes, it just takes time for some of these things to come through.” The design that MAHLE Powertrain has developed for the Chinese market is a 60 kW, two-cylinder, turbocharged engine weighing around 80 kg, plus its generator. Very high efficiency is achieved through use of a high compression ratio, low-pressure exhaust gas recirculation and a prechamber-based combustion system. Bassett says with that amount of power, the electric car it is supporting can cruise at motorway speeds without depleting the battery, creating a seamless approach to hybridisation. “The vehicle characteristics are always the same whatever it is doing,” explains Bassett. “You are always driving with the electric motor and because the engine is totally decoupled from the wheels, that enables a more extreme approach to optimising engine efficiency. The extra range capability simply depends on the size of the fuel tank you put in the vehicle. “The engine achieves a brake thermal efficiency of around 40% with quite a low technology package designed to run on local fuels. So, in terms of CO2 intensity in grammes per kilowatt-hour, it is probably achieving something similar to the Chinese electricity grid. On that basis, it’s not an unreasonable approach, certainly for the time being.” Exploring innovation Bassett’s career progression at MAHLE Powertrain led him to become head of research in 2016, a post that he held for six years before moving into his current role as engineering director. During that period, he continued to lead on many innovative projects including traditional hybrids, fast-charging batteries and even fuel cells. One of the most interesting battery innovation projects was the application of a unique fast-charging lithium-carbon drivetrain and evaluated how best to use the electrical energy. The lessons he learned then still serve to this day, because the efficiency of the entire vehicle remains one of the many impactors on the performance and range of all hybrid and electric vehicles, and he explains: “Whole drive cycle analysis gives you an understanding of total vehicle efficiency and how any parasitic losses will really cost you over that cycle. “Of course, it also varies depending on use case. If you’re driving at high speed, the dominating factor is aerodynamic drag; at low speeds, auxiliary systems, the power of pumps, fans and air conditioning systems really make a big difference to the range. Understanding those different trade-offs is hugely relevant to EVs.” The move to MAHLE Powertrain When financial instability led to uncertainty over the future of his role at Lotus Engineering, Bassett made “a sideways move” to join MAHLE Powertrain, working on engine thermodynamic analysis for various customer projects. Shortly after his move to MAHLE Powertrain, the parent company (MAHLE) instigated a project to develop a Stirling engine for solar power generation. Sitting at the focal point of an 11 m mirror, it used a solar collector to generate 30 kW of power. The project made it to running hardware and was tested using a gas burner on one of MAHLE’s engine test cells before market forces brought it to an end. “Applying my thermodynamics knowledge to that engine was really quite interesting,” Bassett recalls. “We achieved 42% thermal efficiency, which as far as we know makes it one of the most efficient Stirling engines ever built – but at the time we were developing it, the price of photovoltaics dropped and it became financially less attractive.” During his first few years, he also began to instil his experience of fullMike Bassett
18 battery produced by Allotrope. The cell has relatively low energy density but extremely high-power density, enabling extremely fast charging whilst being robust enough to charge time and again with minimal deterioration. The research project analysed the applicability of cell technology to the use case of a pizza delivery moped, and Bassett recalls: “You could put in a decent charge in the space of 30 seconds. So, you could return to the shop, charge while you collected another load of pizzas, then go out on more deliveries. The technology was really interesting and it’s still being developed, so hopefully we’ll see it in an application soon.” Another bike project, partly funded by the Advanced Propulsion Centre and developed with White Motorcycle Concepts, considered development of an electric version of the Yamaha Tricity bike – the WMC3000e+ – for use by first responders and emergency services. MAHLE Powertrain’s role was to design and produce a bespoke battery pack with a premium placed on charging. The resulting, more conventional, 11 kWh lithium-ion battery delivered a beyondindustry-standard time of 15 minutes for a 20% to 80% charge. The team also explored fuel cell EVs in a project with Bramble, developing a Renault Kangoo van as a demonstrator. The team developed the balancer plant for the fuel cell stack, a controller and the vehicle integration, and it showcased this approach as a potential solution for certain powertrains that are difficult to electrify. The company’s work has, on many occasions, been supported by collaborative funding and third-party projects, much of which Bassett helped secure. He believes it is essential that investment in research from governments and innovative companies continues as we push to achieve our net zero goals. “It helps us to increase the amount of research work that we do, and it certainly alleviates some of the burden of undertaking that type of research,” he explains. “It’s quite challenging for us in the nature of the work we do, because we’re developing skills and capabilities rather than a physical product. “We offer a service, we don’t manufacture things, and the research funding tends to be targeted toward product development. Even so, having something we can point to and say ‘we’ve got this capability and you can see it in that’ is extremely valuable to us.” Looking into the future Bassett’s position as the technical lead at a company offering solutions across the entire vehicle powertrain gives him a strong understanding of industry trends, and MAHLE continues to research and develop ICE, hybrid and electric systems, with the goal of optimising each solution to work more efficiently, economically and with fewer emissions. So, what does