Scania, a provider of transport solutions, handed over its stage at the 34th Bauma trade fair in Munich to its new all-electric and hybrid power systems for the construction and mining sectors.
The new offerings will complement Scania’s existing range of fuel-efficient combustion engine options.
In addition, Scania and Cometto, a manufacturer of self-propelled modular transporters, are teaming up to launch a self-propelled platform for heavy load transportation operations, one also powered by a fully electric Scania solution. The first customer for the SPMT has already been announced: Mammoet, the world’s largest heavy-lifting company.
Scania demonstrated its full range of zero-emission and fuel-efficient power solutions at its booth at Hall B4, including the Scania-Cometto vehicle.
The Bauma—“Bauma” is shorthand in German for Baumaschinen, or construction equipment—is a triennial trade show that offers an opportunity for companies to show off their newest innovations in off-highway electric vehicles to the construction machinery, building material machinery, mining machinery and construction vehicle industries. More than 3,500 exhibitors from 57 countries were in Munich to present their latest wares.
Perkins Engines, an international company known for its diesel engines, is exploring a range of new powertrain technologies, and several of these are on display at the bauma 2025 trade fair in Munich.
New products being highlighted at the show include fuel-flexible internal combustion engines, hybrid power solutions, alternative-fuel power systems, electrification offerings, digital service, and lifecycle solutions.
One particularly interesting new product: a battery-electric power unit, which is making its debut at bauma as a technical demonstrator in a McElroy TracStar 900i pipe fusion machine. This plug-and-play power unit is designed to enable off-highway OEMs to seamlessly transition from diesel to battery-electric powertrains.
“We’re actively helping customers navigate the shift in power system requirement, with a range of advanced power systems, including electric, diesel-electric and alternative-fuel-compatible engines,” says Jaz Gill, VP of Global Sales, Marketing, Service and Parts. “The battery-electric power unit can be dropped into a machine to replace a diesel engine. The system consists of a Perkins battery along with inverters, motors and on-board chargers—all packaged into a compact drop-in system to support a seamless transition from diesel to electric.”
The new power unit has been put to the test in a McElroy TracStar 900i pipe fusion machine as a commercial demonstrator—the electric power unit replaces a 3.6-liter 904 Series diesel engine. It fits within the same chassis space and has the same mechanical connection and electrical interface points as the diesel engine it replaces.
In Munich, Charged chatted with Paul Muller, Technical Sales Manager at Perkins, to learn more about the electric power unit and the company’s approach to alternative fuels for off-highway equipment.
Muller highlighted that Perkins’ strategy is a collaborative approach. Instead of prescribing one-size-fits-all solutions, the company actively engages with OEM partners to understand their unique requirements and needs. This collaboration extends to testing real-world applications, assessing performance data, and providing actionable insights to manufacturers. By doing so, Perkins ensures each solution is practical, efficient, and meets specific operational criteria.
EV battery pack voltages are increasing, resulting in greater pack energy density and improved vehicle performance. With this increase, however, comes a greater need for dielectric solutions that are not only reliable and durable, but complement modern pack design and the needs of manufacturing processes.
The Avery Dennison Volt Tough Portfolio of dielectric PSA tapes for EV batteries addresses these needs. The next-generation Volt Tough Stretch offering provides manufacturers with a dielectric solution that’s stampable, conformable, resistant to tearing, and accommodates the heat flow needs within the pack.
Prevention of electrical arcing in EV battery packs is critical
The evolution of EV battery pack voltage and energy density has been pivotal in enhancing vehicle performance and range.
Today’s EVs utilize battery packs operating at 400V or 800+V. This enables faster charging times and more efficient power delivery to the motor. Concurrently, improvements in energy density — the amount of energy stored per unit of mass or volume — have allowed for lighter, more compact battery packs that can store more energy.
Prevention of electrical arcing has always been a core safety concern in battery pack design. With this growth in pack performance, however, prevention has become imperative to prevent short circuits; thermal runaway; or electrical hazards for the driver, passengers, and service technicians.
An overview of traditional dielectric protection solutions
Robust, cost-effective dielectric protection solutions are thus needed, and EV battery manufacturers have employed a variety of methods. The most common are dielectric coatings (applied by spraying or dipping), or pressure-sensitive (PSA) tapes utilizing dielectric films such as PET or polyimide.
