• Previous
  • Next
  • Leichtbauwerkstoff

    Leichtbauwerkstoff

    Carbon

  • Gehäuse einer Traktionsbatterie in

    Gehäuse einer Traktionsbatterie in

    Leichtbauweise

  • Kohlenstofffaser

    Kohlenstofffaser

    Verbundwerkstoffe

Climate protection and limited resources demand new solutions for the mobility of the future. The electrification of the powertrain offers an opportunity to reduce emissions. Moreover, in combination with information and communication technologies, it enables future mobility concepts.

Prototyp E MotorPrototype of an electric motor in lightweight design (sectional model)

An essential component of the electric drive train is the energy storage system. As one of the largest and heaviest components in electric vehicles, the traction battery places special demands on efficient use of space and offers opportunities for weight reduction through lightweight construction. Safety must also be guaranteed, for instance, in the event of a fire. In addition, electromagnetic interference caused by the power electronics must be avoided.

Long charging times are regarded as a central obstacle to the broad acceptance of electric vehicles. For this reason, rapid charging systems with charging capacities of up to 350 kW are currently under development and should be available as early as 2020. Due to this high power, new challenges arise for the cooling system of traction batteries.

The goal of the project is the conception and development of a lightweight traction battery system, which serves as a prototype for the e-mobility of the future through the use of innovative construction methods and processes.

20190328 BatterieboxExample of a traction battery in fiber composite design

Approach

The central elements of the product development process are: virtual modeling, and simulative validation of the battery system. Parallelly, the manufacturing processes are further developed and characterized. The components and processes are then validated using demonstrators.

Consortium

The consortium of Fraunhofer institutes and the institutes of the KIT bundles all competences that are necessary for a holistic view of the battery system. The areas of design and simulation will be taken on by the department New Drive Systems at the Fraunhofer Institute for Chemical Technology ICT and by the Institute of Vehicle Systems Technology at KIT. This forms the basis for a virtual modelling of the battery system. The electrochemical and thermal characterization of the battery cells by the department Applied Electrochemistry at ICT, as well as the mechanical characterization of the composite materials by the Institute of Applied Materials - Materials Science and Engineering at KIT provide the necessary parameters for the modeling.

The project flyer is available for download here