Read all back issues and exclusive online-only content at www.emobility-engineering.com ISSUE 038 | JULY/AUGUST 2026 UK £15 USA $30 EUROPE €22 THE COMMUNICATIONS HUB OF THE ELECTRIFIED POWERTRAIN Keeping your cool Full charge Latest TIMs developments Prospects for fast-charger manufacturing Bedrock of construction Liebherr LRH series piling machines
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4 Intro The e-mobility industry is maturing. Development trends now more accurately reflect consumer demand within the context of more efficient, streamlined production of platforms with higher performance and lower cost 6 The Grid Chips to monitor battery health, lighter and more efficient e-motors for aviation, improved prediction of compression pad behaviour in battery packs, recyclable conductive adhesives, improved cooling for high-power e-motors and much more 16 In conversation: James Edwards The chief engineer heading up technical development at motor manufacturer Helix explains how motorsport technology transference is extending their client base across the defence and marine sectors 20 Dossier: Liebherr piling machines Net zero carbon emissions will only ever be realised if the construction industry undergoes massive decarbonisation; Liebherr is giving its biggest construction machinery the electric treatment 30 Focus: Hairpin & advanced windings EV motor efficiency is undergoing radical change through switching from round-wire windings to hairpin technology 38 Insight: Fast-charger manufacturing As the power electronics technology of fast chargers matures, the issues of manufacturing scalability, quality consistency and supply chain resilience are coming to the fore 44 Insight: E-motor production technology The push for smaller, higherspeed e-motors is forcing manufacturers into a balancing act between maximising power density and maintaining structural integrity 20 38 44 16 52 Focus: Battery thermal interface materials Extended battery life cycles mean that TIMs can no longer simply be thermal conductors between a module and a cooling plate 58 PS: Implications of convergence Convergence trends mean that BEV manufacturers must build scalable platforms with adaptable thermal systems and efficient cost structures to remain relevant 52 3 E-Mobility Engineering | July/August 2026 July/August 2026 | Contents
Read all back issues and exclusive online-only content at www.emobility-engineering.com ISSUE 038 | JULY/AUGUST 2026 UK £15 USA $30 EUROPE €22 THE COMMUNICATIONS HUB OF THE ELECTRIFIED POWERTRAIN Keeping your cool Full charge Latest TIMs developments Prospects for fast-charger manufacturing Bedrock of construction Liebherr LRH series piling machines Convergence counts 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 Four July/August 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 The convergence of e-mobility platforms is a key indicator of the maturing of the industry. As Peter Donaldson discusses on page 58 (PS), the change in the way people choose their vehicle has strong impact on the system design and production. This change is also key to motor production as volume grows, as highlighted by James Edwards, chief engineer at Helix with a scalable motor design on page 16 and our e-motor production technology insight on page 44, which explores innovative ways to reduce end-of-line test times to keep lowering production costs. The push toward smaller, more flexible motors is also driven by new topologies, particularly for the windings. The latest research into hairpin technology is discussed in the focus article on page 30. Innovations in the design and production of these hairpins are reducing the size and weight of the motors and enhancing the cooling to boost performance. All of these elements are part of convergence, driving smaller, lighter powertrains with semiconductors operating at ever-higher temperatures (see The Grid, page 6) to give buyers more choice and developers lower costs. Nick Flaherty Technology Editor 4 Intro | July/August 2026 July/August 2026 | E-Mobility Engineering Poachers beware The BushRanger UAV watches over Africa’s animals Certify and multiply Surging demand for quality servos Getting focal Imaging sensors explored Issue 68 : JUNE/JULY 2026 UK £15, USA $30, EUROPE €22 Read all issues online at Polaris ProStar 2.0L HO Take it to the top Hillclimb powertrains Strength beyond limits Advanced metal alloys ELECTRIC, HYBRID & INTERNAL COMBUSTION for PERFORMANCE ISSUE 165 JUNE/JULY 2026 www.highpowermedia.com UK £15, US/CN $25, EUROPE €22 Taming Baja and Dakar with four cylinders and a CVT Polaris ProStar HO Take it to the top Hillclimb powertrains Strength beyond limits Advanced metal alloys www.highpowermedia.com UK £15, US/CN $25, EUROPE €22 Taming Baja and Dakar with four cylinders and a CVT In conversation: Swindon Powertrain’s Raphaël Caillé
