Nexteer Automotive announced a new eDrive product line with the launch of a 48-volt integrated belt-driven starter generator (iBSG) which, it said ‘hybridises’ conventional internal combustion engine (ICE) vehicles.
The company said in a statement its “innovative, cost-effective approach helps OEMs meet emissions and fuel efficiency regulations and enhances driving comfort for end consumers”.
The launch eDrive product line leverages the supplier’s decades of experience and expertise with existing product lines such as electric power steering (EPS) and conventional driveline.
For development of its 48-volt iBSG eDrive, the company used its expertise in motors, controls, software and electromechanical systems integration.
Jun Li, president of the Asia Pacific division and global VP of the eDrive product line, said in a statement: “By leveraging our know-how in our existing technologies, we have developed an integrated, cost-effective eDrive solution for OEMs around the globe.”
Nexteer said it had already won a contract for iBSG with “a leading Chinese domestic OEM, with plans for production in the first half of 2022”.
“This launch creates a foundation and entry point for the company’s exploration into additional eDrive applications and customer expansion,” it added.
“The launch of our eDrive product line enhances our ability to help OEMs meet fuel efficiency and emissions regulations which vary among global markets,” said CTO Robin Milavec.
The iBSG is an integrated electromechanical propulsion system connected to the engine crankshaft through a belt. It is equipped with an electric motor, power electronics and control software. This “compact, cost-effective device” serves as an additional power source which hybridises ICE vehicles.
As with rival supplier’s systems, iBSG improves fuel economy by using the motor to increase the efficiency of an ICE vehicle. The system also recoups kinetic energy during deceleration and returns this during acceleration to boost the ICE output and fuel efficiency.