Read all back issues and exclusive online-only content at www.emobility-engineering.com ISSUE 035 | JAN/FEB 2026 UK £15 USA $30 EUROPE €22 Focus on electrode binders Thermal barriers explained Rugged revolution Volvo CE’s off-highway vehicle electrification BAE Systems’ battery-electric Class 7 truck solution Heavy-duty electrics THE COMMUNICATIONS HUB OF THE ELECTRIFIED POWERTRAIN
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4 Intro Reducing costs and improving reliability are fundamental drivers in electrification development, but as the industry matures, inter-sector collaborations are providing a fresh source of inspiration 6 The Grid EV charger security vulnerability exposed, Alpine’s Active Torque Vectoring takes us beyond conventional limitedslip differentials, South Korean researchers boost all-solidstate batteries, an electrically powered gyroplane for urban air traffic and much more 14 In conversation: Kent Wanner How a “North Dakota farm kid” became principal electrification engineer at John Deere and is leading the development of ruggedised EVs for the agriculture sector 20 Dossier: BAE Systems’ demo Class 7 truck BAE Systems’ retro-fit electrification package might be the medium-duty-trucking solution to achieving urban net zero goals 30 Focus: Motor testing To ensure optimum performance, longevity, reduced losses and lower operating costs, testing of electric motors throughout their life cycle is invaluable 38 Show report: The Battery Show North America We round up some of the latest trends in battery innovation, next-gen materials, advanced EV tech and sustainable manufacturing showcased at this successful event 46 Digest: Volvo Construction Equipment Volvo CE reveals details of the challenges its engineers face in electrifying existing heavy-duty off-highway vehicles and developing new electric alternatives 14 38 20 52 Deep insight: Fuel cell stack adhesive Advances in adhesives and sealing materials for hydrogen-based fuel cells and electrolysers, together with new dispensing techniques, are simplifying production 58 Focus: Battery binders In striving to improve the performance of lithium-ion batteries, the binders are an often overlooked and underappreciated component 66 PS: Beyond lithium Computational simulation is set to revolutionise battery chemistry development, providing analytical data in days rather than years 46 3 E-Mobility Engineering | January/February 2026 January/February 2026 | Contents
Read all back issues and exclusive online-only content at www.emobility-engineering.com ISSUE 035 | JAN/FEB 2026 UK £15 USA $30 EUROPE €22 Focus on electrode binders Thermal barriers explained Rugged revolution Volvo CE’s off-highway vehicle electrification BAE Systems’ battery-electric Class 7 truck solution Heavy-duty electrics THE COMMUNICATIONS HUB OF THE ELECTRIFIED POWERTRAIN Defence dividend Publisher Nick Ancell Associate Publisher Claire Ancell Technology Editor Nick Flaherty Contributors Peter Donaldson Will Gray 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 Lisa Selley lisa@highpowermedia.com Tel: +44 1934 713957 Publishing Director Simon Moss Operations Director Chris Perry Volume Eight | Issue One January/February 2026 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 There has been a long-standing assumption that military systems are bespoke and expensive, and often that is true. However, electrification is changing that, and the latest demonstrator from defence supplier BAE Systems is co-developed with powertrain specialist Eaton for heavy-duty commercial trucks. The platform, detailed on page 18, reduces the number of components, cables and connections, saving space and weight on the vehicle, while simplifying the integration process and improving reliability with lower overall cost – not what you might expect from a defence contractor. Rugged electrification is also key for agriculture, as revealed when we discussed the evolution of the technology with Kent Wanner, principal electrification engineer at John Deere (page 14). The push to reduce costs and improve reliability were on display at The Battery Show North America, as reported on page 38, and the same fundamentals are key drivers for the testing of the electric motors used in EVs, as shown in the focus article on page 30, with a new in-motor sensing architecture and algorithm to enable predictive maintenance while cutting the bill of materials in half. All of this is part of the continuing development of electrification as the industry matures into the mainstream with improved efficiency and lower costs, whether from established automotive suppliers or from a more unexpected direction. Nick Flaherty Technology Editor 4 Intro | January/February 2026 January/February 2026 | E-Mobility Engineering Life saver The Avilus Grille is ready and waiting Read all back issues online at www.uncrewed-systems.com Avoidant attachment Differing modes of sense and avoid Winding paths Electric motors for every niche Issue 65 : DEC/JAN 2026 UK £15, USA $30, EUROPE €22 ELECTRIC, HYBRID & INTERNAL COMBUSTION for PERFORMANCE ISSUE 162 DECEMBER/JANUARY 2026 Optimum drive AI-engineered powertrains Full pull prowess Tractor pull engines www.highpowermedia.com UK £15, US/CN $25, EUROPE €22 BRM V16 reborn Epic Formula One engine reawakened In conversation: Scott Maxim
