Looking beyond the electric powertrain to digitization of the whole vehicle

Electrification is reinventing the vehicle platform. There is much more to it than replacing the propulsion system.

The whole platform is being digitized – electric vehicles are computers on wheels. This means that current market leaders are having to reinvent themselves at all levels, from supply chain to customer relations. Vehicle shapes are also not dictated by an engine and gearbox – which creates a new market for purposed-designed vehicles like micro cars for urban commuting.

Digitization is also creating demand and opportunity for companies which were not previously part of the automotive value chain. An example is IRP Systems, which is adapting aircraft technology to electric vehicles.

Automotive Industries (AI) asked Moran Price, Founder and CEO of IRP Systems, how the company came to be in the automotive sector.

Price: We were actually pushed by some big automotive players into the field. We started our journey in the aerospace industry where we developed electric airborne powertrain systems for aircraft. With aerospace we want components to be as compact as possible and as light as possible. And of course, it must be very safe and reliable.

About four years ago, the automotive industry started to reach the inflection point in terms of electrification. We started to get very strong demand and interest from the automotive players, both traditional automotive players and newcomers to the industry to see how our technology can be utilized in automotive platforms.

It was realized that that the core benefits we were able to demonstrate in aerospace in terms of cost and footprint were very relevant for automotive electric platforms.

AI: How important is it to make electric mobility technology affordable?

Price: It’s the only way to reach a carbon neutrality or to reduce emissions. If we only focus on high end platforms, we will never be able to make a significant enough impact. The common denominator in urban mobility is cost sensitivity.  If we don’t provide an affordable electric alternative, it will be very difficult to convince the majority of the market to make the shift. It has to be both environmentally friendly and economical.

IRP has proven this in the Indian market, where we signed a deal with Sona Comstar to bring to affordable electric powertrain systems to the price-sensitive Indian market.

AI: What are the priorities for EV adoption?

Price: Cost is the number one priority. Performance (e.g. range) and driving experience are also key factors that must be addressed in order to accelerate adoption.

As an industry, we also but we need to investigate other supply chain factors. The electric platform is quite different to the internal combustion engine in terms of the supply chain. The vehicle is becoming more like a PC or a smartphone with wheels.

That means the supply chain is becoming closer to that of a PC. So, we need to make sure we as industry are prepared for this change, and that we have secured the supply of semiconductors and CPUs and all the other electronic components that we need in order to build an electric car.

AI: What are the biggest challenges?

Price: It’s not enough to offer the consumer or the OEM governmental incentives for electric vehicles. While incentive programs are very effective in generating initial demand, they will not last forever. There must be a technological way to make the vehicle affordable and attractive without artificial incentives or penalties. This is the essence of IRP’s technology. We’re providing high performance and high efficiency at reduced cost.

The challenge for many OEMs is to keep up with the pace of change. This creates opportunities for start-ups, because they are used to working fast and adapting to market changes.

AI: What’s unique about TrueDrive technology?

Price: Basically, it’s a unique combination of hardware and software. Our technology controls electric motors quite differently to what is common in the market. We combine this software with unique hardware topology of the inverter, and the electric motor.

This combination of hardware with unique software algorithms enables us to use less material for a smaller hardware footprint than similar platforms, while improving performance and maintaining reliability and flexibility. A more compact electric motor reduces the cost as we use less material, while higher efficiencies mean that you need less battery power for the same performance.

Another major advantage of TrueDrive’s technology is the supreme driving experience it offers, combining outstanding drivability and precision.

AI: What then is the breakthrough in electric powertrain technology?

Price: It’s a good question, since we are at the beginning of a very exciting decade, the decade of electrification. I think that the industry will experience therefore major breakthroughs and tectonic changes.

The next challenges and the next areas of developments that we will definitely focus on – and the significant players in the industry will prioritize – is the next generation of semiconductor switching technologies, as well as a higher level of integration and standardization of software. This is possible because cars are becoming digital.

The building blocks are the same of those of digital systems like computers, semiconductors and software. Those are the two areas that will be transformed by technological breakthroughs in the coming years. And we will eventually have a very holistic integrated system with lots of software layers and lots of connectivity between different components in the vehicle.

AI: And your passion – carbon neutrality?

Price: We need to build very strong coalitions and work in a in an ecosystem way rather than in a vertical supply chain. And I see IRP driving such an ecosystem forward and accelerating the pace of adopting carbon-neutral technology.

I think we need to join forces – large industrial players, researchers, startups, governments all have a contribution to make to complete this transition in the coming years. We have no alternative. If we don’t do it, the world will overheat. We can already see the impact of climate change and are experiencing how painful this can be. So, I hope that many players will join us, to help reach those targets for the sake of our children and grandchildren.

AI: What’s next for IRP systems?

Price: We are working in the two areas of next generation software technologies and next generation switching technologies to be integrated into our portfolio. We are also working intensively to reach more of the passenger vehicle market. In terms of global markets, we have a very good traction in Europe and in Asia, and I believe we will also reach the US market in the near future.