In addition to obvious components such as charging stations and batteries, there are numerous other components that enable and drive electromobility. At the IAA, the supplier industry provided insights into its electric product portfolio.Adobe Stock / ake1150
The combustion engine is disappearing, electric is winning, hybrids and range extenders are making a comeback. In this area of tension, suppliers must reposition themselves in the challenging market environment. We show which strategies and technologies companies currently have in place.
One of the indispensable players in the field of automotive technology is, of course, Continental. The major supplier knows how to cover the entire field of mobility and, naturally, how to industrialise and scale technology trends. The supplier recently responded to the changing conditions in the area of drives with a consolidation of forces. The Continental division Aumovio just debuted at the IAA Mobility and presented its first international mobility report as well as the latest developments.
New name, new agility: To be successful in the market, you have to be a powerhouse, a high-performance organisation, emphasised Aumovio CEO Philipp von Hirschheydt. Cost competitiveness is essential in this regard. “Our goal is to be among the most efficient companies in our markets. We see this spin-off as a catalyst to become even more successful than in previous years.” They are not only guided by megatrends but also intensify their own research, which the first mobility report is supposed to prove. Aumovio has surveyed 1,000 people in Germany and China about their preferences. It is clear: the world is different, and the needs and preferences of customers vary.
In addition to innovative developments such as a head-up display that uses 3D display technology instead of mirrors, and a night-capable AI-based camera, Aumovio is announcing market-relevant developments, particularly in the field of drive technology, and emphasises redefining vehicle movement literally in the form of the corner module. In this system, each wheel can be moved and steered almost individually. “This enables completely new manoeuvres such as parallel parking, turning on the spot and much more,” says von Hirschheydt. With this by-wire technology, they provide building blocks for the software-defined vehicle - especially for autonomous vehicles. With its wheel-individual 150-degree steering, the corner module is intended to offer significantly improved manoeuvrability, and thanks to a complete by-wire architecture, a “perfect adaptation for the software-defined vehicle”. The basis of the corner module is a scalable drive-brake unit that integrates the motor and brake at the wheel. With the so-called green electric caliper (brake caliper), the supplier is somewhat more focused on the often large, narrow rims of electric vehicles. Aumovio focuses on the requirements of modern, modular vehicle platforms, for which they want to offer a coordinated system. The electric caliper does not require hydraulic fluid and is lighter than conventional electric brake calipers. According to Aumovio, this contributes to increasing the range. The special feature is a lower residual drag torque than conventional hydraulic brake calipers. For OEMs, this primarily means lower material costs compared to a conventional electric brake caliper, according to the company. In addition, the system is said to be accompanied by simplified assembly processes and more flexibility in vehicle architecture.
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Range extender and thermal management firmly in focus
High energy efficiency in hybrid and battery-electric vehicle architectures is of great importance for the continued success of e-mobility. This is currently being discussed at BorgWarner, among others. Like other companies, they currently see a solution in the struggle for electric range while gradually bidding farewell to the combustion engine in range extender technology. For its range extender module, the company relies on next-generation inverters and power electronics, higher power density, and improved thermal behaviour, ultimately enabling the implementation of more compact and efficient electric drive systems, emphasises Harry Husted, Chief Technology Officer. In the drivetrain area, BorgWarner's so-called eTMS product lines consist of active systems specifically tailored to improve the safety, handling, and efficiency of the vehicle. eTMS includes integrated control electronics and software that control the demand-based torque distribution to individual wheels, including slip control or decoupling of the drive module.
BorgWarner showcases innovative drive solutions at the IAA Mobility 2025 in Munich, such as eTurbo and eBooster technologies, which aim to enhance the performance and efficiency of electric, hybrid, and combustion vehicles.BorgWarner
The latest thermal management solutions include high-voltage heaters, thermal modules, battery e-coolers, power electronics e-coolers, and high-voltage e-fans. The systems are designed to maintain optimal operating temperatures in a range of powertrain elements and cabins, thus ensuring safety, performance, and energy efficiency in all vehicle architectures, according to the CTO. The so-called ultra-short high-voltage hairpin technology (S-HVH) is being applied in cooperative projects with several Chinese OEMs. Projects include the delivery of 400-V high-voltage hairpin motors (HVH) to electric vehicle manufacturers for their 200-kW hybrid rear-drive platform. Production began recently in August 2025.
