We wish you all the best for you and your familly in 2024.

 

 

The robot charger is also in demonstration at Stellantis booth, our major partner, booth 4740 located in Hall West of the LVCC.

The inductive robot charger presented by Stellantis, powered by EFI Automotive, is a safe autonomous and effortless robot to mitigate charging anxiety.

 

It is able to find the car and stop under the car without any user action and without a perfect parking. The robot avoids the obstacles and stops if a movement il detected, for safety.

 

In summary the Robot Charger is a STRESSLESS solution to charge your vehicle:

1) Wireless Inductive Charging, No Cable Handling

2) The Robot Charger move automatically under the vehicle without perfect parking for wireless charging avoiding obstacles

3) Able to charge sequentially multiple vehicles

4) Improve comfort for Home and Business application – Remotely controlled with an APP

 

The Robot is suited for 100% electric and hybrid vehicles for professionals and individuals.

 

You would like to receive more information about the company, the product exhibited, make an appointment for an interview with the President of EFI Automotive…

 

Find the press kit here!

Combining digital with industry to create the mobility of the future

With this acquisition, EFI Automotive is at the forefront of innovation in its sector and is implementing its transformation strategy with a clear ambition: to become a reference partner for sustainable and intelligent mobility solutions.

 

The choice of Akeoplus was obvious, as it is aligned with EFI Automotive current transformation. Thanks to its competencies in digital (IIOT, Artificial Intelligence) automation (mobile robotics, collaborative and conventional) and industrial safety (data, products and people), Akeoplus has positioned itself in recent years as a key partner of the plant 4.0, to meet specific customer issues such as Stellantis (PSA), Volvo, Opel, Faurecia, Cooper Standard, Thalès, Airbus, Spie, Georges Pernoud, MGF Grimaldi…

 

Digital technology and AI are key to meet the current challenges of the automotive industry.

 

Béatrice Schmidt, EFI Automotive CEO: “At EFI, we have the ambition to provide our customers with innovative and high value solutions, as an answer to the sector transformation.

The acquisition of Akeoplus – first acquisition for EFI – enables to accelerate the development of our platforms or products and new services for the automotive sector, and more generally for Mobility. We also aim to exploring new markets and integrating additional skills. EFI Automotive is writing a new chapter in its history.”

 

Stéphane Morel, founder of Akeoplus: “The acquisition of Akeoplus is an innovation accelerator for EFI Automotive and an industrial accelerator for Akeoplus. Joining EFI Automotive Group will enable Akeoplus to benefit from the strength of an international industrial company and its investment capabilities to grow in the near future.”

About Akeoplus

For 15 years, AKEOPLUS has been committed to making new technologies a real growth driver and a rise of profitability for businesses. AKEOPLUS build with companies’ end-to-end strategy for short term growth and profitability. We provide our 3 skills in each strategic and technological project: Digital, Automation & Safety, in order to lead industrial companies to the SmartFAB.

 

Through each project, we develop our customers strength through product, service and processes digitalization, and through to smart and scalable process automation.

 

www.akeoplus.com

 

 

Parking brake, gearbox, 4×4 engagement and disengagement: while these functions are mainly mechanical today, they will be electrified over the coming years. EFI Automotive remains at the forefront of this change with Greenshift, a new generation of compact, intelligent and connected actuators. Presentation.

 

But why would you electrify functions that have proven their worth in mechanical form over decades of use? For at least three reasons. Firstly, manufacturers rely on intelligent drivetrain control to improve their efficiency. Why? To reduce fuel consumption and pollutant emissions for internal combustion engines. And to increase the range of hybrid and electric vehicles.

 

Electrified transmissions: a market set to increase fivefold by 2030

 

The second objective is to collect operating data for use in diagnostics or preventive maintenance. A cable, a gear, a gearshift: these parts do not provide data. To collect data, you need electric actuators.

 

And finally, electrification opens up new possibilities for the interior design. Replace the parking brake and gearshift with buttons, joysticks or a rotating dial to create a decluttered, comfortable space, with everything in easy reach of the driver.

 

“Transmission electrification should increase by 21% each year between now and 2030, that is a fivefold increase in the market,” adds Philippe Grebert, Strategic Product Line Manager. “Our first mass-produced electric actuator dates back to 2013 and was fitted to an engine cooling circuit. Since 2020, we have targeted developments in transmission products.”

 

Mass-production launch for Greenshift at end 2021

 

A number of projects based around this new range, named Greenshift, have been approved. They involve a European manufacturer and a number of major global players, with mass-production planned, depending on circumstances, between end 2021 and 2024. Greenshift actuators target three applications: the parking brake or park-lock, disengaging 4×4 and one of the hybrid vehicle propulsion systems (disconnect), and changing gear (shift by wire and gear shifting).

 

As explained earlier, the park-lock uses an electric actuator instead of a lever that sends a mechanical force through a cable. However, this actuator is certainly not a basic component: “If, for, example a vehicle is parked on a gradient, the park-lock is put in tension and a considerable force is required to release this and move forward,” illustrates Philippe Grebert. “This is why the logic that controls the actuator motor adapts at each step of the journey.” This is an excellent example of the concept of ‘intelligent control’.

 

The disconnect function reduces losses due to friction in order to improve vehicle efficiency. It is found on vehicles with disengageable 4×4 transmission and on hybrid and electric vehicles to disconnect the unused part of the powertrain. It ensures that the kilowatts generated are solely used to power the driving wheels. “The efficiency gain can range from 1% to 5%. Moreover, manufacturers are hunting down CO₂ emissions; remember that Europe now applies heavy financial sanctions when they exceed an average of 95 grams of CO₂ per km across their whole range.”

