Automotive Engineering - March 2024 - 10

TECHNOLOGY REPORT
BATTERY MANAGEMENT
Kymco's new Ionex BMU, BaaS
to boost EV scooter adoption
Dodge and Jeep will be
the first brands to produce
vehicles on the new platform,
which serves the D and E segments.
with the first vehicles to launch for Dodge and Jeep, followed
by Alfa Romeo, Chrysler and Maserati. The company said
brand-specific product announcements would begin this year.
Stellantis' release highlighted the platform's following
capabilities:
* Charging efficiency of 4.5 kWh/minute
* 0-to-62 mph (0-to-100 kph) acceleration in the " 2-second
range "
* Flexibility to use 400-volt and 800-volt electrical architectures
Engineers and designers will be able to adjust the platform's
wheelbase, overall length, overall width, height and
ground clearance. Modular suspension systems and powertrain
cradles can be used to support different ride, handling
and comfort characteristics. " Engineers can adjust key dimensions
such as the front spindle to the driver's foot, front and
rear overhang, or the passenger compartment floor, " the
company's release said.
Powering the vehicles will be three-in-one electric drive
modules that include motor, inverter, and gear reduction. The
inverter uses silicon carbide technology to minimize power
losses. The system can accommodate front-, rear- or all-wheel
drive and can be upgraded via over-the-air (OTA) updates.
The company said the platform targets an overall range of
500 miles (800 km) for sedans and is built to accept different
battery technologies when they are ready. " Overall, the platform
has the potential to carry extreme power that will outperform
any of the existing Hellcat V-8s, " the release said.
The platform's dimensional range:
* Length: 187.6-201.8 inches (4,764-5,126 mm)
* Width: 74.7-79.9 inches (1,897-2,030 mm)
* Wheelbase: 113-121.1 (2,870-3,075 mm)
* Ground clearance: 5.5-11.3 inches (140-288 mm)
* Max tire diameter: 32.6 inches (858 mm)
The company clearly emphasized STLA Large's EV applicability,
but did say that it also can accommodate ICE and HEV
powertrains.
Chris Clonts
10 March 2024
Kymco's new battery metering unit (BMU) is key to the company's
electric scooter expansion plans.
AUTOMOTIVE ENGINEERING
Taiwanese powersport company Kymco believes society has
entered the time of the EV. During the 2023 International
Motorcycle and Accessories Exhibition (EICMA) held each
year in Milan, Italy, Kymco chairman Allen Ko repeatedly mentioned
" the inflection point of the electric era " as he introduced
three new technologies for electric mobility.
Kymco has been at these supposed crossroads before. The
company started in 1964 as a parts supplier for Honda but
started building scooters in the 1970s. In the 2010s, BMW
used Kymco motors as the range extenders for its i3. In 2018,
Kymco introduced the Ionex brand of electric scooters with
swappable batteries and big dreams. The Ionex brand is a,
" game-changing electric scooter solution that eliminates all
barriers to go green, " the company said at the time.
It's a new generation of these scooters, with an upgraded
Ionex platform and associated EV powertrain advances, that
Ko believes will expand Kymco's e-scooter sales and turn the
corner - or at least a corner - on electric mobility. At EICMA,
Kymco introduces the Ionex Battery-as-a-Service (BaaS) solution
for energy companies, the Ionex Battery Metering Unit
(BMU) for EV manufacturers, and the Ionex Energy Station for
Battery-swapping network operators.
" The vision is still the same, " Ko told SAE Media at EICMA in
November. " We want to bring the true arrival of the electric
era. That's what we wanted to do five years ago. That's what
we want to do today. The only difference was that five years
ago, we had this vision, and then we launched the Ionex
[scooters] and said it's an open platform. But then we realized
that it's actually a very difficult process. "
Ko said that one of the keys to success this time will be the
new BMU and the Ionex Common Battery. The BMU connects
to compatible batteries and can distinguish where the energy
in the pack came from. Ionex scooter batteries can be
charged using a stand-alone home charging unit or an onboard
charger. The batteries can also be swapped with a fully
FROM TOP: STELLANTIS; SEBASTIAN BLANCO
Automotive Engineering - March 2024

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