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6 The Grid COMPONENTS July/August 2026 | E-Mobility Engineering Infineon Technologies has developed a 1300 V silicon carbide (SiC) power module that is the first to operate at a temperature of 205 C, writes Nick Flaherty. The HybridPACK Drive module is capable of continuous operation at temperatures up to 205 C. Existing designs typically allow temperatures of up to 175 C. This increase enables automotive OEMs and Tier 1 suppliers to deliver higher peak and continuous output power from existing inverter designs or, in new designs, reduce system complexity and overall cost. Higher operating temperatures provide engineers with more design flexibility and enable lower system cost. The increased operating temperature enables up to 15% higher output current compared with that of existing designs, directly translating into higher inverter power density. At the same time, the identical module size, footprint and interfaces allow integration into existing platforms, enabling performance upgrades without costly redesigns or extended development cycles. This drop-in compatibility accelerates time-to-market for next-generation inverter designs while leveraging proven manufacturing and qualification processes. The extended temperature capability can also significantly reduce cooling system requirements. Tolerating higher junction temperatures allows inverter designs to use smaller or less complex cooling systems, lower system cost, reduce vehicle weight and improve overall efficiency for packs at 800 and 900 V. The FS01M9R13A7MA2B is the first device with 205 C operating capability in Infineon’s HybridPACK Drive SiC module portfolio, and Infineon plans to roll out the 205 C operating capability across its existing 1200 V SiC modules. First silicon carbide power module operating at 205 C A SiC HybridPACK Drive module operates at 205 C (Image: Infineon Technologies)
The Grid 7 Texas Instruments (TI) has developed a 28 channel battery management chip with electrochemical impedance spectroscopy (EIS) to monitor state of health, writes Nick Flaherty. “One issue is lack of visibility into the battery cell and engineers have long struggled with gaining that visibility,” said Wenjia Liu, general manager of battery management solutions at TI. “Only recently has EIS been practical,” she continued. “What it does is send small currents over a range of frequencies to measure the cell response. You can think of EIS as the battery’s EKG heart monitor, enabling earlier insights and predictions.” The BQ79826Z-Q1 battery monitor determines the state of charge of up to 26 cells to within 2 mV across the whole temperature range of -40 to +125 C and 0 to 5.5 V cell voltage. “The EIS detects potential failures from inside the cell and is the industry’s first 26 channel device,” said Bryan Burke, systems engineer for battery products at TI. “This gives more accurate state of charge estimation and real-time diagnostics. This is a new innovation for our BMS portfolio, which allows engineers to reduce the number of temperature sensors and give more accurate temperature values from inside the cell with predictive diagnostics, and detects internal cell stress earlier than ever before The BQ79826Z-Q1 adds electrochemical impedance spectroscopy (Image: Texas Instruments) to identify the risk of thermal runaway.” When a pack can have 100 to 200 cells, the 26 channel device is stackable to 128 cells and can provide significant saving on the monitors and the components that go around it in both 400 and 800 V designs. Integrated transistors provide passive balancing of cells up to 300 mA. “We have also reduced the noise by 10 times to measure the signals. So overall, our chip is much more accurate,” said Burke. BATTERIES Chip monitors battery state of health AVIATION Lighter, more efficient motor for aviation propulsion Researchers in Scotland have demonstrated a 100 kW fully superconducting axial flux motor for aviation, writes Nick Flaherty. The prototype system was created by the Applied Superconductivity Laboratory (ASL) at the University of Strathclyde in Glasgow and operates at 20 K (-253 C). “Superconducting technology offers a route to much lighter and more efficient propulsion systems, but it also brings major engineering challenges in cryogenic cooling, protection and system integration,” said Prof Min Zhang, who leads the ASL. The Strathclyde team developed the motor from fundamental research through to technological demonstrator with low AC loss superconducting windings, new brushless excitation and rotational cryogenic operation in a single integrated platform. “This demonstrator shows that fully superconducting aviation motors are no longer just a theoretical concept. By integrating superconducting windings, brushless excitation and cryogenic operation, we have created a platform that can help inform the next generation of megawatt-class propulsion systems,” said Zhang. The motor is part of the UpNext demonstrator by Airbus. E-Mobility Engineering | July/August 2026 A 100 kW superconducting axial flux engine for electric aircraft (Image: University of Strathclyde)
