BorgWarner to Supply its Integrated Drive Module to Hyundai for a New EV That Will Enter Production in 2024

author: Eric Walz   

BorgWarner's compact Integrated Drive Module is designed to help automakers like Hyundai build more affordable EVs.

Automotive component supplier BorgWarner has secured a second major supply deal with Hyundai Motor Co for an integrated drive module ("IDM146") that will power a new electric vehicle. The compact IDM146 replaces a conventional vehicle's internal combustion engine and transmission.

Hyundai's forthcoming A-Segment electric vehicle is scheduled to start production in the third quarter of 2024. The company selected BorgWarner's IDM146 due to its advanced technology and its prior win in 2021 with Hyundai to supply its IDM units for another A-segment electric vehicle. 

BorgWarner's IDMs are designed to help automakers like Hyundai build more affordable EVs. The IDM optimizes weight, cost and size for electric vehicles. It integrates the transmission and high voltage hairpin (HVH) electric motor and power electronics in a single compact unit. These units also operate more efficiently, which can further help to improve the range of Hyundai's future EVs.

The modular design makes it easier for automakers to integrate into vehicles during production. The overall design of BorgWarner's IDM offers a balanced mix of power, torque, packaging and efficiency, the company says. 

"Our partnership with the Hyundai Motor Company spans two decades, and we're delighted to continue our relationship by supplying our latest technology for the company's newest electrification project," said Dr. Stefan Demmerle, President and General Manager, BorgWarner PowerDrive Systems. "Our iDM proved an ideal fit for the customers' electric propulsion system during our first EV collaboration, and we look forward to contributing industry-leading electrification solutions to assist the company in meeting its future sustainability goals."

BorgWarner's IDM146 is designed for 400V EV systems but can also scale up to 800V. The unit produces a peak power output of roughly 135kW. However the unit's modular design allows power and torque output to be tailored to specific vehicle manufacturer requirements. The IDM146 also offers full software functionality with options for high level controls such as vehicle dynamics and energy management.

The IDM146 also features BorgWarner's Viper power module. The Viper power module is the first 800-Volt inverter to use an innovative, double-side cooled silicon carbide (SiC)-based power switch. It offers higher power and improved cooling performance in high temperature environments, which can help extend battery range and performance. The improved cooling performance is needed for high-RPM, high-voltage electric motors to prevent overheating.

In an electric vehicle's powertrain, an inverter converts direct current (DC) to alternating current (AC) and controls the flow of electricity from the battery or from the battery pack to the electric motor(s). SiC-based power switches are capable of delivering a more rapid flow of power to the wheels when the driver demands it, such as during hard acceleration. 

The use of SiC interveters provides automakers the option of using smaller and lower cost electric motors without sacrificing the power output of the vehicle.

In March during Hyundai's ‘2022 CEO Investor Day' virtual forum, President and CEO Jaehoon Chang and other executives presented the automaker's EV plans to shareholders and investors. These plans include optimizing manufacturing capacity, and securing hardware and software competitiveness. 

Hyundai aims to boost annual global EV sales of 1.87 million units and take 7% of the global EV market share by 2030.

In July, Hyundai unveiled the IONIQ 6 electric sedan. With the optional 77.4 kWh battery the IONIQ 6 can travel up to 610 km (380 miles) on a single charge, which is almost as much as Tesla's Flagship Model S with a range of 405 miles.

The IONIQ 6 is built on Hyundai's Electric-Global Modular Platform (E-GMP) with an 800-V system architecture that delivers ultra-fast charging times from 10 to 80% in just 18 minutes using a 350-kW charger.

Eric Walz

Originally hailing from New Jersey, Eric is a automotive & technology reporter covering the high-tech industry here in Silicon Valley. He has over 15 years of automotive experience and a bachelors degree in computer science. These skills, combined with technical writing and news reporting, allows him to fully understand and identify new and innovative technologies in the auto industry and beyond. He has worked at Uber on self-driving cars and as a technical writer, helping people to understand and work with technology.