British performance brand Lotus Cars will use Analog Devices (ADI)’s Wireless Battery Management System (wBMS) in its next-generation electric vehicle (EV) designs. Thanks to the engineering collaboration, Lotus will be able to safely drive its future electric vehicle fleet and continue to push the boundaries of design and technology. The structure of Lotus’ new electric vehicle was developed through the LEVA project (Lightweight Electric Vehicle Architecture), with the goal of accelerating the development of new lightweight structures for the next generation of pure electric vehicles.
In an interview with Power Electronics News, Gina Aquilano, technical director of ADI’s automotive business unit, said that ADI’s wBMS technology eliminates traditional wiring harnesses, resulting in up to 90 percent less wiring and 15 percent less volume in the battery pack.
“ADI’s wBMS system enables the high level of measurement accuracy our BMS sensors provide and collects this data throughout the battery life cycle,” Aquilano said. “This translates directly into more accurate battery insights that can be used to optimize battery usage and longevity. Also, with the Lotus use case, many of their cars will be on the road for decades. Serviceability is critical because the longevity of the car Will exceed the life of the battery. wBMS enables easy and high-quality module replacement without careful handling of harnesses or connectors.”
Wireless battery management system
Many industry experts see wireless battery management systems as one of the most important drivers for widespread EV adoption, as it saves automakers from having to redesign complex wiring diagrams for each new vehicle and ensures battery scalability. It is important to have a solid, reliable and secure system that operates efficiently and is protected by the latest IT security measures.
Removing the harness using wBMS provides a lightweight solution to UK manufacturer standards. The body structure of every Lotus car is optimized for maximum performance. Thanks to the flexibility of the wBMS architecture, Lotus engineers will have the freedom to build the car and fit the battery pack as best as possible.
The technological efforts of ADI and Lotus are creating a game-changer for the electric vehicle market, with a revolutionary lightweight powertrain design with no wires and wBMS for greater efficiency and a more sustainable environment.
Since the battery is the heart of an electric vehicle and must keep up with the life of the system, a system capable of battery health assessment and assembly is critical to avoiding defective batteries. Because the battery modules are software-programmable for quick and easy wireless replacement, ADI and Lotus claim that maintenance is easier and faster for wBMS-equipped road and track vehicles.
Voltage, temperature and current measurement parameters are the same as for wired systems. Having a wBMS means you can control your battery more accurately and gain a better understanding of performance by accessing these metrics throughout its life cycle.
Challenges of wBMS
In electric vehicles, battery management systems are critical. ADI’s wBMS implementation eliminates traditional wired connections, saving battery pack wiring and bulk, while also enhancing design flexibility and simplifying manufacturing without compromising battery performance.
Aquilano shared that the two main challenges in transitioning from wired to wireless are:
Network Robustness: To meet the requirements of automotive EV use cases, ADI needed to build hardware and network software from the ground up to perform significantly better than existing wireless networks such as Bluetooth Low Energy.
Cybersecurity: Wireless systems inherently use an open communication medium. Therefore, wBMS requires a high degree of security. ADI provides end-to-end security solutions across the lifecycle.
The use of wireless technology in battery management enables designers to reduce the weight of EVs to balance charge while maintaining the highest levels of functional safety and reliability. The battery is the most important component of an electric vehicle: more batteries means greater charging capacity, which means longer charging intervals.
In terms of electronics and mechanics, the automotive supply chain is undergoing major changes. Software is growing in importance: Today’s high-end cars have around 100 million lines of software code. The wBMS is playing an even bigger role because the battery is an essential part of an electric vehicle and good charge management is essential for proper operation.
Today’s batteries must have high energy storage density, low self-consumption current, and the ability to charge in minutes instead of hours. In the coming years, the adoption of electric vehicles is expected to increase significantly due to falling market prices, the capabilities of various charging systems (e.g. fast charging, which takes tens of minutes for a full or almost full charge), and the continued availability of charging stations in the region Increase.
Today, Lotus can reveal that the frame created through Project LEVA will be integrated into the company’s new electric sports car architecture. Thanks to innovations from Lotus and Project LEVA partners, the rear structure is 37% lighter than the Lotus Emira V6. Lotus now has a next-generation electric sports car, a blueprint for future Lotus products, and the commercialization of Lotus Engineering Consulting.