The Grid of charge–discharge cycles at different operating temperatures, confirming their ability to maintain consistent pressure over a long time. Using modelling and simulation allows developers to explore the design space virtually, accelerating the development of optimised designs of compression pads for battery pack applications. By helping maintain the right amount of pressure on the cells throughout operation, compression pads support better capacity retention and longer battery life. They also help accommodate cell movement while reducing vibration and providing electrical insulation within the battery module. To simulate the conditions in the battery pack, cyclic fatigue tests are implemented across a wide temperature range, from subzero temperatures up to 60–70 C. A 3000 cycle constant-strain cyclic compression test also simulates long-term operational stress on the material. “Research over the past decade has shown that the level of pressure applied to the cell directly impacts its lifetime and capacity retention. There is an optimal pressure range, for example, typically around 20 to 40 kilopascals for pouch cells, which maximises performance and longevity. If the pressure is too high or too low, the battery can degrade much faster or even fail prematurely,” said Weilin Deng, senior research engineer at Saint-Gobain. Modelling is important because there is no single solution because battery requirements vary depending on cell chemistry and design. For example, prismatic cells need moderately stiff materials, while pouch cells typically require softer compression pads and solid-state batteries require very stiff compression pads. The digital tool allows the compression properties of materials to be adjusted accordingly. Using compression force deflection data, performance is evaluated at different compression levels – such as 20%, 50% and 70% – to match specific application needs without relying solely on lab testing. The tool recommends suitable materials and optimal thicknesses while displaying the corresponding stress–strain curves. For example, it may suggest using a material such as PF150 at a specific thickness to meet defined critical-to-quality requirements. It also supports multi-material designs, combining different foams to evaluate the combined compression behaviour. COMPONENTS 8 Saint-Gobain researchers have developed predictive models for accurately forecasting the mechanical behaviour of compression pads in battery packs, writes Nick Flaherty. Lithium-ion cells exhibit expansion and contraction during charge and discharge cycles as well as irreversible swelling due to ageing. Compression pads are critical components for ensuring the lifetime performance of battery packs. The primary function of a compression pad is to act as a compliant cushion between cells and accommodate the volumetric fluctuations by exerting consistent and optimised pressure. By absorbing the stress from cell expansion and maintaining structural integrity within the module, compression pads mitigate degradation mechanisms to maximise the durability and safety of the battery system over thousands of cycles. The researchers have characterised the fundamental mechanical properties of elastomeric pads under a range of conditions, such as different compression speeds and temperatures, which are directly relevant to realistic battery applications. The long-term mechanical resilience of the pad is measured by evaluating performance over thousands July/August 2026 | E-Mobility Engineering Compression pads to extend battery performance Compression pads accommodate thickness changes (Image: Saint-Gobain Tape Solutions)
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10 MAGNETS Improved cooling for highpower electric motors Researchers in Korea have developed a sandwiched magnet that improves the cooling for high-power motors in vehicles and electric shipping, writes Nick Flaherty. The research team at the Korea Institute of Materials Science (KIMS) developed a sandwich-structured grain boundary diffusion and bonding process where multiple magnet layers are stacked and then integrated. As the power output of motors based on Neodymium–iron–boron (Nd-Fe-B) magnets increases, it becomes increasingly difficult to maintain high coercivity throughout the entire magnet. In addition, highspeed operation induces eddy currents within the magnet, generating heat that leads to performance degradation and reduced motor efficiency. Conventionally, heavy rare earth (HRE) elements have been added to maintain magnetic performance at elevated temperatures. In particular, grain boundary diffusion processes, which involve coating HRE elements on the magnet surface and allowing them to diffuse inward, have been widely used. The HRE elements are coated or sprayed on the surface and the magnet is heated in a vacuum at temperatures of 900–1000 C. The molten elements travel rapidly along the liquid grain boundaries and penetrate the outer edges of the main magnetic grains. This forms an outer shell of HRE around the Nd-Fe-B core. However, this approach is limited by the diffusion mechanism that is based on the surface of the grains. This makes it difficult to achieve sufficient performance improvement in the interior of thick magnets and can lead to overheating. Typically, HRE elements such as neodymium, dysprosiuum and terbium are expensive and can be subject to supply chain constraints in sourcing from China. This poses significant supply chain challenges and this is driving magnet makers to reduce the use of these elements. To eliminate the use of HRE elements, the process developed at KIMS is instead based around a light rare earth alloy with a low melting point using praseodymium not only on the surface but also at the interlayer interfaces. This enables diffusion to initiate from within the magnet as well. This achieves stable coercivity even in thick magnets while ensuring uniform performance throughout the entire structure. It also reduces