aspen aerogels Improved Conductivity Deburring Benefits: Microinch Improvement Enhanced Oxidation Resistance PRECISION THAT POWERS PERFORMANCE 2001 S. Kilbourn Ave, Chicago, IL 60623 888.868.2900 | sales@ableelectropolishing.com WWW.ABLEELECTROPOLISHING.COM Burrs and microcracks in your battery parts aren’t just imperfections; they’re performance barriers. Electropolishing eliminates these flaws and leaves parts with improved finish, fit and function. Electropolishing delivers a precise, consistent finish that removes surface defects and boosts corrosion resistance in critical metal parts. For copper and aluminum fittings, connectors, and other electrical components used in EV battery manufacturing, it eliminates machining microdefects—enhancing conductivity, improving microfinish by up to 50%, and leaving parts in a passive, corrosion-resistant state. IMPROVE EV BATTERY PARTS WITH ELECTROPOLISHING LEARN MORE PROTECTING YOUR BATTERY. Preserving your peace of mind. Stop thermal propagation with PyroThin® cell barriers. Learn more at aerogel.com/PyroThin by
6 The Grid EV charger security vulnerability Researchers in the US have identified a security vulnerability in a standard protocol governing communications between electric vehicles (EVs) and EV charging equipment, writes Nick Flaherty. The research has prompted the Cybersecurity & Infrastructure Security Agency (CISA) to issue a security advisory related to the ISO 15118 vehicle-to-grid communications standard as a Common Vulnerabilities & Exposures (CVE) advisory. The researchers at the Southwest Research Institute (SwRI) spoofed signal measurements between an EV and EV supply equipment (EVSE) using both a wired and a wireless connection. The SwRI team reverse-engineered the signals and circuits on an EV and a J1772 charger, the most common interface for managing EV charging in North America. They successfully disrupted vehicle charging with a spoofing device developed in a laboratory using low-cost hardware and software. The research explored vulnerabilities in the Signal Level Attenuation Characterization (SLAC) protocol. The ISO 15118 communication standard relies on SLAC to identify which charging station a particular vehicle is connected to within a charger network. After identifying security deficiencies within the SLAC process, SwRI’s research team developed a machinein-the-middle (MitM) attack, and then modelled the attack using simulators before replicating the attack between vehicles and charging stations. The MitM attack demonstrated that the EV charging process could be manipulated or halted. The researchers also drained the battery and generated signals to simulate J1772 charging rates. “It took some time to develop the software for the attack, but running the attack was surprisingly consistent,” said Kyle Owens, an engineer who supported the project. “The research demonstrates how a malicious actor can trick an EV into establishing a connection by responding to the vehicle’s SLAC signal with an artificial measurement.” “The project effectively tricked the test vehicle into thinking it was fully charged and also blocked it from taking a full charge,” Dodson said. “This type of malicious attack can cause more disruption at scale.” SwRI also performed two other manipulations: limiting the rate of charging and blocking battery charging and overcharging. When overcharging, the vehicle’s battery management system detected a power level that was too high and automatically disconnected from charging. The research focused on J1772 Level 2 chargers, with tests planned for Level 3 chargers and penetration of other devices used on fleet vehicles and electric scooters. INFRASTRUCTURE January/February 2026 | E-Mobility Engineering A machine-in-the-middle (MitM) attack on a J1772 charger (Image: SwRI)
The Grid 7 Alpine has developed a threemotor architecture that outperforms mechanical limited-slip differentials with extra-precise and quick torque control on each rear wheel, writes Nick Flaherty. The architecture has one motor at the front that powers the front axle and the two motors at the rear power one wheel each. Besides enabling all-wheel drive, this configuration allows the two rear motors to be controlled independently. This has led to a system Alpine calls Active Torque Vectoring (ATV), which is the result of five years of development and fine-tuning. “Alpine Active Torque Vectoring is the step beyond conventional limited-slip differentials. This patented breakthrough can distribute anywhere between zero and 100% of the torque between the two rear wheels, enhancing the Alpine A390’s safety as well as its dynamic behaviour,” said Constance Leraud-Reyser, control systems engineer at Alpine. ATV creates a variable torque split, generating a difference in torque distribution to the rear wheels, in response to steering angle and vehicle speed. This corrects any differences in slip between the right and left wheels and optimises cornering dynamics. “First, we dynamically distribute the torque between the front and rear. Then, on the rear axle, since there are two electric motors, we replace the traditional mechanical differential, which also gives us the advantage of being able to exceed the range of a mechanical differential. The principle of Active Torque Vectoring ultimately lies in distributing the torque between the right and left wheels in order to add a rotational moment when cornering. It’s as if you were turning a miniature car with your hand. This creates a sense of lightness and agility. It’s as if the car feels less inertial overall,” she said. The system acts in milliseconds whether the vehicle is accelerating, turning or driving in a straight line. “This eliminates the slightest hint of oversteer or understeer,” said LeraudReyser. “In particular, it helps prevent deviation from your path when one of the wheels goes over a patch of ice.” ATV has been implemented on the recently launched A390 GTS, the first Alpine with more than 400 hp and over 800 Nm of torque, providing up to 100 km/h in under 4 seconds. MOTORS Active Torque Vectoring E-Mobility Engineering | January/February 2026 BATTERIES High-voltage solid-state battery Researchers in South Korea have developed an allsolid-state battery (ASSB) with an output of over 5 V, significantly higher than that