Focus on…

Focus on...

Lightweight materials

Dan Fleetcroft explains how selecting the right materials can minimise an EV’s weight to maximise its endurance. Consumer interest, combined with the world’s growing concern about the environment, is accelerating the development of electric and hybrid vehicles, driving electrification into multiple industries. Government targets on emissions are having as impact on...

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Onboard Chargers

EV users who need to prioritise safety and running costs should look to onboard chargers. Rory Jackson examines the engineering and technology inside them. The viability of electric and plug-in hybrid vehicles depends on how quickly, efficiently and safely their battery packs can be recharged. At the moment, the charging times are...

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Radial flux motors

The latest trend in radial flux motor design is to boost power density while reducing cost. Nick Flaherty explains how it’s being done. The radial flux motor is the workhorse of e-mobility. The basic structure of a static rotor (stator) driving a moving rotor in a radial magnetic field is used in different form factors and power ranges for all kinds of...

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Inverters

Nick Flaherty explains the issues involved in developing inverters for different types of vehicle. The design of an inverter for an electric vehicle depends very much on the application. Full electric, hybrid, commercial bus and...

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Insulation

With the need for thermal and electrical insulation in electric vehicles set only to grow, Rory Jackson outlines the options available. With EVs and HEVs being designed now for longer ranges and heavier loads, so batteries are emerging that provide increasing quantities of energy. Most often, that means...

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Cables

There is a complexity to producing cables for EVs that some may find surprising. Rory Jackson has the details. The importance of cables for channelling power and data throughout electric and hybrid vehicles over thousands of hours cannot be overstated. However, before selecting and specifying cable requirements, the mechanical stresses they...

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Axial flux motors

Axial flux motors have many EV design advantages over their radial flux counterparts, as Nick Flaherty explains. A new type of motor is gaining traction in the e-mobility sector – the axial flux type. For many years they have been used in stationary applications such as elevators and agricultural machinery, but over the past decade a number of developers have been working on improving...

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Testing and simulation systems

Rory Jackson explains how various test methods work, why they are important and how EV developers can set up their own facilities. Throughout the course of electric and hybrid vehicle development, it is important to remember that the overall system consists of a number of different parts, each in need of...

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Battery management systems

BMS technology is still evolving, so EV designers need to know the nuances of incorporating one into an electric powertrain. Nick Flaherty reports. A battery management system (BMS) is key to the reliable operation of an electric vehicle. The functions it has to handle vary from balancing the voltage of the battery cells in a pack to monitoring temperature and...

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Thermal Management 2018

Nick Flaherty explains the issues surrounding the design and manufacture of temperature control systems for electric powertrains. Thermal management is a key part of the design and construction of an electric platform, whether it be ground-based or airborne. The thermal performance of the electronic control system, battery management system and battery packs determines...