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German carmaker Volkswagen has announced the launch of a new electric powertrain for its ID. family of vehicles. The new power unit, called the APP550 rear-wheel drive, has been completely redesigned and is based on Volkswagen’s modular electric drive (MEB) matrix, which is tailored specifically for electric models. The new powertrain has an output of […]
German carmaker Volkswagen has announced the launch of a new electric powertrain for its ID. family of vehicles. The new power unit, called the APP550 rear-wheel drive, has been completely redesigned and is based on Volkswagen’s modular electric drive (MEB) matrix, which is tailored specifically for electric models.
The new powertrain has an output of 210 kW (286 PS) with a maximum torque of around 550 Nm. This is a significant increase in power and torque compared to the previous powertrain, which will result in improved acceleration and higher top speeds. In addition, the new powertrain is more efficient, which means that it will also offer increased range.
The higher torque is achieved thanks to an enhanced stator with a higher number of windings and a larger wire cross-section, as well as a more powerful permanent magnet in the rotor. The inverter, which acts as the controlling “brain” in the powertrain, was also developed to supply the high phase currents needed for greater power and efficiency.
In order to increase the efficiency of the electric drive, Volkswagen optimized a number of components in the powertrain, including the thermal management system. The new drive has an energy-saving cooling system that operates without an electrically driven oil pump and is able to cool itself via the gearbox and specially formed components for oil supply and distribution. This helps to reduce energy consumption and increase efficiency.
The new powertrain will be produced at Volkswagen Group Components plant in Kassel, Germany. The plant has been developing electric drive motors and their gearboxes for 15 years and has also been producing them for over 10 years. According to Alexander Krick, Head of Technical Development E-Drive, Power Electronics & Transmission at Group Components, the new electric powertrain represents a significant increase in efficiency and performance, drawing on the company’s many years of experience to optimize the overall system through the use of special electrical sheets and customized machining processes.
Karsten Bennewitz, Head of Powertrain and Energy Systems in Development at Volkswagen, said that the new powertrain was a great challenge for the team of Technical Development and Group Components because they were compelled to develop a new drive that achieves significant improvements in performance and efficiency in spite of being subject to the same constraints. The result shows that they were able to reduce the use of raw materials while achieving a considerable increase in vehicle efficiency.
The new electric powertrain is a part of Volkswagen’s efforts to electrify its entire product range. The company has committed to investing €35 billion ($41 billion) in electrification by 2025, and it aims to sell 1.5 million electric cars per year by 2025.
The first vehicles with the new drive generation will be delivered by Volkswagen from the end of the year. The company will offer a 210 kW (286 PS) version of the powertrain initially. The new powertrain will be available for the ID.3, ID.4, and ID.5 models.
Volkswagen’s launch of the new electric powertrain for its ID. family of vehicles is a significant step forward in the company’s efforts to electrify its entire product range. The new powertrain offers higher performance and improved efficiency, which will result in improved acceleration, higher top speeds, and increased range. The new powertrain is a testament to Volkswagen’s commitment to investing in electrification, and it is expected to play a significant role in the company’s efforts to achieve its goals for electric vehicle sales by 2025.
