Author: Marc Ziegler

News from 19th International MTZ Congress on Future Powertrains

Focus on the Electric Powertrain

Participants at the MTZ congress on Electric Powertrains and Energy Systems discussed the relevant topics for the industries. Politicians also had their say and answered questions from the floor in the panel discussion. 

In his introductory remarks, Prof. Peter Gutzmer, publisher of ATZ/MTZ and scientific director of the conference, emphasized that all those who committed to electric mobility early on had to overcome many obstacles. The number of BEVs on the road and sold has fallen far short of expectations and targets, for which a number of reasons can be found, including high costs, the sluggish expansion of infrastructure and the inconsistent payment structure at charging stations. Nevertheless, Gutzmer is certain that by the end of the decade, acceptance of electric driving will grow significantly, especially if the technological range of alternative electrified drive options increases. In his view, technological competition is crucial here.

The Challenge of Low Temperatures

Lars Hentschel, Head of EAE at Volkswagen, opened the keynote session. He discussed the influence of ambient temperatures on the range of BEVs and the reduction in driving range caused by low temperatures. European temperatures range on average between 23 and -7°C. At 23°C, BEVs achieve 100 % of their range; at -7°C, it is significantly reduced by about 20 to 25 % due to many individual factors. Temperature alone accounts for about 5 %. Physically, air resistance increases by 11 % due to higher density at cold temperatures. Added to this is the higher rolling resistance of winter tires, which is 51 % higher than that of summer tires for safety and traction reasons. Air conditioning accounts for a further 13 % of total range loss, which is similar to the losses that occur throughout the entire drivetrain, regardless of temperature. Lubricants and their viscosity have only a relatively small influence, but they are also temperature-dependent. Overall, air conditioning and additional comfort-related consumers, as well as increased rolling resistance, are responsible for 80 % of the range reduction. Hentschel sees by far the greatest range potential in thermal management, which is why he is focusing the greatest development efforts here.

A Ban on Combustion Engines is Counterproductive

The second lecture of the day was given by Dr. Norbert Alt, COO and Executive Vice President of FEV. His lecture was titled "ICE-ban? Solutions for today, tomorrow and the day after tomorrow?" Alt reminded the audience that the 1.5°C target, which was presented in 2020, has already been exceeded. Rather, we now seem to be heading towards 4°C, despite the measures that have already been taken. Different areas of transportation could be electrified to varying degrees. Furthermore, according to Alt, it would be desirable to use only climate-neutral fuels from 2045 onwards. This means that many technologies, including various hybrid and electric vehicles, can achieve a similarly low global warming potential. Alt would only like to rule out the gasoline engine powered by fossil fuels. In fact, the quantities of renewable liquid fuels are minimal, so the task of producing the required quantities is gigantic. He therefore sees the BEV as the only relevant option, even with an extended outlook to 2045 and the increased use of hybrid concepts such as PHEVs and, based on the BEV, range extender electric vehicles (REEVs). In view of the necessary hybrids, a ban on combustion engines would be counterproductive.

Development Potential of SDV

In the third keynote speech, Marc Sens, Senior Vice President at IAV, gave an outlook on the further development of the drive system through the use of the Software Defined Vehicle (SDV). In this context, functions that are currently more familiar in cell phones would be introduced into the vehicle, above all cloud-based solutions with constant connection and communication. This not only allows the vehicle to be constantly updated, but also personalized. The total number of control units in the vehicle will also decrease enormously (zone architecture), while the computing power of each individual unit will increase. The aim is to increase efficiency and durability, customer satisfaction, sustainability and safety. This new structure and architecture are particularly difficult for established manufacturers to implement, while new providers can adapt directly to the conditions. Problems arise, despite all the freedoms and possibilities, in the areas of cyber security and software development for applications, especially if these are to be provided by third-party providers. The collected data from the vehicle, such as driving style, battery status and comfort options used, can then be used by means of a digital twin to provide the driver with recommendations on how to increase battery life. Sens sees the greatest advantages in monitoring the fleet in order to increase the sustainability and longevity of the vehicles.

In Dialog with Politics

The keynote session was finalized by Isabel Cademartori, Transport Policy Spokeswoman for the SPD Parliamentary Group, which is currently in coalition negotiations. Since the negotiations are still ongoing, she was unable to make any specific statements about possible funding measures or technology bans, but according to her, an open, in-depth discourse between politics, science and industry in the technological field is urgently needed and desirable in order to enable effective CO₂ savings. She did not rule out purchase incentives for battery electric vehicles, even though BEVs are already being intensified by tax measures such as reduced company car taxation. However, she said that it would not be a sensible approach to exclude a technology that demonstrably reduces CO₂. Cademartori saw the development of the charging infrastructure as a particular challenge, although the fast-charging network along the highways is already large enough to function reliably. However, in Germany, where many people rent their homes, there is still a lot of catching up to do when it comes to charging options in apartment buildings.

read news and articles about related topics