ZF: Smaller, lighter, more powerful - new electric drives for passenger cars and commercial vehicles

The supplier from Friedrichshafen presents the latest generation of electric drives for passenger cars and light commercial vehicles. It aims to set new standards with outstanding power density and energy efficiency. ZF intends to achieve this due to numerous innovations at both the component and system levels. These include the compact design of the drives, the so-called "discrete approach" in power electronics, and resource-saving material usage, which also makes the production of the drives more sustainable. With the modular concept, the new ZF electric drives are intended to flexibly and tailor-made support automobile manufacturers in further electrifying their model range. For end customers, the new technologies will offer higher efficiency, more power, and shorter charging times.

System approach anticipates market requirements

According to Markus Schwabe, product line manager Electrified Powertrain Systems, ZF is already developing its comprehensive product range for pure electric drives with a focus on the functions desired by customers and end customers. To better and faster meet the highly diversified market demand, the technology group now presents a new generation of electric drives, which is based on a modular overall concept with an electric motor, inverter, transmission, and software.

"We rely on three basic systems that almost perfectly meet the main requirements of our customers, namely efficiency, performance, and costs, even in the standard version," explains Markus Schwabe. "On this basis, we can optimally implement further individual customer requirements in e-vehicles of all segments."

The power electronics achieve a balance between a high degree of component commonality and high adaptability with the so-called "Discrete Package Technology". Customization takes place at the chip level: a discretely constructed ZF inverter is built with individual power semiconductor switches. This modularity offers better scalability of performance than is possible with complex integrated power modules. Additionally, ZF's "Discrete Package Technology" requires fewer different types of components than the use of conventional power modules.

Resource-Saving and Efficient

With a new, highly integrated electric motor, ZF once again increases the power density compared to currently available technology on the market. A new cooling concept and a new winding technology play a crucial role in this. Thanks to the new cooling concept, ZF lets oil flow directly around the copper rods – precisely at the spot where most heat is generated during operation. Such highly efficient cooling significantly increases performance while maintaining the same weight and installation space. The continuous output of the electric motor is brought to 85 percent of peak performance. This also largely eliminates the need for heavy rare earth metals, making the electric motor more sustainable to produce. The braided winding technology, an advancement of the so-called "hairpin" rod winding, allows for an overall 10 percent reduction in installation space. The winding head alone becomes about 50 percent smaller compared to conventional approaches. This results in about 10 percent less raw material being processed.

"The great interest of manufacturers in our products, both in the passenger car and commercial vehicle sectors, is impressively confirmed by our high order backlog in the high-voltage business. With the next generation of electric drives, we are consistently continuing our strategy to develop sustainable and efficient mobility for the future," explains ZF board member Stephan von Schuckmann, who is responsible for e-mobility within the company.