of other batteries, writes Nick Flaherty. The team at Yonsei University developed a fluoride-based solid electrolyte that enables ASSBs to operate beyond 5 V safely with a spinel electrode, addressing the long-standing barrier in battery science of achieving high-voltage stability without sacrificing ionic conductivity (as occurs with conventional solid electrolytes that tend to break down above 4 V). The higher voltage means fewer cells would be required in a battery pack, reducing the weight and cost of a system and extending the range. “Our fluoride solid electrolyte, LiCl– 4Li2TiF6, opens a previously forbidden route for high-voltage operation in solidstate batteries,” said Professor Yoon Seok Jung, who led the team. The team overcame this limitation by developing a fluoride solid electrolyte that remains stable beyond 5 V and exhibits Li+ conductivity of 1.7 x 10⁻⁵ S/ cm at 30 C, which is one of the highest in its class. This allows spinel cathodes such as LiNi0.5Mn1.5O4 (LNMO) to operate safely and efficiently, even under demanding cycling conditions. Experimental results show a battery cell retains over 75% capacity after 500 cycles and supports a high areal capacity of 35.3 mAh/cm², a record for solid-state systems. The team also demonstrated a pouch cell that operates down to 2.3V with an energy density of 258mAh/g and ultrathick 1.8 mm electrodes. Three-motor Active Torque Vectoring (Image: Alpine) The LiCl–4Li2TiF6 solid electrolyte shielding highvoltage spinel cathodes in a next-generation all-solid-state battery (Image: Yonsei University)
The Grid across the middle, which contains a solid ceramic electrolyte material and a porous air electrode. Liquid sodium metal fills the tube on one side, and air flows through the other, providing the oxygen for the electrochemical reaction at the centre, which ends up gradually consuming the sodium fuel. The other prototype uses a horizontal design, with a tray of the electrolyte material holding the liquid sodium fuel. The porous air electrode, which facilitates the reaction, is affixed to the bottom of the tray. Tests using an air stream with a carefully controlled humidity level produced a level of more than 1500 Wh/kg at the level of an individual stack, which would translate to over 1000 Wh/kg at the full system level, said Chiang. To use this system in an aircraft, fuel packs containing stacks of cells would be inserted into the fuel cells and the sodium metal in the packs melts at 98 C. The sodium oxide exhaust would actually soak up carbon dioxide from the atmosphere and combine with moisture in the air to make sodium hydroxide and then sodium bicarbonate. Chiang says the system should be quite straightforward to scale up to practical sizes for commercialisation and members of the research team have already formed a company, Propel Aero, to develop the technology. Initially, the plan is to produce a bricksized fuel cell within the next year that can deliver about 1000 Wh of energy (which is enough to power a large UAV) to prove the concept. The amount of humidity in the air is crucial to making the electrochemical reaction efficient. The humid air resulted in the sodium producing its discharge products in liquid rather than solid form, making it much easier for these to be removed by the flow of air through the system. “The key was that we can form this liquid discharge product and remove it easily, as opposed to the solid discharge that would form in dry conditions,” said researcher Karen Sugano. FUEL CELLS 8 Researchers in the US have developed a sodium/air fuel cell that can be used for electric aircraft, writes Nick Flaherty. The cell uses liquid sodium with a layer of solid ceramic material that serves as the electrolyte, allowing sodium ions to pass freely through, and a porous air-facing electrode that helps the sodium to chemically react with the oxygen. In a series of experiments with a prototype device, the researchers at MIT demonstrated that this cell could carry more than three times as much energy per unit weight as lithium-ion batteries. “We expect people to think that this is a totally crazy idea,” said YetMing Chiang, professor of ceramics who led the team. “If they didn’t, I’d be a bit disappointed because if people don’t think something is totally crazy at first, it probably isn’t going to be that revolutionary.” The improvement in energy density could be a breakthrough for electrically powered flight practical at significant scale for domestic and regional flights, he said. “The threshold that you really need for realistic electric aviation is about 1000 Wh/kg,” he said, pointing out that today’s lithium-ion batteries top out at about 300 Wh/kg. “People have been aware of the energy density you could get with metal-air batteries for a very long time, and it’s been hugely attractive, but it’s just never been realised in practice,” he said. Using a fuel cell enabled the higher energy density in a practical form. The team produced two different versions of a lab-scale prototype of the system. In one, called an H cell, two vertical glass tubes are connected by a tube January/February 2026 | E-Mobility Engineering A sodium fuel cell for electric aircraft The prototype sodium fuel cell (Image: MIT)
