ModulED

Modular Electric Drivetrains

In October 2017, the project ModulED (Modular Electric Drivetrains) started with the target to develop an innovative electric drive module for the third-generation electric vehicles. The three-year, €7.2 million project was funded by the Horizon 2020 program of the EU.

The ModulED consortium is composed of 9 complementary partners from 6 different European countries including key members of the automotive-industry value chain (BRUSA, Punch Powertrain, ZG, Siemens, Efficient Innovation), universities (Chalmers, TU/e, RWTH) and research institutes (CEA Leti und CEA Liten). A modular and highly integrated drive module with innovative motor technology, the latest GaN inverter technology and advanced cooling was developed. It will enable meeting vehicle-owner requirements, making manufacturing more efficient and to reducing environmental impact and vehicle costs. The developed drive module was prototypically built and functionally tested in a BMW i3.

At ika, an innovative, holistic design methodology for powertrain systems was developed as part of the project. Through an integrated and automated component design, it is possible to capture the complex physical dependencies between the components already during the design process and thus determine application-optimal and matching drive module concepts.

Publications made in the context of the project:

Holistic Design of Electric Drive Modules for Vehicles (Jonas Hemsen, Daniel Kieninger, Lutz Eckstein), FEMAG Anwendertreffen, 15.11.2018, Friedrichshafen, Germany

Automated Design and Optimization of Transmissions for Electric Vehicles (Daniel Kieninger, Jonas Hemsen, Sven Köller et al.), MTZ Worldwide, 11, 94–98, 01.11.2019
DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s38313-019-0126-9

Innovative and Highly Integrated Modular Electric Drivetrain (Jonas Hemsen, Daniel Kieninger, Lutz Eckstein et al.), World Electric Vehicle Journal, Vol. 10, Issue 4, Article 89, 09.12.2019
DOI: http:/doi.org/10.3390/wevj10040089

The Highly Integrated ModulED Drive Module: Holistic Concept Design (Daniel Kieninger, Jonas Hemsen, Gordon Witham), Dritev - Drivetrain for Vehicles 2020, I-27 - I-44, 25.06.2020
DOI: https://doi.org/10.51202/9783181023730-I-27

Advanced Electric Powertrain Cooling Contributing to Powertrain Efficiency (Patrick Debal, Christoph Massonet, Jonas Hemsen et al.), 29th Aachen Colloquium Sustainable Mobility 2020, 06.10.2020

Development of a Shiftable High-Speed E-Drive with a Complex-Compound Planetary Gear Set (Franz-Thomas Mitterer, Subramanian Ram Gowthaman, Gordon Witham et. al.), 30th Aachen Colloquium Sustainable Mobility 2021, 06.10.2021