the future of the vehicle powertrain look like? “That’s a really good question and I wish I had a really succinct answer,” smiles Bassett. “It depends on the timeframe. In 2035, the European passenger car market is set to be all EV and there won’t be a place for hybrids, but that path from now to then will be interesting and I think over the next decade we’ll see more range extenders. “If you look at China, their roadmap still has engines out to 2060. They’re taking massive strides into vehicle electrification – in some cities, all their taxis are electric, and these are cities of 15–20 million people – but then there’s lots of vehicles on the road and it is a country with developing infrastructure, so hybrids will be there for a long time to come.” Bassett suggests that the advance of plug-in hybrids over range extenders has been driven, in part, by tax breaks that have skewed design specifications in the wrong direction and he explains: “Historically, the platforms the manufacturers had led them down the hybrid route, rather than range extenders, but I think also some early range-extended vehicles didn’t help. “One particular product used a range extender that was a bit underpowered and if the battery got distressed, it revved at high speed, giving it a bad reputation for NVH. At the same time, plug-in hybrids were pushed onto company car users, but these users also often get free fuel, so they’re not incentivised to plug them in as often as they should. “It’s all about driving the right behaviour. I think that at the moment, 48 V mild hybridisation, from a May/June 2025 | E-Mobility Engineering In conversation | Mike Bassett The MAHLE Powertrain Stirling engine project
19 cost–benefit perspective, makes great sense. If you were producing a conventional vehicle, that type of solution would give you a 5–10% fuel economy improvement for a relatively modest on-cost. So why wouldn’t you? “On EVs, there are still range limitations, particularly where there is limited infrastructure and accessibility to charging points isn’t guaranteed, and I think that even with established EV infrastructure, there will be occasions – around busy events – where there are going to be pinch points. “Range extenders can help that; it’s just a simple difference in thinking. A hybrid is an ICE vehicle with electrification to make it more efficient, but as you get toward the plug-in hybrid end, you start defining which system dominates and you can look more to drive the car electrically. Then, in the case of the range extender, it is just an EV with a generator.” Improving electrification efficiency Ultimately, however, the efficiency of electrification and the need for emissions elimination means hybridisation, and range extenders are merely means to an end. When it comes to the future of private transportation, the challenge now is to determine those areas of the powertrain that offer the biggest opportunity for improvements in range and performance. “I think there’s most scope with the battery,” offers Bassett. “Typical motor efficiencies are already 95% and upwards, and while there are improvements to be found in wholevehicle efficiency, these are only fractional gains because generally modern vehicle drive systems are already quite efficient and we are now nibbling at the edges. “The trend for bigger SUVs creates aerodynamic drag and also adds vehicle mass, which increase rolling resistance and directly determine how much energy is required to accelerate the vehicle. When it comes to optimising vehicles, it is all about minimising parasitic power consumption from things like ECUs, pumps or fans that consume power, and maximising regeneration. “Braking regeneration is already pretty efficient, but wheel motors are quite an interesting technology because they offer packaging advantages but they are quite challenging from a torque delivery perspective. You don’t have any gear ratio between the motor and the wheel, so there will definitely be some developments in motor topology. “Ultimately, though, the battery is still a large, heavy and expensive part of the vehicle, so there is lots of opportunity for improvement. There are big strides being made in this area, but there are still questions around recycling and how efficiently we can recover the materials out of the battery at end of life. That’s really challenging at the moment. “I think with some cell technologies, fast charging will also see a big advancement, but the bigger the vehicle, the harder it becomes. Charging in seconds could be realistic for scooters, mopeds, power tools, those kinds of things, but once we get to trucks and buses it becomes more and more challenging due to the power levels involved to recharge large packs quickly.” The resource question around the use of batteries as a long-term solution remains a big question for Bassett. His efforts are clearly focused on a desire to reduce emissions across the board, using whatever means available – and there is now an ever-increasing range of options on the table. Bassett sees a place for many different propulsion technologies in the vehicles of the future and his work at MAHLE Powertrain continues to explore all avenues. “We have to be open to these different technologies and assess them all in an even way,” he concludes. “We shouldn’t overlook any opportunities to reduce environmental impact. “Renewable fuels and electricity are both mechanisms for transporting energy, but with renewable fuel, there’s a whole conversion chain and losses there. So, if you are using a renewable fuel, why wouldn’t you hybridise as well? There is also a space for fuel cells and hydrogen ICEs in cases where the amount of energy and the duty cycle just don’t fit. “Several companies are looking at hydrogen for the off-highway heavy duty sector, for example, and I think we will also see that for machines like combine harvesters, which are used intensively in a remote location for a few weeks of the year, as well as the marine and aviation sectors. Ultimately, when you put it simply, what you are after is the most efficient use of renewable energy to propel your vehicle – whatever that solution might be.” E-Mobility Engineering | May/June 2025 Under the bonnet of the range extender REx car
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