In addition to purely battery-electric vehicles, the powertrain specialist Mahle is strategically focusing on range extender technology to increase the acceptance of e-mobility. This is done by practically alleviating customers' range anxiety. According to company forecasts, the market for e-vehicles with range extenders is expected to grow by 15 percent annually by 2030. There is already strong demand in China, as heard from Stuttgart. The new Mahle system is intended to offer cost-efficient rightsizing of battery size and reduced charging times on longer journeys. The supplier states that its system offers up to 1,350 kilometres of maximum range per battery charge, depending on the vehicle and battery size (according to WLTP). The system, with a nominal continuous output of 85 kW and a system voltage of 800 volts, reduces the need for rare earths in permanent magnets due to direct rotor cooling.
The reduction of rare earths in electric motors is becoming an urgent challenge. The focus is on elements such as dysprosium (Dy) and terbium (Tb), which increase the thermal load capacity in electric machines. The ever-rising prices for rare earths and China's near-monopoly on the raw materials needed for electric machines are particularly driving European players in the electric motor sector to reduce these metals or advance developments that enable the complete elimination of rare earth metals. Valeo, together with Stuttgart-based drive expert Mahle, is working on a magnet-free high-performance eAxle. Both companies announced at the end of last year that they would join forces to jointly develop an innovative magnet-free e-axle, which is to be used in electric vehicles with peak outputs of 220 to 350 kW. With the cutting-edge technology of their new iBEE system (Inner Brushless Electrical Excitation), Valeo and Mahle aim to revolutionise the performance and efficiency of magnet-free electric motors.
As permanent magnet synchronous machines currently form the heart of efficient electric drives, SEG Automotive is focusing on alternatives such as substitution using light rare earth elements like neodymium (Nd) up to the complete avoidance of rare earths. The approach is based on a combination of innovative mechanical design and advanced simulation capabilities. One focus is on thermal management. Efficient oil cooling systems for rotor and stator - including oil-guided hollow shafts - are intended to keep within critical temperature limits (<120 °C). This allows the use of magnet types that do not require HRE additives, according to SEG. ZF is also working on the substitution of rare earths. With the externally excited synchronous machine I2SM, they have already developed a market-ready product that completely does without them. At ZF, they point to the so-called PSM rotor, which is wrapped with a carbon band to better absorb centrifugal forces at high speeds. According to ZF, the magnets can thus be arranged more freely, and fewer magnets are needed than in the conventional permanently excited synchronous motor.
Industry focuses on more compact designs for e-axles
In the vast field of drive technology, the Japanese company Aisin is also an important global player. The company is responding to the new needs of the industry with innovations such as an extra-small eAxle for compact battery electric vehicles (BEVs), including B/C-segment e4WD. A low height of just 208 mm is intended to help create sufficient legroom for the driver and front passenger and enable a lower vehicle floor in the rear of all-wheel-drive vehicles. The supplier does not need to compromise on performance: the miniaturised high-performance designs deliver peak outputs of 30, 60 or 70 kW with torques of 1,250, 1,600 or 1,700 Nm.
In its ultra-compact eAxle, Aisin also integrates technologies from its partner Denso, including a flat-mounted power control unit (PCU) with optimised capacitors, the elimination of dead space in the electrical layout through direct mounting of PCU components, and a new water cooling structure for capacitors, modules and the motor stator core. Further advanced miniaturisation techniques are already being used in the development of the third generation of Aisin's eAxle.
The previously mentioned thermal management is one of the important levers for future electric drives. This is also emphasised by Valeo, where advanced hardware and software solutions for efficient, compact, and modular thermal management of electrified vehicles are presented at the IAA Mobility. These include smart thermal management systems that ensure optimal energy efficiency in all seasons - in combination with Valeo's Predict4Range software, the supplier claims that the electric range can be increased by up to 24 percent. Additionally, there is immersive cooling technology for greater battery stability and safety. Furthermore, Valeo showcases technologies for reducing emissions and fuel consumption through hybridisation - including the two-stage high-voltage eAxle system for improved starting, acceleration, and higher efficiency, as well as eAccess, an immediately deployable 48V drive for urban light vehicles.
