Next Generation AISIN eAxles to Halve in Size

AISIN Europe is exhibiting its 80kW eAxle at IAA Mobility 2025, Versions are available for both front-wheel drive (FWD)
and rear-wheel drive (RWD) and installing the latter together with the FWD eAxle equips a vehicle with fully electric four-wheel drive (e4WD).

The eAxle story
AISIN developed its first integrated drives in the 1980s, ahead of all its competitors. At that time, the
nature of future environmental challenges was unknown, and as a consequence it was difficult for
the company to set specific goals for the new product. However, AISIN used its technological
experience in fields such as automatic and hybrid transmissions and their control to drive progress in
what was believed would be a beneficial direction. More than ten advanced development units of
various types were made, along with trial vehicles in which to test performance, resulting in a
prototype unit comprising a gearbox integrated with an electric motor.

That integrated gearbox and electric motor concept is now known as the eAxle, and its first
commercial application was in Toyota’s Crown Majesta electric vehicle in 1993. Further development
continued to refine the product, and in 2019, AISIN established a joint venture with DENSO named
BluE Nexus Corporation, a company dedicated to developing, adapting, and selling eAxles. AISIN
eAxles have been used since 2020 in a variety of BEVs and fuel cell electric vehicles (FCEVs).

Future development strategy: the third generation eAxle
With the second generation, AISIN has successfully developed a full line-up of compact eAxles to
meet the needs of a wide customer base with targets of 30% higher efficiency, 40% reduction in size,
and 100% more power than others in the market. Longer term, the outlook is a highly ambitious
one, aiming to achieve the position of world number one in research and development for electric
vehicles by 2030.

In third-generation eAxle terms this will translate to a drastic reduction in size with even higher
efficiency, using novel downsizing and packaging technology. The aim is to reduce eAxle bulk to
around half the volume of the first generation – and if this is not already innovative enough, there
are plans to integrate even more components with AISIN’s Xin1 concept.

Beyond third generation: Xin1
Allied to development of the third generation eAxle is Xin1, AISIN’s generic term for an eAxle that
combines multiple components or functions into one. The current mainstream eAxle is a 3in1
product that combines electric motor, gearbox and inverter, but additional components that could
be integrated include a power converter, the thermal management system, and control functions
related to vehicle motion. This could see the eAxle linking and coordinating with products for driving,
turning and stopping, to improve safety and power efficiency while also enhancing driving comfort.
Next Generation AISIN eAxles to Halve in Size

Integrating multiple components means that the individual casings of components, together with
the cables and piping that connect them, are no longer needed. The result is a reduction in overall
size with lower weight and improved power consumption efficiency. This will allow greater freedom
in vehicle design; the increased efficiency can extend a vehicle’s driving range, or allow the installed
battery capacity to be reduced, benefiting interior space. A further advantage is a reduction in cost
due to fewer parts and lower usage of construction materials. Staying ahead of the competition

AISIN has more than half a century’s experience of pursuing high efficiency and miniaturization in
transmission development, by innovating technologies to make components smaller and more
efficient and developing many functional components in-house from the material stage up. These
unrivaled strengths and abilities will continue to keep AISIN at the forefront of eAxle development.

About AISIN Europe S.A.
Part of the Toyota group, the AISIN Group comprises of six core companies. As one of the prominent
leaders in Original Equipment automotive parts manufacturing, the AISIN Group has around 120 000
employees in 200 + associated global subsidiaries and is ranked 7th in the world as OEM Automotive
Parts Suppliers. The AISIN Europe OE division is based in Belgium in Braine L’Alleud.