the reliance on expensive HRE elements. The technology also addresses heat generation by forming a high-resistivity structure within the magnet, which suppresses eddy current formation. Unlike conventional approaches that require separate processes for magnet segmentation, grain boundary diffusion, and insulating bonding, this method simultaneously enhances coercivity and electrical resistivity through a single grain boundary diffusion process. This integrated approach simplifies manufacturing while improving magnetic, electrical, and structural properties. The resulting magnets can be used for electric vehicle traction motors where the lower heat generation and improved efficiency at the magnet level can enhance overall motor performance and energy efficiency. “This study demonstrates a breakthrough in simultaneously achieving high coercivity and reduced heat generation in thick magnets,” said Su-Min Kim, senior researcher at KIMS. “What differentiates this technology is that it integrates coercivity enhancement, resistivity improvement and structural bonding into a single process. This technology has strong potential not only for electric vehicle motors but also for applications requiring large, high-performance magnets, such as electric ships, and it is expected to evolve into a key materials technology for next-generation motors,” he added. July/August 2026 | E-Mobility Engineering Sandwich layers boost magnet performance (Image: Korea Institute of Materials Science)
The Grid 11 E-Mobility Engineering | July/August 2026 COMPONENTS Reliable sealing of highvoltage battery housings Changing regulations are requiring changes to the sealing materials used for high-voltage battery housings, writes Nick Flaherty. In the event of thermal runaway, high-voltage battery systems can, among other things, generate corrosive gases, high temperatures and significant pressure within a short space of time. Safety-critical components must be designed to withstand all these effects. The same also applies to the sealing of the battery pack, which is typically achieved via the battery housing’s sealing system. With the tightening of safety requirements, this interface is increasingly becoming a focus of attention. The GB 38031-2025 standard in China is setting new benchmarks for the overall safety of high-voltage batteries. From July 2026, battery systems must be designed and manufactured in such a way as to protect vehicle passengers and emergency services personnel in the event of thermal runaway even more effectively. A liquid silicone rubber (LSR) has been developed by Wevo Chemie for sealing systems that is tailored specifically to meet these requirements. It provides, among other things, high adhesive strength and mechanical properties with adapted processing properties for reliable automated production processes. The WEVOSIL 23130 LSR ensures the housing remains airtight by forming a reliable barrier against any gases and smoke that may be released. At the same time, the material is highly resistant to both mechanical and thermal stress. As a liquid silicone, WEVOSIL 23130 can be applied using the formed-in-place gasket procedure. Compared with curedin-place gaskets, the chemical adhesion on both sides enables a significantly more robust bond between the sealing material and the standard substrates used for battery housings and cable glands. The adhesive strength of over 2 MPa is significantly higher than that of many standard materials and ensures that the seal retains its integrity, even when gas pressure inside the housing is high, without any critical decomposition products being formed. It also prevents any ingression of moisture. The LSR provides a high level of thermal and chemical stability, ensuring resistance to hot and corrosive battery gases. The filler-free formulation gives the LSR silicone excellent rheological properties, allowing it to be applied precisely using standard mixing and dosing systems as well as static mixers, even on complex 3D geometries. The material has a long pot life of over 24 hours at room temperature with precisely controllable heat-curing characteristics to ease the production process. After application, localised infrared heating up to 140 C can ensure rapid initial curing (<5 minutes) and adhesion. Simultaneously, there is sufficient processing time to seal large EV battery housings or to allow for any production downtime. WEVOSIL 23130 LSR sealant supports reliable sealing of high-voltage battery housings (Image: Wevo Chemie)
12 July/August 2026 | E-Mobility Engineering The Grid components to be separated for reuse or recycling. This is a ‘one-pot’ adhesive and is water-based, so it does not emit organic solvent vapours and does not require a hardener. It is also as strong as other water-based glues. The glue is made in the same way as a paint, but silver particles are added rather than pigments, and this gives the formulation its electrical properties. Other conducting glues exist, and many of these also include silver for optimal conductivity, but none can easily be debonded. The electrically conducting reversible adhesive has a conductivity up to 2.9 x 10 S/m and a lap shear strength of up to 1.5 MPa. Adhesion is reversed by immersing the bonded joints at pH 14. By heating to 85 C and stirring the solution (500 rpm), the debonding