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GKN Touts Improved Electric Axle for Small Hybrid Cars
GKN plc says it has improved its eAxle technolgy to make it easier for carmakers to develop plug-in hybrid variants of compact cars.
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GKN plc says it has improved its eAxle technology to make it easier for carmakers to develop plug-in hybrid variants of compact cars.
The new system is an evolution of the design GKN provides for the Porsche 918 Spyder and BMW i8 plug-in hybrid supercars and the plug-in Volvo XC90 premium SUV.
Weighing 46 lbs, the new eAxle is about 25% lighter than its predecessor. The compact system also is more efficient and less expensive, according to GKN. The company attributes the improvements to unspecified software and hardware advances.
The eAxle can cut a vehicle’s carbon dioxide emissions by more than 50% to less than 50 g/km, the supplier notes. At the same time, it says, zero to 62 mph acceleration can be trimmed by several seconds.
The single-speed module can be integrated into the rear assembly of a front-wheel-drive vehicle platform, with the two-stage system providing as much as 65 kW of additional power. An electromechanically actuated clutch disconnects the electric motor at higher vehicle speeds, and an open coupling minimizes rotating losses when disengaged.
GKN’s existing all-wheel-drive technology helps optimize torque distribution.
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