Mahle is fulfilling its goal of concentrating its R&D efforts on innovative electrification solutions and EV heat management systems. According to Arnd Franz, CEO and Chairman of the Management Board at Mahle, the business currently files over 70% of its new patents in the electrification sector, whereas ICE components only fall into the lower single digits.
“Currently, all our R&D efforts and over 70 per cent of Mahle’s new patents are on electrification. When we look at ICE, we are in the lower-single-digit range, whereas mechatronics and electronics again see double-digit percentages of our revenue as an investment into R&D,” Franz said at the company’s annual press conference.
“We are also focusing on thermal management as it is not just the e-motor, but the power electronics as well that must also be cooled appropriately. We have been putting to use our wind tunnel to innovate on thermal management, and our rich experience of over 75 years of using this tunnel augurs well for us to offer better solutions for system optimisation,” he added.
While the company says it is presently seeing a “transitionary renaissance” of the ICE segment, however, “one cannot hide the fact that as per current European regulations, ICE will need to be phased out by CY35,” Franz pointed out.
“Therefore, the renaissance in ICE is temporary, and we are focusing on hybrids more than EVs. We believe hybrid powertrains are extremely relevant to reduce CO2 emissions,” he explained while adding that by leveraging smaller batteries along with internal combustion engines, hybrid powertrains tend to offer tremendous benefits to lower greenhouse gas emissions.
Mahle has created new battery cooling plates in the field of thermal management that are said to provide more cooling in a more compact design. In order to maintain the battery temperature in an electric vehicle (EV) within the ideal range while charging and discharging, the battery cooling plate regulates both the battery and the coolant temperature.
“With our technology, we can contribute significantly towards innovation in EVs by offering a longer range and reducing CO2. Our cooling plate offers 10 per cent better cooling with a 20 per cent lesser size, thereby allowing carmakers liberty in design and packaging,” Franz revealed.