Tula Technology, Inc., a leader in propulsion efficiency and developer of Dynamic Motor Drive® (DMD), will present the latest results of DMD, in conjunction with BorgWarner, applied to a premium range extended electric vehicle (REEV) at the 13th China International Automobile Propulsion Systems (IAPS) Summit on March 4 and 5 in Shanghai. Also, John Fuerst, newly appointed President and CEO of Tula, will serve as a panelist in the Roundtable Discussion on Day 1 of the conference.
DMD is a software-only technology that improves the efficiency of electric drives at low loads by pulsing torque near peak efficiency. This improves electrified vehicle efficiency, supporting both the pathway and transition to EVs – hybrid fuel efficiency and electric driving range – while also preserving production-quality noise and vibration levels.
Tula, in cooperation with BorgWarner, implemented and tested DMD on a premium REEV with internal permanent magnet motors on both the front and rear axles. With DMD applied to the rear axle only, vehicle range increased 0.6% when tested on the China Light-Duty Vehicle Test Cycle. This benefit was also confirmed through separate testing isolating the electric drive unit. Future work, applying DMD to both axles, is projected to increase the benefit to 1.5%. These benefits equate to approximately $40-$100 USD in battery cost savings per vehicle.
Beyond increased efficiency and range, testing also evaluated noise, vibration and harshness (NVH). Those tests confirm DMD’s torque management strategy’s ability to control noise and vibration levels to be imperceptible compared to standard operation. Preserving the NVH performance of this premium vehicle has also been confirmed by nine leading Chinese OEMs who’ve had the opportunity to ride in and drive this demonstration vehicle.
“We initially targeted DMD for use in battery electric vehicles, but are also seeing significant interest and applicability to plug-in hybrid electric vehicles (PHEVs), including REEVs, which can benefit significantly from DMD,” said Fuerst. “DMD can support future China vehicle fuel and energy consumption targets, and also benefit Western OEMs as they diversify their powertrain portfolios. Many of the world’s leading OEMs and Tier 1 suppliers are working with us to implement Tula’s solution on their platforms.”
The launch of DMD in serial production is expected in China in 2026.
SOURCE: Tula Technology
