Renesas Electronics has teamed up with Nidec for the industry’s first ‘8 in 1’ e-axle proof of concept (PoC).
The e-axle combines eight functions with a single RH850/U2B microcontroller and power management IC (PMIC) rather than separate devices for each function to significantly reduce the cost and size.
The PoC integrates a motor, a gear (reduction gear), a 70 to 100kW inverter, a DC/DC converter, and an on-board battery charger (OBC). System-level testing was also completed to ensure its performance. Renesas will show a live demonstration of the new E-Axle design at electronica 2024 in Munich this week.
This follows a 6-in-1 design developed by the two companies last year.
By integrating multiple functions, the E-Axle system can reduce system size and weight, simplifying EV design. Renesas provided key components, including semiconductors and a reference design for the 8-in-1 E-Axle system. Renesas also plans to deliver turnkey semiconductor variants based on the reference design and verified through this PoC.
The IGBT-based Renesas inverter has a maximum efficiency of 99 percent or higher; a 1.5kW output DC-DC converter, a 6.6kW OBC; a power distribution unit (PDU); a battery management system (BMS); and Positive Temperature Co-efficiency (PTC) heater control for cars.
“Having a single ECU manage an electric powertrain control unit will help lower the weight and cost of the system, reducing the number of components,” said Ryuji Omura, Senior Vice President, Deputy Chief Technology Officer and Head of the Nidec Semiconductor Solutions Centre.
“We were able to develop the world’s first PoC that controls an 8-in-1 system with a single MCU, and we are grateful for the Renesas team’s passion and collaboration on this project. This project made us realize the importance of developing a scalable design methodology, as the levels of X-in-1 system integration vary from segment to segment. By modifying the software configuration for multi-core MCUs, we expect to build the foundation for an X-in-1 platform that can flexibly accommodate various combinations.”
Alongside the 32bit RH850/U2B for motor control and supporting PMIC, the PoC uses the RAJ2930004AGM isolated gate driver, an IGBT module for the inverter and power devices for the DC/DC converter and OBC.
“We are thrilled to deliver the world-class 8-in-1 E-Axle solution and have successfully verified its operational performance in collaboration with Nidec,” said Chris Allexandre, Senior Vice President and General Manager of Power at Renesas.
www.renesas.com; www.nidec.com
Leave a comment