These coatings and tapes can be applied to the internal components of a battery pack to prevent unintended electrical conduction. They ensure battery packs can operate effectively in diverse conditions, improving their performance and longevity, and enhancing driver and passenger safety.
Dielectric coatings have enjoyed an added advantage over film tapes due to their ability to be easily applied to stamped metal parts with complex geometries. As manufacturers continue to evolve their designs, conformability has become an increasingly important requirement for dielectric materials.
Shortcomings of traditional conformable dielectric solutions
Dielectric coatings can indeed be effective electrical insulators in modern EV batteries, and they are highly appealing due to their conformability. However, these coatings do have shortcomings that can affect the manufacturing process and the overall effectiveness of the battery pack design.
Better conformable dielectric solutions are needed that allow manufacturers to avoid these shortcomings. PSA tapes with stampable dielectric films, designed to be stamped and formed with their underlying substrates, are just such a solution.
Evaluating stampable dielectric tapes against competing dielectric technologies
A new type of PSA tape technology is now available that addresses these shortcomings. This tape features a highly conformable dielectric film facestock that is fully compatible with metal stamping processes.
The tape can be applied to a metal blank (manual or automated application process), then stamped along with the blank. The result is a formed metal part with dielectric protection already applied. Unlike coatings, the PSA tape and its conformable dielectric film resist damage or cracking in the press.
In testing completed at the Avery Dennison Performance Tapes laboratory, an ISO-9000 facility, samples of a PSA-based dielectric protection solution were applied to aluminum sheet metal blanks. The samples were then stamped to test the durability of the tape under various pressures typical of industrial metal stamping. In all cases, the PSA solution withstood applied pressures, even in extreme instances when sufficient pressure was applied to crack the aluminum substrate.
Here’s how this new technology compares to traditional dielectric solutions.
There are a host of challenges associated with dielectric coatings, including:
Limited assembly line flexibility
Increased waste and cost
Lack of conformability to complex parts/shapes
Limited space in battery pack due to dielectric coating thickness
Large physical equipment footprint
Easily torn or cracked
Thankfully, Stampable dielectric PSA tapes provide an alternative to the above challenges, through the following solutions:
Less labor-intensive process and faster assembly line
Lower scrap rates and higher production rates
Stampable tapes combine high elongation at break and high tear resistance
Stampable dielectric PSA tape provides significantly more dielectric strength per unit of thickness compared to a typical dielectric coating
Physical footprint for tape application is significantly less than what is required for coating application
Very high elongation at break combined with high tear resistance.
Introducing Next-Generation Volt Tough Stretch | A PSA-based stampable dielectric solution from Avery Dennison
Avery Dennison has developed and introduced a PSA-based dielectric protection solution. Part of the company’s Volt Tough portfolio, this tape is the next generation of the Volt Tough Stretch PSA dielectric tape (Avery Dennison part number FT 0031).
This solution is designed to accommodate a wide range of needs while addressing key challenges for electrical insulation in battery packs. Importantly, this new tape solution is highly compatible with metal stamping processes and other metal-forming techniques.
Put simply, next-generation Volt Tough Stretch can be applied to a metal blank, then stamped into a complex shape without significant risk of the tape cracking, tearing, or sustaining any other type of damage.
Like all PSA tapes, next-generation Volt Tough Stretch is easy to apply and reposition, features a thin profile, and is durable for the life of the battery.
Applications
Next-generation Volt Tough Stretch can be used for bonding and protection in various applications throughout a battery pack. It has been increasingly used with cooling plates and pack structures.
Pack structural components
Flexible and rigid busbar and cell connection systems in EV battery assemblies
Various cooling components, including chill plates and cooling ribbons
Avery Dennison solutions for EV battery manufacturing
The Avery Dennison EV Battery portfolio includes various functional bonding and protection tapes built on multiple PSA technologies. These are engineered to make EV batteries safer, more efficient and easier to assemble.
The portfolio can help manufacturers solve some of the most common challenges in battery design and construction, including reducing flammability, boosting dielectric strength and design/assembly optimization.
Beyond bonding
Avery Dennison Performance Tapes offers extensive support beyond its product portfolio. This includes providing converters and end users with access to testing and collaboration with subject matter experts to develop unique solutions for EV Battery applications.
Doosan Bobcat, a US-based manufacturer of farm and construction equipment, has signed a memorandum of understanding with LG Energy Solutions that will allow it to enter the battery pack business.
