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Auve Tech Iseauto | Dossier in Japan, best known as the e-motor supplier to Mitsubishi’s i-MiEV series since 2009. One central drive inrunner motor sits at the back, powered by a lithium-ion battery and an inverter sized for the appropriate voltages. The e-motor produces a peak power of just under 35 kW, although during operations the Iseauto tends to use around 5 kW, and rarely exceeds 10 kW. A small gearbox is used to convert some of the motor’s high rpm into a slower speed with more torque for the axle; the Iseauto is rear-wheel drive. Its engineers have found this sufficient for the driving tasks and conditions it has worked in, with in-wheel motor simulations being way off the mark in terms of how much torque they produce above what the taxi actually needs. “We don’t need fast acceleration or torque vectoring, just fast braking, and with our low weight a small single e-motor is all we need for that,” Mossov notes. Certified COTS automotive parts have been used for the MacPherson suspension struts and the steering rack. This approach ensures inexpensive and easy access to replacement parts, and that r&d resources are not needed for new items that are already widely available and well-understood in the automotive world, and would have to go through lengthy certification processes if they were made from scratch. Low-temperature fuel cell As discussed, the Iseauto has two options for its energy storage architecture: hydrogen gas or lithium-ion batteries. While the original Iseauto prototype was battery-electric, the development of a hydrogen-electric powertrain has been pursued for two key reasons. “First, if you try to deploy a lithium- ion battery pack in extreme conditions, such as anywhere really warm or really cold, a big part of the energy is lost by compensating in the battery pack and cabin,” Mossov explains. “In the Estonian winter, for example, the cabin heating is turned up quite a bit, while in a southern European summer the air conditioning and battery liquid-cooling are both turned up by a similar amount. “In fair weather, the battery-electric Iseauto gives up to 8 hours of running between charges. But harsh environmental conditions can take almost half of that away.” That alone motivated Auve Tech to seek alternatives to pure battery energy storage. Hydrogen gas quickly came to mind, not only for its insensitivity to outside weather conditions but for the fast and hence convenient speed with which a hydrogen powertrain can be replenished. Once plugged in at the back, rarely more than 5 minutes are needed to refill any batch of hydrogen tanks, compared with 6 hours of AC charging for the 16 kWh battery pack. Designed and Manufactured in the USA Phone: 410-732-3500 Email: [email protected] www.Acutronic.com | www.SullivanUV.com Standard designs range from 1 00 W to over 10kW Custom systems in as little as 10 weeks SullivanUV is now Acut ronic Power Systems, part of the Acutronic Gr oup. Acutronic Power Systems designs and manufactures electrical power systems for un manned vehicles that provide industry leadin g power density and operating efficiency. • Alternators • Starters • Starter-Alternators • Power regulation electronics • Battery management • Hybrid propulsion • Other related systems Acut ronic Power Systems See us at AUVSI Booth #1729 Design through manufacture We are experts in providing full-service composite solutions to bring your vision to life. Core capabilities: › Full-scale development › Composite manufacturing › Large scale machining and tooling www.fibreworkscomposites.com +1 (704) 696 1084 [email protected] Composite Factory: ISO9001/AS9100