German automotive supplier Vitesco Technologies has announced that it is using its EMR3 electric axle drive for the first time outside the passenger car sector.
The company is supplying the electric axle drive for the high-performance three-wheeler Twike 5. According to the company, the highly integrated system has been in production since 2019 and has already been chosen for over 20 vehicle models from European and Asian manufacturers.
Twike 5 combines power and efficiency, and it can deliver zero to 100 km/h in 3.8 seconds, consuming 6.9 kWh per 100 km.
The start of production is planned for mid-2022, the company said. In the current development status, the two-seater will accelerate to 100 km/h in 3.8 seconds, with a top speed of 190 km/h.
As a result, the combined power consumption according to WLTP is only 6.9 kWh per 100 kilometres, and the combined range will be more than 400 kilometres (information based on current simulations, depending on the selected battery variant).
The third generation of the EMR (Electronics Motor Reducer) is a compact, lightweight unit that consists of a permanent magnet synchronous motor, the power electronics (inverter) and a reduction gear (reducer).
This scalable electric drive that mobilises up to 150 kW of power and a torque of 2,900 Nm weighs only 76 kilograms; its dimensions (40 x 35 x 55 cm) are barely larger than a piece of carry-on luggage.
Moreover, the highly integrated system does not need any plugs or cables when connecting the motor and inverter, contributing to its robustness.
Hilko Hakvoort, Head of the High Voltage Drives product line, Vitesco Technologies, said, “The integrated electric axle drive from Vitesco Technologies is an innovative yet fully developed technology, as shown daily by the many production vehicles equipped with it. The use in the Twike 5 shows how diverse the potential applications of EMR3 can be. With its minimal space requirements, low weight and riding pleasure, it’s tailor-made for this small, lightweight high-performance vehicle.”
Martin Moescheid, Managing Director and shareholder of Twike GmbH, said, “In addition to performance, efficiency was also of central importance to us. The EMR3 has a high degree of efficiency in all load ranges, which means that we can achieve very low consumption values. In addition, this drive unit is particularly lightweight, extremely robust and easy to modify. The background of existing high-quality volume production also made a significant contribution to our decision.”