The move will accelerate the vertical integration of core components, the company said, allowing it to collaborate with LG to make standardized battery packs for compact construction equipment.
The news comes on the heels of the signing of a technical assistance agreement with CosMX in February 2025 that enabled Doosan to secure technologies for battery pack design and manufacturing.
“Through this MOU, the two companies will collaborate for standardized lithium-ion battery packs and solutions for compact construction equipment and supply them to key markets including North America,” Doosan Bobcat stated. “Specifically, LG Energy Solution will provide lithium-ion battery cells or modules, while Doosan Bobcat will add battery management systems and package them to standard battery packs optimized for compact construction equipment.”
The West Fargo-based concern, one of the few major manufacturing companies operating in North Dakota, was founded in 1958 by Louis and Cyril Keller. The company began to use the Bobcat brand name in 1962 on a 440-model loader. The current owner, Doosan, manufactures and sells skid steer loaders, compact excavators, side-by-sides, compact tractors, mowers and other small hydraulic equipment under the Bobcat brand.
Charged recently chatted with Bobcat Company’s Vice President of Global Innovation, Joel Honeyman, to learn more about the design of its electric platform.
EV charging infrastructure provider NovaCHARGE debuted its new Flexx Mobile DC Fast Charger by Charge Rigs at the recent Electric Vehicle Charging Solutions (EVCS) conference in Las Vegas.
The Flexx Mobile DC Fast Charger is designed to deliver rapid, efficient charging that fleet operators and emergency response teams can count on. In some cases, for example in emergency/disaster response applications, EV batteries run low and drivers are unable to get to EV chargers, so the charger must go to the driver. In times of natural disaster, Flexx mobile chargers can be deployed along evacuation routes ahead of storms, then redeployed close to locations where supplemental EV charging is needed after the storm.
The Flexx Mobile DC Fast Charger features rugged engineering to ensure dependable performance in demanding environments. It’s designed to be easily transported while withstanding tough conditions, and it’s adaptable to a broad range of applications, from fleet management and commercial installations to emergency rescue.
“At NovaCHARGE, reliability is at the core of everything we offer,” said CEO Oscar Rodriguez. “The Flexx is an example of our commitment to providing robust, high-performance charging solutions that businesses can depend on. Whether it’s for a fleet, a remote location, or an emergency response, the Flexx ensures that EVs are always ready to go—no matter the situation.”
If you’ve ever driven your Tesla with a sleeping baby (or adult!) in the back seat, you might already love this feature. Joe Mode is Tesla’s quiet solution for parents, road-trippers, and anyone who wants a more peaceful ride.
So, What Is Joe Mode?
Joe Mode is a setting in Tesla vehicles that lowers the volume of in-car alerts and chimes, especially those that aren’t critical to safety. Things like seatbelt reminders, Autopilot sounds, and other system alerts get toned down—but the important ones stay loud enough for the driver to hear.
It’s a small tweak that makes a big difference when you’re trying not to disturb your passengers.
The Backstory: Who’s Joe?
In true Tesla style, the feature was inspired by a real Tesla owner who reached out on Twitter in 2019. He tweeted at Elon Musk:
“Elon can we get the auto lane correction feature without sound? Young kids in car, want to keep feature on but not wake them up.”
Elon replied:
Hoping to get “Joe Mode” into V10. The default, of course, is normal volume, but selecting “Joe Mode” would lower the volume of strident beeps & chimes by half.
Engineering consulting company Ricardo has designed, developed and tested a prototype electric propulsion module, Alumotor, a synchronous reluctance motor that does not contain critical raw materials such as rare earths or cobalt.
Alumotor was delivered within Innovate UK’s funded consortium, led by Ricardo, which aims to address issues related to the environmental impact of materials for electric motors.
The motor uses aluminum hairpin windings, and the machine is oil-cooled to generate a power output of 214 kW and maximum efficiency greater than 92%, making it suitable for light commercial vehicles and off-highway applications. Full scalability also makes it suitable for other applications.
Dr Dragica Kostic-Perovic, Ricardo Chief Engineer responsible for the Alumotor project, said: “We are excited to be at the forefront of testing aluminum hairpin windings, and are achieving strong performance data that will support future go-to-market activities.”
Dutch semiconductor company Nexperia has introduced a series of AEC-Q100-qualified general-purpose low-dropout (LDO) voltage regulators that have ultra-low quiescent current, high tracking accuracy and protected outputs capable of direct connection to vehicle batteries.