9 gyroplane has a pre-rotation mechanism that accelerates the rotor to take-off rotational speed before taking off. For the first variant, propulsion is provided by two large open propellers, while the second variant uses two ducted propellers – so-called Jetpellers from Jetpel – that offer further potential for noise reduction. The static thrust for both variants has already been proven in bench tests conducted to examine whether the two drive systems are generating sufficient thrust for twoseater gyrocopter demonstrators with a mass of about 450 kg built by AutoGyro in Germany. These will serve as the basis of four-seat versions. The data obtained from simulations can help minimise the subsequent risks in flight tests and will serve as a database for thrust model validation to be used in the flight simulation of the gyroplane. In addition, the test data can be used to make assessments of the temperature management of the drives. The noise aspect in particular, plays a decisive role in the design of the new aircraft. The aim is to limit the noise level to 50 dB(A) at a distance of 300 m. The design envisages a short takeoff capable aircraft that is suitable for transporting up to four people with additional luggage for short distances of up to 100 km at 80 knots. To enable particularly short take-off and landing distances, and to improve flight performance in general, the rotor of the gyroplane can be additionally powered electrically, particularly in the take-off phase but also in flight. This technology has been patented. Compared with a fixed-wing aircraft, significantly shorter take-off and landing distances are achieved, and the high manoeuvrability enables steep approaches and flying close to cities. Increasing the range to 500 km and upping the cruising speed to 150 knots could be possible with a hybrid-electric engine. AVIATION Researchers in Germany have looked at two different drive systems for a new electric gyroplane with two electric motors for propulsion and one electric motor for pre-rotation, writes Nick Flaherty. The aircraft is being developed by the S2TOL (Silent Short Takeoff and Landing) project by the DLR and Institute of Jet Propulsion and Turbomachinery (IST) at RWTH Aachen University in Germany for urban and regional air traffic. A significant reduction in noise emissions is expected by redesigning and arranging the propellers and rotors, while a thrust vector control system will further optimise the short take-off capability. In contrast to a helicopter, the rotor on a gyroplane is not driven by an engine, but is in a so-called autorotation state during the entire flight. The autorotation is permanently maintained by the incoming airflow so the gyroplane has inherent safety features that are advantageous for transport in lower airspace. For example, in the event of a malfunction, the freely rotating rotor allows for a parachute-like landing, making it safer to use in urban airspace. Critical flight conditions known from fixed-wing aircraft, such as stall or spin, are also not possible with gyroplanes. Owing to the freely rotating rotor blades, a complex main rotor gearbox, as used in helicopters, is not necessary. This significantly reduces the manufacturing and operating costs of a gyroplane compared with a helicopter. The rotor blades are hinged to the rotor hub via a central flapping joint, so that they react to the air forces prevailing at the rotor blades with a free flapping motion. In addition, the E-Mobility Engineering | January/February 2026 An electrically powered gyroplane for urban air traffic The ducted fan gyroplane (Image: DLR)
10 Improving magnetic performance in EV motors Researchers in South Korea have developed a process for creating permanent magnets that reduces the need for heavy rare earth elements, writes Nick Flaherty. The process significantly advances the diffusion technology, which is essential for improving magnetic performance, and creates new possibilities for applying high-efficiency magnets in EV motors. Neodymium (Nd-Fe-B) permanent magnets, widely used in EV motors, show decline in magnetic performance under extreme heat, and require the addition of heavy rare earth elements such as terbium and dysprosium to maintain field strength; however, these elements are rare and expensive. The current grain boundary diffusion process is limited to the surface layer and does not penetrate the magnet’s interior, making it difficult to apply to thick magnets. So, the team at the Nano Technology Research Division at DGIST in Korea, led by Dr Donghwan Kim and Dr Jungmin Kim, combined spark plasma sintering with the grain boundary diffusion process. Premixing the diffusion material during the powder-based magnet fabrication stage achieved uniform diffusion throughout the magnet. This increased the diffusion depth, allowing the creation of structures such as a core–shell topology that has a higher, uniform performance. A magnet created at 750 C and 50 MPa achieved near-theoretical density with minimal grain growth. A post-sintering heat treatment at 1000 C significantly enhances coercivity and refines the microstructure, even with the same amount of rare earth material as in conventional magnets, allowing fabrication of smaller and lighter magnets with the same magnetic strength. “This study presents a method that overcomes the limitations of the conventional grain boundary diffusion technology, enabling uniform performance throughout the magnet. It will make a significant contribution to the development of high-performance permanent magnets,” said principal researcher Dr Donghwan Kim. MATERIALS BATTERIES A double-layer electrode design could significantly boost the performance of silicon-graphite batteries, increasing the range of electric vehicles while reducing cost, writes Nick Flaherty. The development of the double-layer electrode design shows significant improvements in the cyclic stability and fast-charging performance of automotive batteries, with the potential to reduce costs by 20–30%. Silicon electrodes can provide a higher theoretical capacity at 3.579 Ah/g – 10 times that of today’s NMC batteries – along with fast charging in a few minutes, but large-scale deployment is held back by substantial volume changes of up to 300% during charge/discharge cycles. This means they degrade quickly and can have limited lifetime. The use of X-ray computed