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Advances in technology across industry

nsK in-wheel motor charges wirelessly while in motion

NSK has developed the third generation of its inwheel motor, the world’s first design of its type to feature a complete package comprising motor, inverter and wireless charging unit. The innovative wireless in-wheel motor (W-IWM) for the electric vehicle (EV) market is capable of charging from coils embedded in the road, while in motion. Reducing CO2 emissions in order to achieve a low-carbon society is a global challenge that calls strongly for reductions in automobile emissions, hence the growing development and take-up of EVs. However, some concerns have been raised regarding the convenience of stationary EV charging and the amount of resources required to produce large amounts of battery cells. Efficient running with a minimal amount of battery cells is therefore required for the sustainable spread of EVs. As a result, wireless charging while in motion has been capturing the attention of OEMs keen on realising EVs with small batteries.

The third-generation W-IWM developed by the joint research group has vastly improved in-motion charging capability, motor performance and ease of mounting, bringing together the features required for practical application. Importantly, the W-IWM has been developed so that the in-motion wireless power receiver circuit, as well as the EV’s driving mechanism (motor and inverter), fit entirely inside the wheel.

Development of the latest unit was conducted jointly by a research group comprising NSK, the Fujimoto Laboratory at the University of Tokyo’s Graduate School of Frontier Sciences, Bridgestone Corporation, ROHM Co Ltd and Toyo Electric Mfg Co Ltd.

visit: www.nskeurope.com

Renault and Otodo develop new solution linking cars and homes

Groupe Renault is developing a solution enabling automatic and secure interaction and communication between cars and connected objects in homes. Otodo, a young French company pioneering smart-home connectivity, will deliver the secure link between the vehicle and user’s home.

This innovative service will be available in all Renault cars that have the new Renault EASY LINK multimedia system, including the All-new ZOE, All-new Clio and All-new Captur. This service developed by Groupe Renault and Otodo will be available in 2020.

With this new connectivity solution from Groupe Renault, users can now control their home’s connected objects directly from their vehicle’s dashboard, as well as send instructions from their home, using a smartphone or connected speaker, to their connected Renault vehicle to prepare or share an itinerary, for example. Jean-François Labal, Marketing & Partnership Head for Connected Cars & Services at Groupe Renault, says, “Cars need to blend into our digital lives. With this service, we’re offering our customers a trailblazing experience and a completely secure system to connect their home’s connected objects to their vehicle. The interface to set it up is very intuitive and it comes with two advantages: it’s automatic so it makes life simpler and it saves energy by switching lights and heating on and off as needed.”

Toyota develops specially designed Fuel cell System for Energy observer’s 2020 Tour

Toyota has been involved in the Energy Observer project from the start, because of hydrogen being at the very heart of this amazing journey. During a six-year odyssey, which started in 2017, the Energy Observer team is navigating the first energy-autonomous hydrogen boat around the globe. The electrically propelled vessel of the future operates by using a mix of renewable energies and a system that produces carbon-free hydrogen from seawater.

For the next leg in the journey, Energy Observer and Toyota have worked closely together to introduce Toyota’s leading fuel cell technology in the boat. Toyota Technical Center Europe has especially developed this fuel cell system, using components first introduced in the Toyota Mirai and fitted it into a compact module suitable for marine applications. It will deliver more power and efficiency, but also high reliability to cross the Atlantic and Pacific Ocean this year.

The Toyota Fuel Cell System has proven its benefits already for many years in the Mirai, but more recently also in other applications such as buses and trucks. Using it for maritime transportation is again another step closer to the development of the hydrogen society. Toyota believes that hydrogen is the catalyst for energy decarbonisation and the technology acceptance can accelerate with the Toyota Fuel Cell System modular solution, which can be considered for a multitude of applications.

“We are pleased to be able to further demonstrate the versatility of the Toyota Fuel Cell System. Our European R&D team has worked hard with the team of the Energy Observer to create and install this module in the existing boat. This project shows that the Toyota Fuel Cell technology can be used in any environment and can be spread throughout many business opportunities. It is always inspiring to work with people who aim for the same goals and this project supports even more our vision for a hydrogen society.”

Dr Johan van Zyl, President and CEO of Toyota Motor Europe.