The LDOs are thermally enhanced and can generate a stable voltage source under cold-crank conditions for ripple-sensitive loads in automotive applications including infotainment systems, ADAS, telematics and lighting systems. The tracking LDOs’ output protection enables use in body control modules, zone controller units and power train systems, even in scenarios involving off-board loads such as sensors.
Consuming just 5.3 μA (typical) quiescent current at light load and 300 nA (typical) shut-down current under disabled mode, the LDOs are suitable for powering always-on components like microcontrollers (MCUs), controller area network (CAN) or local interconnect network (LIN) transceivers in standby and CAN-wake systems.
The tracking LDOs further address off-board or off-PCB powered scenarios, such as powering sensors. For ratiometric sensing or measurement applications, the tracking LDOs deliver exceptional output accuracy, tracking supply voltages of analog-to-digital converters (ADCs) or MCUs within ±5 mV.
The general LDOs generate a stable (±2% accuracy) 3 V or 5 V output from a wide input voltage range of 3-40 V, allowing them to be connected directly to a car battery without the requirement for additional pre-regulation. Integrated protection features include short-circuit, overcurrent and thermal shutdown and these LDOs can operate over a -40° C to 125° C (ambient) and -40° C to 150° C (junction) temperature range. The series also features devices with a power good (PG) output voltage status monitor that can be used to support functional safety-related system designs.
The NEX90x30-Q100 LDOs provide 300 mA of output current capability and are available in a choice of packages including the thermally enhanced, bottom-side cooled 8-pin HTSSOP package measuring 3 mm x 3 mm and a DFN6 package measuring only 2 mm x 2 mm.
For lower loading current applications, NEX90x15-Q100 devices with 150 mA output current capability are more cost-effective and offer flexible package choices of SOT23-5, SOT223-4 and HWSON6 (DFN-6). The tracking LDO NEX91207-Q100 has a 70 mA output current and comes in SOT23-5 and SOT23-5S packages.
Automotive and industrial equipment manufacturer FEV is working with 18 global partners from the automotive and metal industries in the MeGiCast consortium project to investigate the potential of gigacasting (large-scale die-casting) for more efficient vehicle body production.
Aluminum die casting of entire modules allows for efficient production and reduces development and production times. FEV is taking this approach one step further and developing highly integrated body designs with the aim of reducing costs, weight and carbon emissions.
The MeGiCast consortium partners are analyzing a front section in gigacasting design and comparing it with a modern multi-material approach. The applied hybrid manufacturing technologies could achieve weight savings of up to 18%.
FEV has developed a hybrid manufacturing technique that uses large sheet metal components for flat structures and applies reinforcements using the casting process. This creates a front part made from three components up to 18% lighter than a variant based on gigacasting alone.
The reduction in component weight offers advantages but also poses challenges because of the complexity of the cast parts, high investment costs, production requirements and questions regarding service life, according to FEV.
“FEV is working on integrated design approaches that take into account customer-relevant safety and quality requirements as well as production-related aspects,” said Christian Kürten, Managing Director of FEV Vehicle. “These include simplified assembly, a reduced number of variants and an optimized cost structure in production.”
Delta Electronics, a provider of power management and Internet of Things (IoT) smart green products, has launched its next-generation DC Wallbox 50 kW EV charger.
The upgraded model for public and commercial charging applications is designed to deliver advanced functionality and an optimized user-centric experience, enabling seamless and efficient charging for operators and drivers.
The charger integrates a certified energy metering system and a credit card terminal for ad hoc payment, simplifying the payment process for EV drivers and ensuring accurate billing.
A new charging status light on the front panel provides clear, real-time visual indicators to help EV drivers easily identify available charging points. Delta’s cable management system minimizes clutter, protects cables from wear and tear and facilitates easy access.
The Wallbox supports simultaneous DC charging through two output guns to accommodate a wide range of EV models and optimize usage turnover. Its slim 25 cm profile makes it suitable for space-constrained locations. Built-in Ethernet and wireless communication enable efficient remote management and maintenance.
“By integrating payment systems, enhancing usability, and prioritizing safety, we are delivering a new benchmark in quick and convenient public and commercial EV charging,” said Arto Suni, Senior Director Electric Vehicle Charging Solutions at Delta Electronics EMEA.
Portfolio of dielectric PSA tapes for EV batteries addresses these needs. The next-generation Volt Tough
