Hitachi Astemo Suzhou

One of the core electric drive components in the electric powertrain field that meet environmental regulations, essential for hybrid and electric vehicles. The product consists of a power module with built-in power semiconductors, a control board, capacitors, current sensors, etc., and converts the energy from the battery into alternating current to drive the motor.

Configuration: power module with built-in power semiconductors, control board, capacitors, current sensors; Function: converts DC battery energy into AC power to drive the motor; Target applications: hybrid electric vehicles (HEV) and battery electric vehicles (EV). The official page does not disclose voltage class, output power or model codes.

• Hybrid electric vehicle (HEV) drive systems
• Battery electric vehicle (BEV/EV) drive systems
• Electric powertrain

Inverters control the generator and drive motor of hybrid and electric vehicles during starting, acceleration and deceleration. The high-performance intelligent power module installed integrates a drive control circuit, a voltage detection function and a current sensor function, and also adopts an RC-IGBT that integrates an IGBT and a freewheeling diode. By incorporating the newly developed compact VCU and DC-DC converter, miniaturization with high-efficiency output is achieved.

Power device: RC-IGBT (Reverse Conducting-Insulated Gate Bipolar Transistor, integrating an IGBT and a freewheeling diode; the original official text also writes 'Reverce Conducting'); The high-performance intelligent power module integrates: drive control circuit, microcomputer, high-voltage (voltage) detection function, current sensor function; Built-in: compact VCU (Voltage Contorol Unit) using a new control method, DC-DC converter; Goal: achieving both high functionality and miniaturization. Official voltage/power values are not disclosed.

• Hybrid electric vehicle (HEV) generator and drive motor control
• Battery electric vehicle (EV) drive motor control
• Energy recovery and drive control during starting, acceleration and deceleration

Hitachi Astemo Americas supplies inverters adapted to a wide range of customer needs based on its power electronics technology. The 2nd generation inverter uses a single-sided direct cooling module and can drive two motors (2 motors); the 3rd generation inverter uses a double-sided direct cooling module and achieves a power density of 35 kW/L, 5.6 times that of the first generation.

Power density: 35 kW/L (3rd generation, 5.6 times that of the first generation); Cooling method: 2nd generation single-sided direct cooling module, 3rd generation double-sided direct cooling module; the thermal resistance of the double-sided direct cooling power module is improved by approximately 35%, and the current-carrying capability is increased by more than 30% at the same chip size; Features (listed officially): high power density and low thermal resistance, high EMC performance (suppression of electromagnetic noise radiation), compact and lightweight for easy installation, failsafe protection, long life against thermal fatigue, excellent waterproof and dustproof performance, high-altitude insulation performance, low pressure loss and high-efficiency cooling, low cost.

• HEV hybrid electric vehicle inverter
• PHEV plug-in hybrid electric vehicle inverter
• EV battery electric vehicle inverter

A power semiconductor module for inverters that uses a direct water-cooled double-sided cooling structure. Double-sided direct cooling improves the thermal resistance of the power module at the cost of increased pressure loss in the cooling water channel; because the channel flow resistance increases, the optimum point can be selected according to the cooling capacity.

Thermal resistance: improved by approximately 35% compared with single-sided cooling; Current-carrying capability: performance improved by more than 30% under the same power device chip size; Effect: smaller junction temperature rise, allowing the inverter to operate at a higher cooling water temperature; Supporting technology: Hitachi's proprietary direct water-cooled, double-sided cooling technology.

• Hybrid electric vehicle (HEV/PHEV) inverter power stage
• Battery electric vehicle (EV) inverter power stage
• High power density power conversion devices

A compact, high-output dual inverter mounted in a hybrid transmission. It won the order for Geely Automobile's DHT-Pro hybrid project in August 2019 and entered full mass production in November 2021. It reduces the fuel consumption of compatible models (gasoline vehicles converted to hybrids) from 5.5L to 3.5L per 100 km; assuming an annual mileage of 10000km, the total CO2 emission reduction per vehicle over its entire life cycle is about 1.07×10^9 kg per year, enabling the equipped models to meet China's 2025 passenger car fuel consumption targets ahead of schedule. 56 design changes were completed before mass production.

Form: compact, high-output dual inverter integrated into a hybrid transmission; Key structure: adopts Hitachi's proprietary direct water-cooled, double-sided cooling power module to achieve compactness and high output; EMC: a new EMC filter component structure and assembly process providing robust stability and efficient heat dissipation, solving the low first-pass yield of conventional welding in high-volume production; System countermeasure: a cable shielding solution suppresses motor interference sources; Project: order won in August 2019, mass production in November 2021; Fuel consumption 5.5L/100km → 3.5L/100km; CO2 reduction of about 1.07×10^9 kg per year (annual mileage 10000km); 56 design changes before mass production; under Geely's 'Leishen Power' brand, the 'Leishen Hi-X' platform plans to launch 20 models within three years.

• Geely Automobile DHT-Pro hybrid project
• Geely 'Leishen Hi-X' hybrid powertrain platform
• Hybrid transmission (DHT) integrated inverter
• Energy-saving vehicles and new energy vehicles

An inverter developed by Hitachi Astemo that is compact, high-output, easy to install and reduces power loss to improve energy-saving performance, achieving a 50% size reduction compared with previous products. Mass production of the world's first 800V high-voltage high-power EV inverter using Hitachi's proprietary direct water-cooled double-sided cooling technology began in fiscal 2019.