time can be reduced to 30 minutes or less. Separation can also be achieved at 85 C at pH 7. Short debonding times can also be achieved at room temperature using acetone, a recognised green solvent. ADHESIVES Researchers in the UK have developed a conductive adhesive that can be easily removed for recycling, writes Nick Flaherty. The team at the University of Newcastle has already demonstrated reversible adhesive technology, but the new glue is electrically conductive. This means that it can join electronic components in the same way as solder. Unlike solder, however, a simple wash with a green solvent like acetone, or using an alkaline solution, allows the Recyclable conductive adhesive 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 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 |
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EV Charging Infrastructure Summit - North America Tuesday 14 – Wednesday 15 July Chicago, USA ev-charging-summit-na.com iVT Expo Wednesday 19 – Thursday 20 August Chicago, USA www.ivtexpo-usa.com Power2Drive South America Tuesday 25 – Thursday 27 August São Paulo, Brazil www.powertodrive-southamerica.com EV India Expo 2026 Tuesday 1 – Thursday 3 September Noida, India evindiaexpo.in icnc26 Tuesday 1 – Thursday 3 September Berlin, Germany intercharge-network-conference.com Energy Storage Summit Germany – Berlin Tuesday 15 – Wednesday 16 September Berlin, Germany energystorageeurope.eu/event/energy-storage-summitgermany-berlin/ IAA TRANSPORTATION 2026 Tuesday 15 – Sunday 20 September Hannover, Germany www.iaa-transportation.com 11th World Battery & Energy Industry Expo Wednesday 16 – Friday 18 September Guangzhou, China en.battery-expo.com 2026 World Charging Technology and Facility Exhibition Wednesday 16 – Friday 18 September Guangzhou City, China www.icps-expo.com CharIN Testival & Conference EUROPE 2026 Tuesday 22 – Friday 25 September Blomberg, Germany www.charin.global/events/charin-conference-europe- 2026-germany E-CHARGE 2026 Wednesday 7 – Friday 9 October Bologna, Italy e-charge.show EV Tech Expo 2026 Monday 12 – Thursday 15 October Detroit, USA www.evtechexpo.com The Battery Show, USA Monday 12 – Thursday 15 October Detroit, USA www.thebatteryshow.com Paris Motor Show Monday 12 – Sunday 18 October Paris, France mondial.paris/en ITS World Congress Monday 19 – Friday 23 October Gangneung, South Korea 2026itsworldcongress.org E-Mobility Awards Thursday 22 October London, UK www.e-mobilityawards.com Electric Vehicle Innovation Summit America Tuesday 3 – Thursday 5 November Toledo, USA america.evinnovationsummit.com Adhesives & Bonding Expo Europe Tuesday 10 – Thursday 12 November Stuttgart, Germany www.adhesivesandbondingexpo-europe.com 14 July/August 2026 | E-Mobility Engineering
15 E-Mobility Engineering | July/August 2026 INDUSTRY The Battery Show North America scales up for 2026 Now in its sixteenth year, The Battery Show returns to Huntington Place in downtown Detroit this October as North America’s largest gathering for advanced battery and electric vehicle technology. With more than 1300 exhibitors, 250+ expert speakers and upwards of 140 hours of conference programming across four days, the 2026 edition reflects an industry navigating a period of significant policy flux, supply chain restructuring, and continued pressure to deliver on performance and cost targets. The show’s five conference tracks cover the breadth of the sector: Advanced Battery Technology; EV Battery and Powertrain Integration; Battery Manufacturing and Gigafactories; Energy Storage Systems and Grid Applications; and Electrified Aviation and Advanced Mobility. The last of these underlines how far the event’s scope has extended beyond the automotive core that defined its early editions. Two new additions distinguish the 2026 programme. An Executive Summit on October 15 offers a closed-door, one-day forum for C-suite leaders to address strategy, market conditions and the regulatory environment – a recognition that the decisions shaping the next investment cycle are increasingly being made at boardroom level. Separately, the inaugural Battery Awards ceremony will mark outstanding achievement across battery and EV technology development. “The Battery Show brings together the minds driving electrification forward, creating a concentrated environment where engineers solve technical challenges, executives forge strategic partnerships and innovators access the insights that will define the next decade of energy storage,” says Shamara Ray, group event director at Informa Markets Engineering. “If you’re building the future of batteries and electric vehicles, this is where critical decisions get made and real progress happens.” Keynote speaker announcements are expected shortly. thebatteryshow.com EV World Dubai Tuesday 10 – Thursday 12 November Dubai, UAE www.evworld.ae electronica Tuesday 10 – Friday 13 November Munich, Germany www.electronica.de Thermal Management Expo Europe Tuesday 10 – Thursday 12 November Stuttgart, Germany www.thermalmanagementexpo-europe.com RE+ 2026 Monday 16 – Thursday 19 November Las Vegas, USA www.re-plus.com London EV Show Wednesday 18 – Thursday 19 November London, UK londonevshow.com Future Battery Forum Tuesday 24 – Wednesday 25 November Berlin, Germany en.futurebattery.eu AABC Monday 7 – Thursday 10 December San Diego, USA www.advancedautobat.com/us electrive LIVE #6: Future Battery Wednesday 9 December Online www.electrive.com/events/electrive-live-6-future-battery IEMDC-2027 Monday 17 – Thursday 20 May 2027 Milwaukee, USA www.iemdc.org Diary
