ZF unveils ultra-compact vision of EV future

Automotive technology supplier ZF has unveiled a prototype electric vehicle powered by what it claims is the most efficient e-drive technology currently on the market.

All of the components for the so-called EVbeat concept vehicle  - which is based on a Porsche Taycan – have been designed for maximum compactness, low weight, and maximum efficiency in real operation.  And at the heart of this is an ultra-compact 800-volt e-drive system - the EVSys800 - consisting of silicon carbide power electronics, the electric motor and a reduction gearbox.

Weighing 74kg and delivering a torque density of 70 Nm/kg, the drive saves 50 millimetres in width thanks to the compact reduction gearbox and patented ‘Braided Winding’ technology of the electric motor, which takes up a total of ten per cent less installation space. According to ZF, the winding head alone is up to 50 per cent smaller than with conventional approaches.

The system also boasts an innovative thermal management system that increases the range of the vehicle by upto a third in freezing winter conditions. Dubbed  TherMaS, this technology uses a central unit and intelligent software to control all thermal processes for the driveline and passenger compartment. The new design significantly reduces space requirements and weight compared to previous approaches for cooling and heating e-cars and features an 800-volt propane based heat pump said to require significantly less energy than alternative approaches.  

Another key area of innovation has been in the software technology that networks all of the systems together and connects to ZF internet cloud systems. According to the company by learning the behaviour of drivers and anticipating the probability of individual driving profiles through an AI-based cloud service the software can further optimise the performance of the system and - for example - advise drivers on how to use the electric vehicle efficiently.

“Our goal was to make this drive as compact and lightweight as possible while maintaining high driving dynamics and increasing efficiency in real-world operation,” said Dr Otmar Scharrer, Head of Development for Electric Driveline Systems at ZF. “In terms of torque density, we are at the top of the podium when we compare ourselves with e-drives for passenger cars currently available on the market.”