Systematically sort out the "skateboard chassis"

Figure 9. E-GMP side view and top view (from Baidu Image)

First of all, high-voltage fast charging is the world's first platform equipped with a 400V/800V ultra-high voltage charging system. It is advertised that it can charge for 100km in 5 minutes and charge to 80% in 14 minutes, which greatly alleviates the anxiety of battery life. Moreover, it can adapt to the 400V voltage provided by the existing basic charging facilities to boost the voltage to 800V of the vehicle system without installing additional parts.

The high-voltage battery pack is also fully protected. Through the structural layout, the collision energy is effectively absorbed in the body and chassis structure, thereby reducing the collision energy of the electrical system and battery to a minimum. Of course, the advantages of other modules are similar to those of competitors, so no further explanation is given.

Figure 10. Top view of the E-GMP platform (structural perspective) (from official website information)

The launch of this platform not only enables Hyundai to take the lead in hydrogen fuel cell vehicles, but also maintains its leading position in the pure electric vehicle industry.

Hyundai Motor also brought a description and demonstration of its E-GMP architecture to this year's CIIE. I believe some of you have also seen some physical displays during this period.

Toyota e-TNGA

When talking about Toyota's e-TNGA architecture, we have to talk about Toyota's TNGA architecture. After the release of Toyota's TNGA architecture a few years ago, the modular components of the whole vehicle + common platform received a large number of orders at the time, and he used the models of Toyota North and South to the extreme. Moreover, Toyota has always believed that pure electric is a transitional model, and believes that hybrid models are close to reality at this stage, and fuel cells are the future. This also led to Toyota's backwardness in the layout of pure electric models. Although several models such as the pure electric CHR-EV and IZOA EV have been launched, they are all oil-to-electric models based on the TNGA architecture, but the products are relatively tasteless, so the market competitiveness is weak, and the sales feedback is also very general.

It is undeniable that Toyota started researching and developing new energy vehicles in the last century, and its products cover all aspects, but it mainly focuses on hybrid. The progress of pure electric vehicles is relatively late, and consumers are not very receptive.

Based on these painful lessons, Toyota launched the e-TNGA architecture to support the pure electric platform.

This platform has strong modular properties. Its front axle is fixed, and the rear axle motor and battery pack can adapt to changes in vehicle model requirements, but the width of the battery pack remains unchanged. The battery pack is designed in the center of the bottom of the car, and it does not affect the minimum ground clearance or occupy the passenger space in the car. The number of battery modules can be increased or decreased according to the requirements of the cruising range, but the structure of each module is the same. In other words, if a long mileage is required, just increase the number of battery modules.

Although not much information has been released about the e-TNGA pure electric platform this time, after experiencing the strength of the TNGA gasoline platform, we have reason to look forward to the pure electric platform.

It can be imagined that e-TNGA will be the same as the TNGA architecture, further subdividing the platform on the basis of modularity. The higher the degree of commonality, the shorter the design and development cycle. Toyota said that under this architecture, the development cycle will be shortened from 4 years to 2 years.

Figure 11. Simple diagram of e-TNGA (from Autohome)

At the same time, Toyota is not just making an architecture. Lexus, Subaru, Suzuki and Daihatsu will all share this platform technology. In addition to the OEMs, it has also attracted many suppliers, especially in the battery sector, including LG, Samsung, Panasonic, CATL and BYD, all of which have entered the supply chain system of this platform. It is believed that based on the integration of so many car companies, the advantages of parts commonality and cost reduction will inevitably be maximized.

Of course, some other OEMs have also launched new platforms, such as Nissan's new CMF EV platform, but since they are all similar, I will not describe them in detail.

4.2. Start-up car companies

As mentioned above, traditional car companies all have a large existing market for gasoline vehicles, which leads to a relatively slow launch of pure electric models. Moreover, the pure electric models launched at the beginning were all based on the original gasoline vehicles with some modifications. After the launch, the market was baptized by the pure electric vehicles of early start-up car companies, resulting in generally sluggish sales of pure electric vehicles of traditional car companies, so they were forced to develop pure electric platforms. Although they are all late, at least most car companies have turned the ship around.