16 July/August 2026 | E-Mobility Engineering Helix’s chief engineer Jim Edwards is using motorsport technology to reduce the size and weight needed for electrification. Will Gray explores further Changing the scales for motors In the world of electrification, battery technology is often cited as the area with greatest opportunity for development. Improvements over recent decades have been clear to see, with EV ranges increasing year on year – but Jim Edwards believes that motor technology has an equally important part to play, particularly in high-performance and heavy-duty sectors. Now, after a career that has slowly grown into electrification, some of his biggest achievements could be just around the corner. Electrification was far from mainstream when Edwards began his career, but he had an environmental focus from the off. In 1994, when he took on his first job at Ford, he analysed drive cycles to minimise real-world emissions for the Escort and Mondeo turbo-diesel engines. Then, when he moved to Milbrook Proving Ground, he worked on optimising a 20-strong range of bi-fuel LPG and CNG vehicles for Vauxhall, before helping to develop the first hybrid bus for London (UK), taking his first steps into the EV space. That project began in 2003, when the city’s focus changed from reducing NOx emissions to reducing CO2 emissions. The client had originally developed a gas turbine bus – which was excellent at achieving the former, but not so good on the latter. So, in response to the change in priority, they came to Edwards and his colleagues with a ready-made design for a rangeextended battery EV and tasked them with optimising its operation. “I was involved in calibrating the hybrid system, looking at the bus architecture and drive cycle, and identifying where we could refine its operation to get the best of it in a real-world application,” he explains. “We set up a model of the London Transport bus cycle and, using the vehicle inertia and drag, we were able to predict the power requirements of the motor and look at how best to operate the engine and battery system – regenerating energy, not fully charging packs so you could regen down the hills, and making sure the engine switched off as often as possible to minimise idle emissions. It was a ‘first-of-a-kind’ system and we got 30% below the baseline CO2 emissions for an equivalent bus per passenger.” Developing hydrogen Edwards’ next project at Millbrook was another bus, but this time with hydrogen fuel cells. His work involved installing hydrogen fuelling infrastructure and running the bus in the Variable Temperature Emissions Chamber (VTEC). Edwards recalls: “The chamber had a rolling road and a big recirculating air system, and it could fit up to three double-decker buses and run them from minus 40 to plus 50 degrees. The bus had several 3 m long hydrogen tanks on the roof, and we knew that if one of the pressure relief vales was to vent in an enclosed space, such as the VTEC, then that could be very serious. So, we set up a lot of hydrogen sensors and made sure everything was vented to the extraction system. The chances were tiny, but you can’t accept that risk.” That hydrogen experience drew Edwards to Intelligent Energy, which at the time was involved in a wide range of developments in the fuel cell space, from putting air-cooled fuel cell stacks Jim Edwards now heads up technical development at motor manufacturer Helix (All images: Helix)
17 E-Mobility Engineering | July/August 2026 Jim Edwards | In conversation sees plenty of potential for hydrogen to fit in within the automotive energy mix. “Currently, there’s not so much spare fuel about to make it really cheap, and the fuel cell stacks require precious metals, so they tend to be expensive. But in places where you’ve got a lot of renewable generation, which has to be stored somehow, hydrogen is a very good way of doing it,” he says. “So, I think it will get into niches where it works well – captive fleets, articulated lorries, trains; any place where you have a defined drive cycle and can put the infrastructure in to suit it. For those cases, it’s a very good zero carbon answer.” Onto electric Edwards’ career journey moved to the battery electric space next, when he joined current employer Helix in 2015. He took on the wide-reaching role of lead engineer, spanning many functions including interfacing with the customer, carrying out technical liaison, analysing drive cycles and managing a crossfunctional team of electronics, electrical and mechanical designers, scientists and workshop technicians. “It was a role that suited generalists,” he says, explaining how he stepped in at such a level despite minimal experience in battery electric technologies. His first management role involved the development of a small e-booster – an electric supercharger. “These traditionally involve an electric motor attached to a turbocharger compressor, geared to around 100,000 rpm,” he explains. “The difficulty is that in a passenger car, you need up to 10 kW to drive it and that causes two problems – the motor overheats as it’s hard to get the