A tiny e-axle manufactured in India will be used in Maruti Suzuki’s e-Vitara, which is scheduled for sale in India soon. The eAxle is a module that combines a motor, an inverter, and a transaxle into a small package. It was jointly created by a consortium called BluE Nexus, which consists of Toyota (BluE), Aisin, and DENSO. In order to achieve high power density without taking up a lot of space, the eAxle uses a tiny motor and inverter, which is conceptually similar to systems used by Tesla, BMW, and Hyundai (E-GMP).
Presently manufactured in India, the front motor’s power output ranges from 106 kW (144 horsepower) to 128 kW (174 horsepower). In order to fit in the bonnet, the eAxle positioned in the front has been shortened, while the one to be mounted in the back has been shortened in height to provide more room for passengers and luggage. The rear eAxle can provide up to 80 kW (108 hp) of power. However, as the AWD version is only anticipated to be released later, it is unlikely that we in India will receive this at first. There is a rumour that Toyota will probably receive that first on its SUV model.
The Vitara will initially get a 61 kWh battery with approx. 500 km of ARAI range
The e-Axle uses double-sided cooling for the inverter to assist in making it more efficient and more effective with magnets, which enable the e-motor to be lighter and smaller in order to help reach these tiny dimensions. The fact that the inverter in this instance is housed inside the main housing, eliminating the need for separate housing for each component, also contributes to weight savings. The shafts that transfer power from the engine to the axle can be made even smaller, which reduces weight because the shorter shafts don’t need to be as sturdy. With a 500 km range and a 61 kWh battery, the e-Vitara will be first introduced in India.