tomography in combination with digital volume correlation imaging techniques, conducted at Queen Mary College of the University of London, enabled 3D visualisation of the morphological changes and local strain in the graphite/ silicon composite electrodes. Five key challenges in materials design were explored, ranging from the tradeoffs between capacity and electronic transport, the porosity trade-offs between capacity and ionic transport through the silicon loss leading to lithium plating, and the graphite enclosure delaying silicon lithiation as well as the silicon expansion blocking electrolyte access. This led to a two-layer graphite/silicon electrode with a silicon content of 35% in a coin cell for testing that has five times the cycle life of a standard silicon electrode. “For the first time, we visualise the interplay between microstructural design and electro-chemo-mechanical performance across length scales – from single particle to full electrode – by integrating multimodal operando imaging techniques,” said Dr Xuekun Lu, who led the study. “This opens new avenues for innovating 3D composite electrode architectures, thereby accelerating large-scale EV adoption.” January/February 2026 | E-Mobility Engineering Silicon battery boost The grain boundaries for permanent magnets (Image: DGIST)
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 12 Dr Nabeell Shiirazee Researchers 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, writes Nick Flaherty. 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. The Grid March/April 2025 | E-Mobility Engineering E-Mobility Engineering | January/February 2026 MARITIME Superconductor power system for shipping €5m European project is combining superconducting magnetic energy storage and supercapacitors for electric ships, writes Nick Flaherty. The Vessel Advanced Clustered and Coordinated Energy Storage Systems (V-ACCESS) project, combines superconducting magnetic energy storage (SMES) technology based on magnesium diboride (MgB2) with supercapacitors from Skeleton Technologies. The system is optimised to integrate with battery systems onboard vessels with the hybrid management of a superconducting SMES accumulator and supercapacitors. The SMES accumulator was designed and built by ASG Superconductors along with Fincantieri, VARD, RINA, RSE, SINTEF, the universities of Trieste, Genoa and Birmingham and Politecnico di Milano. The SMES superconductor is suited to short-term, high-power energy storage, and is used for power modulation and instantaneous voltage stabilisation. The supercapacitors provide fast power delivery and absorption with high power density and have an extremely long service life of millions of cycles. The hybrid interaction of these technologies extends the lifetime of the battery cells and allows new load management algorithms that reduce CO2 emissions. Tests on the prototype SMES superconducting system were carried out at the Electric TEst Facility (ETEF) at the University of Trieste. A full-scale demonstrator is planned for 2026 with the first certified system planned for 2027.
EV Charging Infrastructure Summit Tuesday 24 – Wednesday 25 February San Francisco, USA www.ev-charging-summit-na.com DesignCon Tuesday 24 – Thursday 26 February Santa Clara, USA www.designcon.com EV/HEV Powertrain Tuesday 24 – Thursday 26 February Berlin, Germany www.automotive-iq.com/events-ev-hev-powertrain embedded world Tuesday 10 – Thursday 12 March Nuremberg, Germany www.embedded-world.de EV Charging Summit & Expo Tuesday 17 – Thursday 19 March Las Vegas, USA www.evchargingsummit.com 2nd European Automotive Circular Economy Summit Monday 23 – Tuesday 24 March Frankfurt, Germany www.ecv-events.com/EACES2026 4th European Automotive Decarbonization & Sustainability Summit Monday 23 – Tuesday 24 March Frankfurt, Germany www.ecv-events.com/EADSS2026 e-Mobility Forum Tuesday 7 – Thursday 9 April Doha, State of Qatar www.aemobforum.com 11th New Energy Industry Chain Expo, CLNB Wednesday 8 – Friday 10 April Suzhou, China www.clnb.smm.cn RAPID + TCT Tuesday 14 – Thursday 16 April Boston, USA www.rapid3devent.com Electric & Hybrid Vehicle Technology Expo South Wednesday 22 – Thursday 23 April Charlotte, USA www.evtechexpo.com The Battery Show South Wednesday 22 – Thursday 23 April Charlotte, USA www.thebatteryshowsouth.com Battery Recycling Expo Thursday 23 April Silverstone, UK www.electrive.com/events/battery-recycling-expo Battery Tech Expo Thursday 23 April Silverstone, UK www.batterytechexpo.co.uk Battery Thermal Management Europe Thursday 30 April Stuttgart, Germany www.battery-thermal-management-europe.com ACT Expo Monday 4 – Thursday 7 May Las Vegas, USA www.actexpo.com 12 January/February 2026 | E-Mobility Engineering
AABC Europe Monday 18 – Thursday 21 May Mainz, Germany www.advancedautobat.com/europe CTI Symposium USA Tuesday 19 – Wednesday 20 May Novi, USA www.cti-symposium.world CWIEME Berlin Tuesday 19 – Thursday 21 May Berlin, Germany www.berlin.cwiemeevents.com PCIM Europe Tuesday 9 – Thursday 11 June Nuremberg, Germany pcim.mesago.com/nuernberg/en/expo.html iVT Expo Europe Wednesday 10 – Thursday 11 June Cologne, Germany www.ivtexpo.com ITEC+ EATS Wednesday 10 – Friday 12 June Novi, USA www.itec-conf.com Electric & Hybrid Marine Expo Europe Tuesday 16 – Thursday 18 June Amsterdam, Netherlands www.electricandhybridmarineworldexpo.com Adhesives & Bonding Expo Tuesday 23 – Thursday 25 June Novi, USA www.adhesivesandbondingexpo.com The Battery Show, USA Monday 12 – Thursday 15 October Detroit, USA www.thebatteryshow.com EV Tech Expo 2026 Monday 12 – Thursday 15 October Detroit, USA www.evtechexposouth.com E-Mobility Awards Thursday 22 October London, UK www.e-mobilityawards.com Adhesives & Bonding Expo Europe Tuesday 10 – Thursday 12 November Stuttgart, Germany www.adhesivesandbondingexpo-europe.com Thermal Management Expo Europe Tuesday 10 – Thursday 12 November Stuttgart, Germany www.thermalmanagementexpo-europe.com electronica Tuesday 10 – Friday 13 November Munich, Germany www.electronica.de Vehicle Technology Meetings Monday 23 – Wednesday 25 November Turin, Italy www.italy.vehiclemeetings.com Future Battery Forum Tuesday 24 – Wednesday 25 November Berlin, Germany www.en.futurebattery.eu 13 E-Mobility Engineering | January/February 2026 Diary
