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Continental has developed a new sensor technology that measures the temperature inside permanently excited synchronous motors in EVs directly on the rotor. The company says its e-Motor Rotor Temperature Sensor (eRTS) delivers significantly more precise measurement results than the current software-based temperature simulation. This should enable vehicle manufacturers to reduce the amount of rare earth elements used to increase the magnets’ heat resistance.

eRTS contains two separate components: a wireless mote temperature sensor unit located close to the magnet in the EV motor; and a wired transducer element located outside the EV motor. It is connected to the inverter control.

Rotors operate under extreme conditions—sometimes at temperatures of up to 150° C—so monitoring and controlling temperature development in EV motors is crucial. Currently, heat development is not measured directly, but calculated based on information from the stator temperature sensor, phase current measurements and environmental variables. This measurement method has with a tolerance range of up to 15° C. To protect the magnet from demagnetization due to excessive temperature, expensive rare earth elements are used to cover the entire tolerance range and ensure the magnet is heat-resistant. The new eRTS sensor technology allows the tolerance range to be reduced to 3° C. This means that car manufacturers could substantially reduce their usage of costly rare earth materials—or alternatively, improve motor performance by pushing the limits of the tolerance range.

“Our E-Mobility Sensors product center aims to increase efficiency and sustainability in electric vehicles,” says Christoph Busch, head of Continental’s Product Center. “The eRTS technology is a good example of this: reducing the use of rare earths contributes to a more sustainable supply chain. In combination with other sensor technologies, such as the e-Motor Rotor Position Sensor, it can even act as a system solution to create synergies that can save car manufacturers money and effort.”

Source: Continental

UK-based Electric Miles has officially launched the next evolution of its charge point management system, originally called Admin Miles. The new product, dubbed emPACT (Electric Miles Platform for Accelerating Clean Technologies), is “a smarter, more powerful CPMS designed to transform how businesses, fleet operators and bus depots manage EV infrastructure and electric fleets.”

emPACT enables real-time control of EV chargers, diagnostics, maintenance, and smart energy management. Electric Miles is already rolling out the new product with launch customers including Ryze Power and Vestel Mobility.

emPACT is white-label-ready and fully OCPP 2.0.1 compliant. Fleet management features include smart charging, dynamic scheduling, dispatch planning and telematics integration. The system includes an array of diagnostics and maintenance tools, as well as firmware updates, warranty and sales support. It handles multiple payment system including contactless, QR code and in-app payments.

“We’re already working with DSOs [electricity Distribution System Operators] and have successfully delivered over 2,000 grid flexibility events—proving that emPACT can respond to real-time grid signals, shift EV charging intelligently, and unlock recurring revenue for both our B2B customers and the drivers they serve,” said Arun Anand, CEO of Electric Miles. “emPACT represents a significant leap forward in EV infrastructure management—it’s a key component of a broader smart energy ecosystem.”

Source: Electric Miles

US-based test and measurement firm Tektronix has introduced its EA-BIM 20005 Battery Impedance Meter equipped with advanced multi-sine stimulus technology, enabling impedance measurements at multiple frequencies simultaneously.

The EA-BIM 20005 can also perform sweep measurements, offering flexibility in testing approaches. The meter can test up to 20 channels with fast multiplexing and has a front panel showing 20 channels for electrochemical impedance spectroscopy (EIS) measurements, plus 20 channels for temperature sensors.

It features industry-standard interfaces and a compact design for seamless integration to help engineers to enhance accuracy and efficiency in battery testing workflows.

The EA-BIM 20005-10-20 model offers a frequency range from 1 MHz to 10 kHz, providing more information than fixed 1 kHz systems. This allows for a comprehensive analysis of battery cell behavior under various conditions, according to the company. The system’s AC stimulus can reach up to 10 A (peak-peak), making it suitable for testing cylindrical, pouch and prismatic cells.

Every EIS channel is accompanied by a high-precision 4-wire PT100 temperature measurement channel. This integration allows for simultaneous tracking of impedance and cell temperature, providing a more holistic view of battery performance and health.

The meter is designed to work seamlessly with cycle testing systems. Its integrated power stage enables the charging and discharging of cells with a current of +/- 1 A. For higher currents, it can also be used along with high-power battery test systems such as the EA-BCTS. The system can always remain connected, recognizing the influences of cabling and power stages of battery testers, thus eliminating the need to disconnect and reconnect cables for each test.

“By providing fast, accurate insights into Li-Ion battery cell quality through high-throughput battery impedance testing, this system enhances the efficiency and reliability of battery testing workflows,” Tektronix said.

Source: Tektronix

China Huaneng has put into operation a 100-unit unmanned electric mining truck cluster it calls “Huaneng Ruichi” at its Yimin open-pit coal mine in Inner Mongolia using a large-scale 5G-A based vehicle-cloud-network.

The unmanned vehicle eliminates the cab, has a load capacity of 90 tons and can operate continuously in harsh temperatures as low as -40° C, protecting personnel and equipment from harsh environments and reducing safety risks.

The 5G-A network provides a 500 Mbps uplink and 20 milliseconds low latency, providing precise network coverage for high-definition video backhaul and cloud scheduling for the trucks. The network will be expanded to support more than 300 unmanned trucks to achieve 24-hour uninterrupted production.

China Huaneng has formed a consortium with Xuzhou Construction Machinery Group (XCMG), technology company Huawei Technologies and State Grid Smart Vehicle Network to jointly create its intelligent open-pit mine transportation system and replace oil with electricity.

Huawei said it will continue to work with Huaneng, XCMG, State Grid and other partners to provide artificial intelligence (AI) algorithms for open-pit mine operations, enabling accurate perception of unmanned vehicles and efficient collaboration in the cloud.

Source: Huawei

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US EV battery developer Sion Power has installed a new large-format battery cell production line, developed in partnership with Mühlbauer Group.

The cells demonstrate the scalability of the company’s lithium anode technology for EV manufacturers and represent a step toward commercializing its Licerion battery.

Licerion doubles energy density compared with graphite and silicon anode chemistries, according to the company, and is expected to reduce the cost of a 200 kWh pack by 35% through a 15% cut in cell material costs and a 20% reduction in cell count.

The new fully automated manufacturing line will produce large-format battery cells exceeding 50 amp-hours, increasing throughput and enhancing stacking, sealing, and anode preparation precision. It will have the capacity to produce 75 MWh of 56 Ah cells annually.

Sion Power previously used an automated assembly line to produce various cell formats, including lab-scale and six-amp-hour cells, while using a semi-automated line for larger-format cells. Adding the new line enhances production efficiency and quality control for larger-format cells, which are essential for validating performance, cycle life and manufacturability at scale, the company said.

The new line supports Sion Power’s continued technological development and testing across various cathode chemistries, provides high-capacity cells for strategic partners conducting their own testing and supplies potential commercial partners with large-format cells to evaluate Licerion.

“Our Licerion technology unlocks the potential of lithium metal to leapfrog current graphite and silicon anode solutions,” said Pam Fletcher, Sion Power CEO. “We will provide large-format test cells with both LFP and NMC cathodes for our US and global customers, including our strategic partners like LGES as well as global battery cell manufacturers and automotive OEMs, at a much higher rate while maintaining the quality standards required for next-generation battery development. This is a significant step in developing lithium metal chemistry and helps ensure we will be volume production-ready in 2028.”

Source: Sion Power