BMW is the industry
benchmark. It is every vendor’s aim to have BMW heading its reference list.
And
so it is at UK transmission specialist GKN, although it was Porsche which gave
the technology the initial spurt. Now other automakers are set to follow the
trail struck by the Munich-based automaker.
As production gathers momentum at the
company’s eDrive production facility in Bruneck, Italy destined for the first
application, namely BMW 2 Series Active Tourer PHEV, so the line will gearing
up for other OEMs.
GKN Driveline claims several new C-Segment
vehicles will offer the[1]
option of plug-in electric all-wheel drive using the British company's latest
electric axle drive (eAxle) technology.
The eAxle is an evolution of systems developed
for hybrid supercars employing electric all-wheel drive to boost performance
and efficiency.
With GKN having secured orders for a major
global platform it was only to be expected others would not be long before they
followed suit.
GKN Driveline chief executive Phil Swash
confirms the close ties GKN has been able to establish with BMW.
“From the i8 to the 2 Series Active Tourer,
GKN’s work with BMW reflects our position as the development partner of choice
for the coming wave of plug-in hybrids with eAWD,” said Swash.
“Our total focus on driveline innovation, our
unmatched expertise in all-wheel drive and our 14 years of production
experience in eAxles are now making eAWD viable in smaller, more affordable
vehicles,” claimed Swash. “GKN Driveline continues to bring the future of
eMobility into the here and now.”
GKN says its new electric axle drive has been “optimized”
for compact car applications. The lightweight single-speed design has a
transmission ratio of 12.5:1, reducing the electric motor speed in two stages.
The system can generate up to 2,000Nm and 70kW
of additional torque and power – adequate for a vehicle’s pure electric mode to
achieve speeds of up to 125km/h.
It can provide an all-wheel drive (AWD) mode
that can accelerate a vehicle “considerably faster” than conventional mechanical
AWD systems, according to GKN.
The complete unit weighs 20.2kg and has a
length of 457mm, a width of 229mm and a height of 259mm, assisting packaging
and installation in confined spaces.
When hybrid operation is not required, the
e-machine can be disconnected from the driveline by an integrated disconnect
device, which uses an electromechanically actuated dog clutch. This minimizes
rotating losses at higher vehicle speeds when disengaged.
GKN says it has “optimized” gear and bearing
arrangements for efficiency, NVH and durability, no doubt driven also by BMW’s
demanding requirements.
Consequently, precision engineering throughout,
including a low backlash, high performance transmission differential and case
ensures transitions between pure electric, hybrid and ICE modes appear “transparent”
to the driver.
The latest generation of GKN eAxles offer a
step forward in terms of performance, size and cost. For many front wheel drive
vehicle platforms, it is now more simple effective to electrify the rear axle
than to bolt on a hybrid module to the main transmission.
GKN Automotive president of engineering Peter
Moelgg, claims GKN’s eAxle technology is “passing a key milestone” in its
evolution at a time when “demand for all-wheel drive and plug-in hybrids is
strengthening”.
He further claims the latest system “advances
the business case” for electric all-wheel drive capability in hybrids.
“A number of automakers are introducing our
technology on their premium models and starting to transfer eAxle hybrid
versions of higher-volume models,” he adds.
eAxles can transmit electric torque directly
to the vehicle’s wheels, providing more immediate response and dynamic acceleration.
Input speeds of 14,000rev/min are now possible and are expected to exceed
20,000rev/min in the next few years – far higher than is possible with hybrid
transmissions – as demand for smaller systems emerge.
GKN launched its first eAxle applications in
2002. The company was awarded Official Porsche Technology Partner status for
its contribution to the plug-in hybrid Porsche 918 Spyder program. It launched
the world’s first two-speed eAxle in the plug-in hybrid BMW i8 and also
supplies the eAxle on the Volvo XC90 T8 Twin Engine PHEV program.
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