14 January/February 2026 | E-Mobility Engineering Kent Wanner, principal electrification engineer at John Deere, speaks to Will Gray about the challenges of building ruggedised EVs for the agriculture sector Futuristic farming When Kent Wanner was presented with a John Deere Fellowship, noting his globally recognised technical expertise, it was a moment of acknowledgement that connected right back to his roots. Growing up as a self-declared “North Dakota farm kid,” he discovered a love of engineering through tinkering and fixing. He applied it to electronics at college and joined a small company that would be later acquired by the American agriculture giant as soon as he graduated, 29 years ago. It is hard to imagine a better candidate to lead the company’s innovations in electrification. “The farm was a fabulous place to become an engineer – operating equipment, thinking about how things work and understanding how to fix them when they break down,” he begins. “That really got me curious and it’s still what I love about my job today. We do cool things and we apply them to solve some of the biggest challenges on the planet.” Agriculture is, arguably, one of the hardest sectors to electrify. Tough work environments and relentless operational demands mean John Deere vehicles must be rugged, reliable and armed with a wide range of tools. Despite the challenge, the company’s Intelligent Solutions Group – a kind of agricultural skunkworks – has managed to introduce almost one electrified solution per year and is about to ramp that up dramatically. Wanner has been involved in that electrification journey from the very start. Having joined as an electronic design engineer in 1997, he spent his first decade developing electronics for a variety of in-house and customer projects – including an electricpropelled centre pivot irrigation system, which he cites as his first ever electric vehicle. Then, in 2006, he was at the forefront of a project that changed the direction of his career. “It was an electric forklift,” he recalls. “Most of my work until that point had been in 12 and 24 volts, but this was an 80 volt system – which, at the time, we called high voltage! I designed the electronic controls and we had just released it to production when the company was looking to move into higher-voltage electrification. That experience enabled me to be the guy who got in on the ground floor. “It was the transition point that took me from conventional electronics into power electronics and it was a fabulous opportunity. There was very little available in that space at that time, Kent Wanner is an American farm boy turned electrification expert, with careerlong experience working for John Deere (All images: John Deere)
15 E-Mobility Engineering | January/February 2026 Kent Wanner | In conversation enough to drive development of the custom parts that were required. The company worked with major industry players to help shape suitable component solutions to meet the needs of the ruggedised vehicle market. Meanwhile, Wanner and his team began an approach that continues to this day – the identification and development of specific vehicles with propulsion and/or work functions that merit electrification in combination, to truly add value. “That’s one of the things that is really unique about our space,” explains Wanner. “When you talk about cars, trucks or other on-highway vehicles, it’s really mainly about traction, the propulsion system and how good you can make it. In our space, we’ve got to think about a whole bunch of different systems. The many work functions on these vehicles are just as important – and can demand just as much power – as propulsion. “That’s where we look at how we can provide added value with electrification – so it’s not just the propulsion, it’s the precision, controllability and efficiency that electrification can offer to the different work functions. The fundamental focus is not about following trends or government subsidies, it’s about how to actually provide value for our customers using electrification as an enabling technology.” After six years of research and development, John Deere unveiled its first application of high-power electric performance in the 644K Hybrid Wheel Loader, which was released in 2013. Its big brother, the 944K, was introduced in 2015 – which, incidentally, was the subject of a detailed review in the third edition of this very magazine. The secret to the success on the loader was not specifically its electric drive, but rather the way that it fitted electrification into the work cycle as a whole. “It was absolutely ground-breaking in the industry,” recalls Wanner. “It was real Wild West stuff. We were developing things that simply didn’t exist, rapidly learning and then moving on to the next version – and the reason we picked a loader as opposed to a crawler, a tractor or some other vehicle was because it’s constantly changing direction, stopping, starting and moving in a V pattern for truck loading, so it has a lot of regenerative work opportunities. “The hydraulics used for steering and operating the boom and bucket use as much power as the traction system, so we developed an architecture that interconnected the electric drive, hydraulics and diesel engine. Using fast, well-integrated controls, we could seamlessly push power to where it