Scoring big with emerging electric vehicle manufacturers of special duty trucks and buses, Dana e-propulsion systems are gearing up to power EV school buses, mid-range delivery trucks and innovative utility trucks that are designed for rugged, no-frills service in Africa. They draw their electric propulsion from Dana’s extensive lineup of components and systems that include an assortment of permanent magnet and inductive motor topologies, along with inverters, axles and control systems.
Its operation in Birmingham, United Kingdom, has been awarded a $2.7 million grant to develop an e-powertrain for OX Delivers, startup developer of the world’s first flat-pack utility vehicle destined for emerging markets in Africa. The OX Delivers truck has been engineered to tackle the toughest terrain and will be shipped as a flat pack and assembled in the destination country. The truck is powered by Dana’s Spicer Electrified eS4500i e-Drive Unit, which combines an electric motor, inverter, gearbox and software in a complete e-propulsion system.
The grant supports Dana’s work industrializing electrified powertrain technologies and was awarded by the Advanced Propulsion Centre (APC), a non-profit organization that facilitates UK government funding to research and development projects supporting the delivery of net-zero emission vehicles.
In another recent deal, Dana and Montreal-based EV manufacturer Lion Electric Co. confirmed their strategic supply relationship whereby Dana supports Lion’s line-up of electric buses as well as medium and heavy-duty trucks. It covers the supply of the electric drive systems including electric motors, inverters, and controllers, as well as axles and driveshafts for all Lion Electric platforms including its popular school buses and more recently launched truck models.
“The bus and medium-duty truck segments are among the fastest growing for electrified products and we have developed our portfolio to enable a seamless integration for our customers vehicles,” said Ryan Laskey, senior vice president of Dana Commercial Vehicle Drive & Motion Systems.
Dana supplies Lion with a broad range of technologies and systems including the Dana TM4 SUMO family of electric motors supporting light, medium, and heavy-duty applications, Dana TM4 medium-and heavy-duty high-voltage inverters, medium-and high-voltage bi-directional charger inverters that function as both a battery charger and inverter, as wells as controllers, drive axles and driveshafts.
Dana TM4 SUMO motors include the HP series which feature a new motor with compact concentric winding technology to deliver maximum torque density and leverages Dana’s proven internal permanent magnet technology for optimal efficiency and cost. The high-power technology has been combined with Dana’s axle designs to create e-powertrains for heavy-duty vehicle applications. Dana makes low- to high-voltage, induction, IPM, SR and SRIPM motors all which can be readily adapted to its inverter lines.
Bolstered by numerous large orders for its buses and commercial trucks, fast-growing Lion is building an additional manufacturing facility in Joliet, Illinois in the U.S. Upon completion, the 900,000-sq-ft plant will represent the largest dedicated production site for zero-emission medium and heavy-duty vehicles in America with an expected production capacity of up to 20,000 vehicles per year, says the company.
“2022 is set to be the biggest year yet for Lion, with major projects underway, and Lion continues to remain on schedule to begin production in the United States in 2022. Our production from the Joliet plant will support the national demand for zero-emission electric school buses, paratransit buses and trucks ranging from Class 5 to Class 8,” said Marc Bedard, CEO.
For more info, see www.dana.com, www.oxdelivers.com and www.thelionelectric.com.