 

All-in-one, compact, light actuators

 

Gear changes are electrified with shift by wire and gear shifting, through the driver controls (by replacing the gearshift) and through the forks that enable the shift from one group of gears to another, respectively. “The two functions are intended for automatic gearboxes. In the long term, they could also be fitted to electric vehicles, for which we are starting to talk about two-speed gearboxes. It should, in time, become possible to optimize the gear ratio and the motor operating point depending on the required torque.”

 

To make an impact in these markets, the Greenshift range is counting on the advanced integration of its actuators. Instead of a worm and a worm wheel, they use inline, concentric gears, which guarantee compact size and transmission efficiency. The actuator position sensor, with inductive technology, is not sensitive to electromagnetic disturbances and can be placed in the actuator: just one part to fix in place and connect instead of two. “Our products have a more consistent size than their competitors. They are also lighter,” emphasizes Philippe Grebert.

 

Robust operation in all conditions

 

Operating robustness is their second advantage. Greenshift actuators are equipped with brushless motors, controlled by a logic that regulates the power level using the speed of rotation and not torque; their response time is therefore optimized. The overall design, characterized by predictive simulation, assures their performance, constant in all stress levels and temperature conditions. The products comply with ASIL C as defined by ISO 26262, which confirms their operating reliability.

 

Finally, these intelligent actuators can be connected to the vehicle’s CAN bus to send data and alerts, for example if their current and charge level deviates too often from the benchmark values. “We already offer basic diagnostics on our key products. But we can go much further, particularly by sending preventive maintenance data to fleet managers,” concludes Philippe Grebert.

 

 

 

EFI Automotive develops accurate, lightweight, energy-saving and easy-to-integrate position sensors for hybrid and electric vehicles. Based on inductive technology, they are starting to make inroads into the market share held by the resolver, which has up until now been the benchmark. The first contract was signed in 2018 with VW, followed by others in China and Europe.

The position sensor plays a key role in electric motors: it locates the rotor magnets and is therefore able to finely adjust the stator magnetic field. The more accurate it is, the greater the efficiency and the more a vehicle can cover the miles without losing battery charge. “It is difficult to ignore,” notes Olivier Brunel, E-mobility & Strategic Development Market Manager. “Of course, there are also position controls that use algorithms, and so not position sensors, for example in fans. But these are not accurate enough for the automotive industry, which aims to maximize drivetrain efficiency improvements.”

 

EFI Automotive: conducting inductive sensor R&D since 2011

 

Today, the position sensor market is dominated by resolver technology, a type of rotary transformer that measures the angular position of the shaft. Although its precision is highly regarded, it suffers from one drawback: it has to cover the whole area of the rotor, due to its ring shape, and must be fitted very close to the motor. If there is a failure, it all needs to be dismantled!

 

In 2011, these limitations led EFI Automotive to launch an inductive sensor R&D program. “It was a gamble: it is always hard to move away from an established solution. But we knew that this technology had its advantages. It is more compact, is suitable for all motors and can be fitted away from the motor, which facilitates maintenance. This selling point was very important to VW, our biggest client.”

 

The main components of an inductive sensor are its coils. Having picked up a high-frequency current, a transmitter coil emits a variable magnetic field right through the coil. Any nearby metallic object therefore takes on the induced current and in return, emits a magnetic field, which is picked up by the receiver coils. This reaction is proportional to the sensor-object distance; the position of the aforementioned object is deduced from this.

 

Excellent operating reliability

 

The inductive sensor is smaller than the resolver: for VW, it is semicircular. It consumes around six times less energy. It can withstand electromagnetic disturbances, which are very strong in an electric motor whose coils receive a frequency of several kHz. It measures the shaft position to within 0.3%, despite it starting at 20,000 revolutions per minute.

 

It delivers excellent operating reliability: EFI Automotive products comply with ASIL D as defined by the ISO 26262 standard.  “The manufacturers are so sensitive to this area that some of them even provide a second sensor in addition to the first,” notes Olivier Brunel.

 

However, it is when it comes to integration flexibility that the inductive sensor really makes a difference. Remember that an electric motor is a very confined space. Moreover, the ring shape of the resolver offers no flexibility, whereas the inductive sensor is smaller and can be installed at the end of the shaft, or fitted in a notch in the motor casing that can be accessed externally. “We are developing a customized solution for each vehicle and each type of motor. It includes the sensor itself and its mounting feet. Everything is done to limit the footprint.”

 

Hybrid vehicles and the inductive sensor: reduced costs compared to the resolver

 

This flexibility is highly valued in hybrid vehicles, in which the electric motor, installed close to the internal combustion drivetrain, has a large diameter. The resolver, which must cover the whole circumference, is inevitably large and expensive. The significantly more compact inductive sensor works much better.

 

However, currently, the resolver continues to dominate the position sensor market. This is primarily because its electronic power system and its data processing algorithms have been understood for a long time and are immediately available, whereas moving to inductive sensors means starting from scratch.

 

Moving toward inductive sensors with a digital sensor

 

EFI Automotive has reason to believe in inductive sensors: the contract signed with VW in 2018 has since increased in volume, with hybrid vehicles booming, and several other contracts have been concluded in China and in Europe. These contracts will lead to mass production between 2021 and 2023.

 

There is also going to be a significant evolution: the communication protocol for sensors will move from analog to digital. This will mean less electric wiring and direct access to the angular position, instead of post-processing of the received signal (sine and cosine). In addition, exit signals could be analyzed to detect failures, faults and drift. It is thought that the digital inductive sensor will therefore offer an additional level of reliability.

 

“The market is preparing for this evolution but is also struggling with an unknown quantity: which digital protocol will assert itself and become the standard?” explains Olivier Brunel. “We have chosen to move forward without waiting, with partners who produce digital chips. By the end of 2021, we could have products to sample and to make available to our clients.”