losses out of it, and if it doesn’t overheat, the battery discharges because it doesn’t have the capacity for more than 5 or 10 minutes of that demand. “To overcome that, we did a very smart thing. We designed a starter generator, so you could crank and generate electricity on the front-end accessory drive. Then, we designed the motor that drove the compressor wheel, built an epicyclic gear into it and connected the other element through to the pulley wheel on the front-end accessory drive, which meant that the motor only had to do part of the job because the other power was being provided straight from the frontend accessory drive. As a result, the motor is doing less work. “The other thing was that because you’ve got the generator there as well, you can produce the electricity locally and drive it straight over to the wheel at the other side, so you don’t need to take it to a battery pack. You can generate it in real-time, and you can switch off the compressor by changing the speed because it’s part of an epicyclic gearbox. It was a beautiful solution and we were working with Magna Power to bring it to high volume – but it just came to fruition as the automotive industry decided it didn’t want internal combustion engines!” into scooters with Suzuki to producing a tiny 5 W hydrogen-powered mobile phone charger. “That charger was a nice piece of kit,” recalls Edwards. “But unfortunately, it didn’t take off.” Given his automotive background, Edwards’ focus was placed on the development of fuel cell systems for passenger cars. “We had 100 kW, two fuel cell stacks, which were evaporatively cooled using a proprietary technology,” he explains. “The system introduced liquid water as a fine mist, which would evaporate and absorb the heat and pass out the exhaust as a gas. It had a significant power density benefit and we put that system into a vehicle from a premium European automotive manufacturer. Around the same time, we also ran a fleet of five hydrogen taxis for the London Olympics in 2012, taking VIPs into the Olympic village.” The business has since gone on to be successful in air-cooled systems for drones, however, and Edwards still Helix offers a family of electric motors to suit a range of applications Automotive was a focus sector in the early days of Edwards’ time with Helix
In conversation | Jim Edwards 18 The demise of the e-booster project steered Edwards inevitably into pure battery electric projects, the first of which was providing race motors for an electric race series – although he still cannot disclose which one. Using an existing design, which had already gone through the design process, Edwards was tasked with managing the build and the delivery. With that complete, he then moved onto arguably one of his highest profile products: the Aston Martin Valkyrie. Designed by Adrian Newey, when he was still at Red Bull, the 1000 bhp V12engined hypercar was created to mimic the performance of an F1 car as closely as possible – but without Edwards, it quite literally would never have got started. “I did the motor that sits between the clutch and the gearbox and starts the engine,” he explains. “It also delivers push-to-pass capability; it’s a generator; it’s an alternator; it provides the reverse gear capability – because the main engine gearbox does not have a reverse gear – and because it’s a straight-cut gearbox, it provides gear speed matching on the gearshifts. It also allows the car to run at low speed – up to about 12 kph – on electric only. The motor was only 20 kg, but it was 120 kW and it sat on the end of a V12 quite happily for its whole life. For a hypercar, it was a great solution!” The automotive sector was a major part of Helix’s work at that point, but over time the client base has evolved from the original motorsport and F1 focus into a far wider remit, covering everything from defence to marine applications. Automotive, in fact, has dropped away since the Valkyrie project, with more and more OEMs bringing EV development in house, but Helix is still as busy as ever, applying that cuttingedge motorsport-driven mentality to many different industries. Edwards has risen to become chief engineer and is inspired by the acceleration of technology made possible by the company’s background. “Because we’re situated in the heart of the motorsport and F1 triangle, we’ve got access to all of these manufacturers with incredible machining capabilities and an ability to do the ‘what-ifs’ where nobody else would go,” he explains. “We also have a lot of people with a motorsport background in our business – there’s a tidal flow between us and the F1 teams – so our base DNA is in the high-performance arena and I think that is our key differentiator. “There has really been a drive to accelerate technology through motorsport, then filter it down into the more conventional motors. The first motor we did for the race series right back when I started, for example, was making about 100 kW continuous. But within two years, by integrating some of the motorsport technology, we had a motor that was doing 200 kW continuous in the same size. Now in that space, we have 400 kW continuous. So, that technology has moved massively in what many see as a static market.” Small and light Edwards’ core performance targets are exactly the same in every project: reduce the size and reduce the weight – the two focus factors that take highest priority in motorsport. “Our background is in space- and mass-critical projects, so that philosophy has been built into our motors,” he continues. “Moving to something like a train is only a matter of dropping the peak temperatures that you want to see, to give longer life on some of the insulation materials, and suddenly you have a motor that is a tenth or a twentieth of the size of a conventional train motor.” The truly ‘blue sky’ projects carried out at Helix are under the wing of its experimental ‘X Division’, the work of which Edwards describes as “the search July/August 2026 | E-Mobility Engineering Keeping the motor installation weight down is a key criterion for Edwards
