October 2022. Vitesco Technologies has recently wonseveral orders worth more than 2 billion euros for itsinnovative Battery Management Systems (BMS). One ofVitesco Technologies’ significant contracts will deliveralready a wireless communication version of the batterycontrol units for 400V and 800V BEV architecture. Thisparticular innovative solution reduces the amount ofcabling inside the battery saving space and improvingrange capacity through the use of either a larger batteryor by reducing the size and weight of the battery thatwould otherwise be used.
Battery management is a key function of electric driving:Intelligent BMS solutions consisting of control units,sensors, and application software protect the batteryagainst overheating and ensure a balanced charging stateof all cells. This is essential for the safe operation andlong battery life. In other words, with its many individualfunctions the BMS protects the biggest and mostvaluable single system in an electric vehicle.
“With our modular software and hardware for batterymanagement we can offer our customers tailor made solutions. In addition, innovations such as wirelesscommunication with the battery modules enableadvanced battery design, leading to reduced system costsfor our customers,” says Thomas Stierle, Member of theExecutive Board and head of the ElectrificationTechnology and the Electronic Controls business units ofVitesco Technologies.
Battery management: a “hidden champion” inthe electric car
The core functions of BMS are divided between two typesof control
units in the Vitesco Technologies portfolio. The first is thebattery management controller permanently monitoring the state of cells and modules. It can trigger a correctiveaction within the battery when an undesirable operatingcondition is detected in order to deliver the maximumrange and achieve its maximum service life. This isaccomplished through the use of a high voltage sensor tomonitor and control the high current flows toward thebattery. In the case of a crash, the BMS also triggers theelectrical isolation of the battery from the rest of the car.
Cell supervising circuits are a second type of controllermonitoring and balancing the charging levels of individual battery cells (something which can alwaysoccur in Li-Ion cells due to manufacturing tolerances).“For this purpose, Vitesco Technologies is currentlydeveloping a new procedure for actively balancing cells(hence: active cell balancing), which can bring anotherefficiency gain in the order of several percent,”according to Rodrigo Peres, Head of Production LineBattery at Vitesco Technologies.
“The number of BMS orders that we received over thepast weeks and months reflects the relevance of oursolutions. We have signed contracts with global high-volume manufacturers, with premium car makers and with start-up companies – in all relevant markets,” saidThomas Stierle.
As a generic development, Vitesco Technologies’modular BMS portfolio is already prepared to facilitatean integration of its functional parts into other controlunits. Through this, Vitesco Technologies anticipates atrend in the electric and electronic vehicle architecture:reducing the number of devices by using fewer controlunits with much higher computing power and withcomplex software systems.
