American Axle & Manufacturing in Detroit will demonstrate its latest driveline technologies for passenger cars and trucks at the CES convention in Las Vegas this week.
Tech on display includes AAM’s next-generation 3-in-1 electric drive units (eDUs), its fully integrated e-Beam axles, and new component technologies that are engineered to with the future of mobility around the globe in mind.
“CES provides AAM a platform to showcase some of the industry’s preeminent driveline technologies that support a rapidly changing, global auto industry,” says David C. Dauch, chair and CEO of AAM. “As the industry continues to transition to hybrid and electrified vehicles, we are proud of the products and technologies our engineers are developing. We are in a great position to provide OEMs with a full portfolio of products from EV components to fully electric drive systems.”
Visitors will see several displays featuring market-ready electric drive technology systems. AAM experts will be onsite to answer questions and to discuss technologies. Among the featured exhibits on display are:
- Battery Electric Truck – AAM engineers have modified a production light-duty truck, powered by an internal combustion engine, and transformed it into a specially-designed battery-electric truck featuring AAM’s 3-in-1 high-speed eDU and e-beam technologies. This 1500 series truck features a single 150kW eDU driving the front wheels and a 425kW e-Beam in the rear. The 3-in-1 design in both the front and rear integrates AAM’s proprietary motor, inverter, and gearbox technologies into a single assembly. This was done to show off AAM’s efforts to improve in packaging, cost, performance, and simplified integration into vehicle platforms.
- Mercedes-AMG GT 63 S E Performance – AMG’s first plug-in hybrid electric vehicle (PHEV) featuring AAM’s electric driveline technology that supplies the performance car’s rear drive unit (eDU) and features an electromechanical actuated two-speed gearbox and electromechanical controlled limited slip differential (eLSD). Located on the rear axle, the eDU combines a mechanical, all-wheel drive system with a two-speed electric drive module. This P3 system layout, with the electric motor on the rear axle, was engineered to optimize the weight distribution and increases the total output torque, compared to a transmission-mounted electric motor (P2 hybrid). The rear drive unit was also named a 2022 Automotive News PACE Award Winner.
- Configurator – An interactive display allowing visitors to virtually build their own electric vehicle using AAM’s systems and components will be featured. Once the vehicle is built, users can evaluate vehicle performance using attributes such as peak power, max torque, acceleration, towing capability, and cruising range. The configurator can be used on any number of vehicle platforms from performance sedans and SUVs to heavy duty trucks, and everything in between.
- Dynamic Tabletop Display – This display is meant to provide a perspective of AAM’s product portfolio of components and assemblies. On a horizontal touch screen, visitors can learn about inverters, actuators, rotor shafts and differentials by simply placing a small-scale replica of the product on the interactive monitor.