was needed – so we were spinning the hydraulic pump for free, lifting the load using the recovered kinetic energy of the vehicle without even the need for a battery.” At the time, larger 944K-size loaders did not exist in John Deere’s portfolio and the company was not known at all in that market. However, by designing from the ground up around the electric drive, they arrived with a solution that burned significantly less fuel than any competitor, saved on tyre wear thanks to the four-wheel independent traction control, and was easy for a novice operator to get expert operator so I started to do some courses, went to IEEE conferences to pick things up, talked to suppliers and just did a lot of learning internally. We had to create our own lab, figure out what equipment we needed and grow our team. “We added people who knew things about motor controls or lab safety, and then I brought in my experience of designing vehicles and getting products into production. We did a lot of rapid learning, collaborating with partners to develop and build applications and features that suited exactly what they wanted – and we then used that new knowledge to design new products that were applicable to John Deere’s own equipment.” Rugged revolution Although electrification was gathering pace in the roadcar market, Wanner and his team had a far greater challenge delivering it in the agricultural and construction spaces. Most EV components were unsuitable because their vehicles faced much harsher vibration and shock conditions and had to last an order of magnitude longer, while at the same time, the manufacturing volumes were not big The 944X-Tier Wheel Loader – originally launched as the 944K – was part of John Deere’s first venture into vehicle electrification
16 productivity. “It was easily the best vehicle on the market,” smiles Wanner. “The customers went from ‘Who’s John Deere?’ to ‘Oh my gosh, this lets me do stuff I didn’t think was possible!’” Innovation through electrification The loader remains one of Wanner’s most satisfying projects – but it was just the start of an innovation journey that has seen John Deere release an ever-growing range of new vehicles that embrace electrification in many different ways. Having led the team that developed the motor drives and the inverters for the first release, Wanner shifted focus from supervision to pure technical developer, exploring what to electrify next. The following year saw the company release an innovative row crop planter, named ExactEmerge. This dramatically improved upon the traditional approach of dropping seeds based on ground speed metering through use of two electric motors and some cleverly developed smart controls to carefully place seeds in the ground with a level of precision previously impossible – enabling customers to plant some seeds twice as fast as they did before. “The old random drop and roll process limited how fast you could plant because some seeds would end up too close together or too far apart and that hurts the yield,” offers Wanner. “The system we developed uses one motor to meter out seeds per second and another one to turn a brush belt with bristles that spin to perfectly compensate for ground speed, holding the seeds and conveying them to the ground so they drop in perfectly.” It was another demonstration of how the innovative use of electrification could change the game – with smart technology also enabling it to change planting speeds to compensate for corners and, in a subsequent upgrade, to precisely squirt fertiliser directly on the seed as it is planted, rather than spraying in a continuous stream, reducing the volume used by two thirds and saving even more time and money while also reducing environmental impact. “Our customers don’t care it’s electric; they don’t care about all the technology; all they care about is that this planter rocks,” he enthuses. “Most don’t realise all the calculations that are going on under the hood, they just know that it enables them to plant at 10 mph rather than 5 mph and still have perfect spacing – so they can buy one rig instead of two, have one operator instead of two and get twice as much work done in a planting weather window.” The electrification process has now become a two-pronged attack, with one eye on creating new vehicles and another on advancing alreadyelectrified solutions through the use of less expensive or better performing components or the development of new concepts to take to market. Wanner adds: “The idea is once you’ve got this level of precision and control, what’s the next level? What’s the next solution? “It turns out that electrification really enables a lot of this because it’s smart, it’s fast, it’s controllable, it’s highly efficient, it’s load-sensing and it enables things like more automated systems or even autonomous operation. That’s really been the fun thing in my career – developing all these different competencies and working out how we can solve customer challenges with that technology.” Leaping forward In 2022, John Deere announced plans to rapidly expand its focus on electrification through its ‘Leap Ambitions’ commitment. Its approach was to stick with the gameplan and to do electrification not just for the sake of it, but to develop solutions that make sense, do a job better or do things that had never been done before. That is now coming to fruition, with Wanner leading the development of a broad swathe of new products. “We’re developing technologies like GPS guidance, precision sensing, machine learning, electrification – the whole technology stack – which can then be applied to all of our different vehicles in construction, forestry and agriculture,” he explains. “Electrification is the combination of control, precision, efficiency and enabling things like autonomy. With electronic controls, we can respond faster and do things better – but it won’t just be every vehicle electrified; you’re going to see a wave of applications coming that really make sense. “In the past, we were releasing one vehicle per year with electrification, learning, growing competency, and understanding different power levels and different capabilities. We’ve been doing that for 20 years now and we’re really able to leverage that; we’re at a maturity scale where we can take all these things and rapidly apply them to new vehicle forms, so the number January/February 2026 | E-Mobility Engineering The ingenious ExactEmerge solution uses electrification to revolutionise the planting process – precisely delivering seeds and spraying with fertiliser with the ExactShot upgrade In conversation | Kent Wanner
