45 Protean van conversion | EVD E-Mobility Engineering | March/April 2024 form of power to use under most circumstances, the system prevents operation in diesel mode within controlled low-emission zones unless there is an emergency. “Outside controlled zones, the driver is in control and can determine when to stay in electric power for a more pleasant driving experience, or switch to diesel for longer distances. In-wheel motor development For the last 15 years, Protean’s technology development has centred on in-wheel motors, and Lambert emphasises that it is protected by more than 300 patents in Asian, European and North American markets. This focus on intellectual property (IP) is part of a policy to build trust among partners in the global automotive industry. Protean’s inventions address many aspects of the technology, including mechanical design, robustness against vibration and shock, sealing, thermal management, power electronics and their integration, motor sensing and control, electromagnetic design, fault tolerance, manufacturing tools, brake integration, and the control of in-wheel motors for performance and safety. Perhaps the core of the company’s development efforts is the integration of the inverter into the motor. The overall concept is to integrate everything that would normally be on the axle into the wheels, Lambert explains. “An e-axle would be made up of a transmission, an inverter or multiple inverters, and a motor or multiple motors. We’ve designed the motor to fit inside the wheel, and then we have integrated the inverter in there, saving a lot of space. And that’s really where our value proposition is: enabling our customers to do more with their vehicle platforms,” he says. BEDEO, which bought Protean from National Electric Vehicle Sweden (NEVS) in 2021, does the vehicle conversions, taking Protean’s in-wheel motor technology and its own components and integrating them into the vehicles. “These two elements are separate, but there is a lot of benefit in crosspollination among the group, where there may be a deeper understanding of something in one area than the other,” says Lambert. “Protean might need to understand how something is integrated on the vehicle and we can go to BEDEO for that, and if they want to understand a piece of electronics or some detailed mechanical design, they can pull that from Protean.” As well as conversions of used vehicles, it will be possible to order brand new ones with the system installed, Lambert says. BEDEO is both a customer and a partner, but Protean also works with other OEMs. “There’s nothing stopping our technology being used in OEM-supplied vehicles, as well as retrofits.” The RE-100 conversion has been designed to affect the rest of the vehicle as little as possible and to keep the installation process relatively simple. The battery in its enclosure is attached under the floor of the cargo area, and it is connected by cabling to the motors with their integral inverters in the wheels on a new rear axle. Boyner says. “This leaves a massive number of combustion engine vans on the road, which will either continue emitting pollutants way past 2035 if they are kept, or will be scrapped, wasting valuable, usable materials. Retrofitting offers a practical solution to extend their lifespan and transform them into EVs.” Intended to be used around town, particularly in low-emission zones, the RE-100 conversion retains the unmodified diesel powertrain for longer runs. The add-on electric powertrain’s major components are the battery pack and the Pd18 4250 in-wheel motors. Lambert says that although these components add weight and reduce payload in those terms, it doesn’t have a significant impact on the range achievable with the diesel engine, particularly in a vehicle designed to carry weight. “We don’t change the fuel tank, so the fuel volume remains the same, and the battery and other ancillaries are installed underneath the vehicle, so we don’t impact the load capacity in volume terms,” he explains. Boyner says that although the driver of an RE-100 can choose which Neat in-mirror display of essential electric powertrain information for the driver, showing readiness, charge, range, power usage and drive-selector position (Image courtesy of Protean)
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