MUNICH: Global German technology company ZF has developed the High Revolution Drive, a compact 3-in-1 electric drive that spins at up to 30,000rpm, so it's smaller and lighter than conventional drives while delivering the same power.
The new drive concept builds on ZF's existing SELECT platform, so automakers can bring it into new vehicles faster and at lower development cost.
ZF is already in talks with several automakers and is targeting production by 2030.
“The High Revolution Drive draws on ZF’s full systems expertise,” says ZF head of E-Mobility business unit Thomas Meiser.
“Rather than optimising individual components in isolation, we systematically coordinate the electric motor, power electronics and transmission.”
The High Revolution Drive is designed as a variant of the modular SELECT platform and uses existing technologies.
This keeps product costs predictable while giving automakers flexibility in how the drive is produced.
“With SELECT, we do not have to start from scratch for every new drive variant,” says Meiser.
“We use our modular system to tailor new concepts to different customer requirements.”
The motor speed of the High Revolution Drive is significantly higher than that of conventional systems.
Higher speeds make noise and vibration harder to control.
ZF tackles this with decades of gear and transmission experience.
ZF addresses these challenges through the coordinated design of the components.
“Robustness and low noise and vibration levels were stringent development targets from the outset,” says Meiser.
“To achieve this, we considered the electric motor, gearing, bearings and tooth geometry as an integrated system. For the configuration presented, 30,000rpm is the economic and technical sweet spot.”
The High Revolution Drive is nearly 25 percent smaller and nearly 25 percent lighter than a comparable SELECT drive running at 18,000rpm.
The required magnet mass is reduced by 50 percent, which lowers costs and reduces dependence on critical supply chains.
Even at high rotational speeds and with a high gear ratio, the system achieves an efficiency of nearly 93 percent, on par with the comparable SELECT system.
The lower weight also helps increase electric range.
The focus is on the high-volume passenger car market, with drive outputs of 150 to 200kW (204PS to 272PS).
The architecture is scalable for different power ratings and for both 400- and 800-volt systems.
