Electrified Motors receives funding to support e-axle development

Electrified Motors has secured funding from the UK Department of Trade, facilitated by the Advanced Propulsion Centre and Innovate UK, for Project E-Axle.

This will see the company carry out development of a scalable and integrated electric motor and axle system for off-highway and last-mile on-road electric vehicles.

The program will combine motors from Electrified Motors with next-gen e-axles from Schafer Industries.

Current product line of permanent magnet motors includes the 193 Series IPM motors (Photo: Electrified Motors)

“At Electrified, we see huge opportunity in rethinking how motors and axles are designed as a single system rather than separate components,” said Jim Winchester, managing director.

“With the support of the Advanced Propulsion Centre UK, Project E-Axle allows us to apply our motor IP in a way that delivers significant improvements in efficiency, size and cost for OEMs.”

The system will use PMAC motors developed by Electrified Motors. These units operate at up to 144 V, said to make them ideal for off-highway and last-mile vehicle applications.

A focal point of the project will be the depth of integration between the motor and the axle assembly, which is intended to reduce part count, cost and packaging space.

One element of this will see transmission oil within the axle used to cool the electric motor, which will remove the need for external coolant loops and reducing the size of the motor unit.

Overall, the E-Axle system could reduce the motor footprint by up to 70%, while delivering efficiency improvements of about 15% when compared to non-integrated solutions.

Ian Constance, CEO, Advanced Propulsion Centre UK (APC), said: “This multi-million pound support package is more than an investment in technology; it is an investment in the people, skills, and companies that will define the future of clean transport. Together, we are building the foundations of a competitive, resilient, and sustainable automotive industry.”

In an interview with Power Progress earlier this year, Jim Winchester spoke more about development of the Electrified Motors portfolio and plans for the company’s new manufacturing facility. Click here to read this article.