March may mark the start of the spring season for most of us – but in Sweden, temperatures are still well below zero with icy road conditions during the day – and e-Traction Europe BV intends to take full advantage of the conditions.
The in-wheel direct drive motor company has started a new development projection with Hybricon SE to equip two Volvo 7700 city buses with the e-Traction system for cold weather testing. The idea is to test how the system, as well Hybricon’s TheWheel SM500/3 motors, and Valence lithium-ion batteries, respond to extremely cold conditions.
The motors include integrated power electronics; with water-cooled electronics and up to 11,000Nm of peak torque. The basic system has a motor length of 555mm and is used in heavier applications for city buses, freight trucks and industrial applications.
Meanwhile, the e-Traction system is also being developed for automotive applications including city cars. Known as the SM470/1, it will have an average overall efficiency of 86 per cent and 600-900Nm of torque depending on the model.