17 of vehicles being launched per year is going up dramatically. “None of our vehicles are super high-volume compared to automotive. So, from a business standpoint, I can’t develop a custom hardware or software for every single vehicle, that’s just not practical. So, to give you a bit of the secret sauce, we have developed modular products that can scale – like single and dual inverters that reuse the same components and software, and smart ways to package and use multiinverter systems – then, we also have a really rich software feature set, which does way more than you might think a normal inverter needs. “Having that all in the software library means I can put it in many different applications. We can enable series electric, split-path variable transmission, battery-electric, all because we have developed this system to work on different types of powertrains or systems and can quickly transition it to a new application. So, we’re electrifying in ways that make sense. Our highest-horsepower tractors are not battery because that is not very practical; instead, we focused attention on lower-horsepower vehicles and have released battery-electric versions of vehicles such as loaders, excavators and zero-turning radius lawnmowers.” There remains fundamental work to do, however, as these hard-working vehicles not only require ruggedised components, but their heating and cooling systems are on the outer layers of the mainstream – and less work is being done in the supply chain on the extremes of performance. Indeed, having recognised the importance of battery performance, John Deere recently purchased its own majority ownership in a battery company, Kreisel Electric. This was a strategic move and Wanner explains: “Kreisel has a patented technology to use dielectric immersion cooling inside the battery itself, where all the cells are in direct contact with the coolant. That keeps them at a very uniform temperature, so it’s much more effective cooling, you get more power, they’re safer and they last longer – and those sorts of technologies really do make a difference in our world. “Although the products we’ve already released to production are very robust, we are always looking for components that have more capabilities or are less expensive for the same capability. New generations of power modules, for example, offer the same performance for lower price, smaller size and weight, while the advent of wide band gap, silicon carbide, gallium nitride and things like that are unlocking different capabilities.” This, says Wanner, is allowing products to be more power dense, more efficient, have faster switching and still have very high ampacity. The general market trend for higher voltage – to achieve either higher power or reduce the current or the conductor sizes – also requires newer components to handle the higher voltage. So, when it comes to reliability, he sees the next generation of devices delivering marked improvements in that area too. In this ever-evolving electrification journey, Wanner’s acknowledgement by the company as an Electrification Engineering Fellow puts him out there as a leader in the field and, when asked about this recognition, he quips: “I’ve just made tons of mistakes and learned from them,” before adding: “I think I’m one of the only Fellows in the company that doesn’t have a PhD! I’m just a farm kid and I’m so proud of that. “To be a Fellow, you have to be known internally and externally as a world expert in your field. So, they had to go out and get testimonies from people in other industries, academia, labs, all sorts of different areas outside of the company recognising my competency. It is about recognising an ability to apply technology in ways that provide business and customer value, which is really important to me; so overall, it was an extremely humbling experience. “One of the best things about my career has been the constant learning. I’m an electronics guy, but I had to learn a ton about controls, motors, cooling, sealing for the environment, as well as all the system-level interactions. So, there are all of these things that I’ve ended up getting involved with and that has just been really fun – but also over the years, I’ve loved giving people a first-hand experience of American agriculture. “My oldest brother still runs the family farm. So, I’ve taken interns and engineers from all around the world there to talk to my family, to find out why the vehicles have to be so productive and such high quality. I totally get it. We have to help with labour shortage, help get more things done with fewer people, and use less fertiliser and less herbicides – and our technology enables those things. That’s why it’s exciting to come into work every day.” E-Mobility Engineering | January/February 2026 Wanner’s team continues to deliver innovative solutions – like offboarding electric power using Electric Variable Transmission (EVT) and Spudnik’s 6631-3 Row AirSep Potato Harvester
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