Next, let’s take a look at some of the progress made by these startup car companies that are influencing the strategies of traditional car companies.

Tesla

Tesla's early products, such as the first-generation Roadster, actually used the Lotus chassis and were modified. This can be defined as a gasoline-to-electric model and will not be discussed here.

Tesla's Model S in 2012 marked the beginning of Tesla's journey to independently develop its chassis. This chassis can cover all levels of vehicles. For example, the Model 3 is actually a Model S with a shorter wheelbase.

In fact, this is already a relatively clear modular idea for skateboard chassis.

From the chassis structure in the figure below, we can see relatively clearly that its chassis structure is mainly divided into battery pack, motor, and four-wheel drive.

Here we mainly talk about batteries. Tesla's batteries were developed through early cooperation with Panasonic, with mutual learning and achievements. They have always been the core technology that Tesla is proud of. I believe everyone knows that Tesla used the same 18650 battery as its laptop in the early days. By arranging these small batteries, the center of gravity of the vehicle is lowered and the front and rear weights are balanced, thereby improving operability.

Figure 12. Tesla Model S chassis structure (from Baidu Image)

Heat dissipation and short circuits of so many small batteries are actually a big problem. Tesla has achieved a very high level of control over battery temperature and layout. However, due to too many sources in the system, short circuit and spontaneous combustion accidents occurred frequently in the later period.

Because of this problem, at Tesla’s Battery Day event last year, it was proposed to place the battery cells directly into the chassis, making them part of the chassis. This would eliminate the need for modules and packs while keeping the battery capacity unchanged. This would reduce weight by 10% under the same conditions, thereby improving battery life and reducing costs.

But if this is really done, there may no longer be a Tesla skateboard design in the future. This is because Tesla is planning to put its new 4680 battery pack into a structural component. Basically, the frame of the car also serves as the battery pack.

Musk explained (via Teslarati): "It's not that existing cars no longer have value. It's that if you have a structural package that brings structural value to the car because, like, the compound honeycomb effect of the share distribution between the upper and lower honeycomb panels, then anything that doesn't do that is going to have to have duplicate hardware."

We will have to wait and see how things will change in the future. It is undeniable that Musk's wild ideas often come true.

This is indeed where he excels.

Canoo

The company is a startup co-founded by three former BMW executives. It currently has about 350 employees and was listed on the Nasdaq in the United States on December 22 last year.

Figure 13. Canoo family models (from the official website)

Currently, three models have been launched, namely Canoo Lifestyle Vehicle, Multi-Purpose Delivery Vehicle, and Pickup Truck. It is reported that all three models will be launched in 22 years.

This model uses a skateboard chassis structure, but Musk has designed the idea that he dared to think of but has not yet realized into the car, that is, there is no separate design of the power battery pack, but the power battery pack and the chassis are integrated into the design, which can reduce the weight of the chassis and also reduce part of the cost. Moreover, without changing the wheelbase and chassis, the battery capacity can be changed according to demand.

Figure 14. Chassis battery layout range (from the official website)

Moreover, he made the entire chassis very flat, mainly by adopting cylindrical battery cells similar to those used by Tesla. The module is composed of countless cylindrical battery cells, and the module is integrated into the chassis (note that it is not the CTC that has been very popular recently).

At the same time, the flatter the lower chassis platform is, the less restricted the upper cabin will be. And the entire chassis is controlled by wire, so in theory the driver's seat can be installed anywhere on the car body.

Because of its different chassis, there were even rumors that canoo attracted the attention of Apple and was even acquired.

From the models it has launched, we can clearly see that Canoo will first enter the travel market, provide multi-person travel services, and then enter the urban distribution freight market after the multi-functional trucks are mass-produced. The author believes that the pickup truck is a relatively down-to-earth model developed for the US market demand.