19 for the art of the possible.” That then feeds down into the core technology across marine, off-highway, defence and aerospace – creating motors that are smaller and more powerful than ones that have gone before. As a result, Edwards and his colleagues are aiming to bring motor development to the fore, in an industry which all too often simply focuses on new battery technologies as the only real source of advancement opportunity. “If you look at it from an efficiency perspective, it’s all about size and mass,” he concludes. “If you’re using space for motors, you can’t use it for battery or payload – and that goes for every sector. Wherever size and weight are constrained, we can provide a better solution. “That plays particularly to marine projects, which are a bit unusual. In cars, you have a lot of power-to-weight and when people put their foot down, they want to accelerate. In marine, you have a relatively gentle acceleration because there is a massive drag due to the viscosity of the water. So, where in a road car you might put your foot to the floor for 10 seconds but then lift off to maybe 10% throttle, in marine, you go to full throttle and you could be sat there continuously for hours. “That is a completely different drive cycle and it mandates a slightly different configuration, so there is a lot of optimisation opportunity in that area. We’ve worked on E1 Racing and Magic Carpet E, which is a wonderful carbon fibre sail racing vessel that we fully electrified to eliminate the use of a generator while they’re under sail racing. We’re supplying to outboard manufacturers, stern drive manufacturers, catamarans and at least three defence applications for marine operations. “It’s the same for a number of the other applications where they have a conventional system and they either want to improve performance or have quieter operation. That really lends itself to electrification, but often there’s not enough space to put the extra kit in. So, we provide those solutions to customers who need that functionality – and that’s critically important at the moment. “We’ve done quite a few proto-parts for mining vehicles, for example, where electrification brings some indirect benefits that you often don’t think of – like cutting down the energy they usually need to drive air through the mine and taking away volatile fuels that can cause explosive atmospheres. Meanwhile, in construction, many of the vehicles need good sight lines and anything that gets in the way of a driver seeing what’s around their wheels and bucket is a really bad thing for the operator – so as engines get bigger, with more and more after treatment, we can provide benefit to them by putting in a really small motor. “Then there’s aerospace, where we are seeing a lot of interest in space launch vehicles because they’re very mass constrained. That is very much about efficiency and dropping mass because that’s your payload. They can literally put a price-per-kilo on the satellites, so they’re very clear-sighted about that because they’re charged by the kilo. We are also working with jet-engine manufacturers to look at improving the efficiency of gas turbines by having electric support in some areas of their operations, so they’re not constrained in one area when most of the cruising is done in another area. Again, it’s all about minimising mass for those applications and that plays really well to our core strengths.” It is clear, then, that there is plenty of scope for electric motor development in all industries – however, recent changes in magnet licensing in China are threatening to put pressure on that development. To Edwards, though, this presents an opportunity to revisit assumptions around motor design. “It will change structures to some extent, so the future is going to be about making the best of low or zero magnet content and different magnet materials,” he concludes. “That will probably be the next impact on motors. “A lot of automotive manufacturers don’t use magnets at all, but that tends to lead to a bigger motor and they can handle that because the cost is reduced and they have space. High-performance vehicles and the other industries I mentioned don’t have that luxury. So, I believe it will certainly impact those premium motors, but in terms of how we get around that, we will ultimately achieve the same efficiency and improve power in different ways – I have no doubt about that!” E-Mobility Engineering | July/August 2026 Helix is now electrifying everything from defence vehicles to sailing vessels
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