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Schaeffler AG: New drive for electric mobility: The 4in1 electric axle from Schaeffler - Seite 2

The supplier realizes further efficiency benefits by bringing in a new heat pump, which is operated with the natural refrigerant, carbon dioxide. Not only does carbon dioxide have less impact on the environment than conventional refrigerant, it also has physical characteristics, which allow more efficient heating and cooling of vehicles. “By means of our 4in1 electric axle with an integrated thermal management system, we can achieve an even higher efficiency level of the complete system,” says Schröder. An efficiency level of up to 96 percent is possible in an optimally designed system. Each additional percentage point translates into an increased range.

Electric drives – from the individual component to the complete system
With its 4in1 electric axle, Schaeffler is developing its most comprehensive drive system for electric cars so far. “Such highly integrated complete systems are attractive for both established automobile manufacturers and new players,” says Schröder. This allows a reduction in the development time and the costs for the complex new development of the entire drive. Nevertheless, the company will continue to offer to its customers individual components and subsystems for electric and hybrid drives such as electric motors, transmissions, bearings, and the thermal management system. The range also includes the combination of two or three drive components. Schaeffler is therefore opening up a particularly large market, especially since in the future electric axles will be used in vehicles ranging from passenger cars through to light commercial vehicles – with purely electric drives and drives based on fuel cells. This would extend also to tailored electric axles and components for the electrification of commercial vehicles and heavy-duty applications.

For the electrification of medium-duty pick-up trucks, particularly for the North American market, Schaeffler is developing and will manufacture an electric beam axle. In the electric beam axle, the electric motor, transmission, power electronics, and the entire rear axle are connected to each other and supplied to the customer as a ready-to-fit unit. Axles like these are more than two meters wide. Schaeffler has already secured its first orders for electric beam axles from automobile manufacturers. The company is therefore entering a new market segment for electric axle drives.