Volkswagen is continuing its push towards electric vehicles by unveiling a new generation of drive units for its Modular Electric Building Kit MEB. The German automaker’s rear-axle drive APP550 promises improved efficiency and more power than previous models.
The drive unit, manufactured by VW Group Components in Kassel since mid-March, delivers up to 210 kW and 550 Nm of torque. This is a considerable improvement on the engine variant used in most MEB models to date, which has a power output of 150 kW and 310 Nm.
VW recently released images of the new electric drive system being tested in the ID.7 before its world premiere in early April. Efficiency was the focus, and the automaker has now revealed further details about the system.
The drive unit’s design remains largely the same, with a pulse inverter integrated into the motor housing, rotor, stator, cooling jacket, gearbox and gearbox housing. However, all components have been further developed. The APP550 achieves high torque through an improved stator with a high number of windings and a larger wire cross-section. Thin and optimised laminated plate packages increase efficiency.
See also: Volkswagen announces updates for MEB platform, come with 435 miles of range and 200 kW fast charging
The rotor is equipped with a stronger and higher-capacity permanent magnet to cope with the resulting torque. The pulse inverter has also been adapted to “provide high phase currents,” while thermal management has been improved.
In addition, polished and specially shaped helical gears are to reduce gearbox losses, and there is a friction-optimised bearing in the gearbox housing. The result of these improvements is a drive system that achieves significant improvements in performance and efficiency despite being subject to the same constraints.
Karsten Bennewitz, Head of Drive and Energy Systems in Technical Development, said, “That was a great challenge for the team of Technical Development and Group Components. The result shows that we were able to reduce the use of raw materials, while at the same time achieving a considerable increase in vehicle efficiency.”
See also: Ford Teases Upcoming Electric Vehicle Based on Volkswagen’s MEB Platform
As a result, the new drive generation should enable VW’s ID. models and other MEB vehicles to achieve a higher range with the same battery size. The first vehicles with the new drive generation are set to arrive by the end of the year. Although no specific models are mentioned, it is likely that the new ID.7 will be among the first to feature the drive, with a rear-wheel-drive ID.3 GTX receiving the variant later.