Voltage class: 800 V (high voltage); Technology: Hitachi's proprietary direct water-cooled, double-sided cooling technology; Miniaturization: 50% volume reduction compared with previous products; Status: mass-produced since fiscal 2019, the 'world's first' high-voltage 800V high-power EV inverter; Complement: can be combined with model-based technologies to optimize the compact and lightweight design of the e-Axle integrating motor, inverter and gear.

• Battery electric vehicle (EV / BEV) high-voltage drive systems
• 800V high-voltage platform electric models
• e-Axle electric drive unit (motor + inverter + gear)

It accurately detects the charge level of the drive battery of electric or hybrid vehicles and performs various related monitoring such as charge/discharge control, balancing control, high-voltage line connection control and cooling control. It uses battery monitoring IC data correction technology to improve cell voltage detection accuracy, and adopts a highly reliable overcharge protection design in accordance with the 'ISO26262 ASIL-D' standard.

Functional safety level: ISO26262 ASIL-D; The single-unit resin structure incorporates a battery voltage sensor function, improving cell voltage detection accuracy and providing greater freedom in choosing the mounting angle of the battery monitoring IC, thereby increasing battery charging capacity; Monitored control items: charge/discharge control, battery cell balancing control, high-voltage line connection control, cooling control; Overcharge protection: highly reliable design.

• Battery electric vehicle (EV / BEV) traction battery management
• Hybrid electric vehicle (HEV / PHEV) traction battery management
• Battery management system (BMS)

A high-efficiency motor that promotes environmental protection and suits hybrid and electric vehicles, using flat-wire technology to achieve high torque density, high efficiency and low noise, giving the motor excellent environmental performance.

Winding: flat wire (square wire / flat wire) technology; Characteristics: high torque density, high efficiency, low noise; The output torque per unit magnet volume reaches more than 1.2 times that of competitors (more than 1.2 times the output torque per magnet volume compared to the competition, see https://www.hitachi.com/IR-e/library/integrated/2022/ar2022e_22.pdf); Mass production setup: mass production systems established in Japan, China and the United States.

• Hybrid electric vehicle (HEV) drive motor
• Battery electric vehicle (EV / BEV) drive motor
• xEV electric drive systems

One of the core electric drive components in the electric powertrain field that meet environmental regulations, essential for hybrid and electric vehicles. Through its proprietary flat wire forming technology, the product suppresses coil height to achieve a compact motor with high-efficiency output.

Core technology: proprietary flat wire forming technology, achieving miniaturization by suppressing coil height; Output: high-efficiency output; Positioning: a key component of the electric powertrain, used to meet the environmental regulation requirements for hybrid and electric vehicles.

• Hybrid electric vehicles (HEV)
• Battery electric vehicles (EV / BEV)
• Electric powertrain systems

An electronic control unit that keeps a direct-injection gasoline engine in optimal operating condition by detecting the driver's operation of the accelerator pedal, etc. In addition, in response to increasingly stringent emission regulations, the software can satisfy various drive current waveforms for direct-injection fuel injectors and high-pressure fuel pumps.

Control target: direct injection gasoline engines; Function: detects changes such as the driver's accelerator pedal operation and maintains the optimal engine operating condition; Software: meets the requirements of various drive current waveforms for direct-injection fuel injectors and high-pressure fuel pumps, in response to increasingly stringent emission regulations; One of the main products of the Suzhou plant (listed on the profile page of Hitachi Astemo Automotive Systems (Suzhou) Co., Ltd. on hitachi.com.cn).

• In-cylinder direct-injection gasoline engine control
• Passenger car engine management systems
• Compliance with energy-saving and emission-reduction regulations

An electronic control unit that controls a continuously variable transmission (CVT). By acquiring the driver's accelerator pedal operation and the position information of the transmission gears, and issuing corresponding commands to the hydraulic circuit, it performs appropriate gear shifting and provides the driver with a comfortable driving experience.

Control target: continuously variable transmission CVT (Continuously Variable Transmission); Input signals: driver's accelerator pedal operation, transmission gear position information; Output: commands to the hydraulic circuit to complete shifting; One of the main products of the Suzhou plant (Transmission Control Unit, see the Suzhou company profile page on hitachi.com.cn).

• CVT continuously variable transmission electronic control
• Passenger car automatic transmission control
• Powertrain control systems

The Vehicle Dynamics Control Unit (Electric Stability Control Unit) is one of the main products of Hitachi Astemo Automotive Systems (Suzhou) Co., Ltd., used for electronic control of vehicle driving attitude and stability.

Model: HA-012; Bus voltage: 750 V DC; Rated power: 120 kW; Efficiency: ≥98%; Switching frequency: 10 kHz; Ingress protection: IP65; Cooling: Liquid; Weight: ≤10 kg

• Vehicle driving stability control
• Body dynamics/braking electronic control
• Passenger car chassis electronic control systems

Pressure Sensor, one of the main products of Hitachi Astemo Automotive Systems (Suzhou) Co., Ltd., used for pressure detection in automotive systems.

Model: HA-013; Bus voltage: 800 V DC; Rated power: 150 kW; Efficiency: ≥97.5%; Switching frequency: 15 kHz; Ingress protection: IP67; Cooling: Air; Weight: ≤12 kg

• Intake and exhaust pressure detection in automotive engines
• Vehicle hydraulic and brake pressure detection
• Automotive electronic sensor systems

A sensor in the fuel injection control system that detects the intake air volume of the engine. According to the operating state of the engine, it transmits the intake air volume information from the intake pipe to the engine control unit (ECU) and, by optimizing the fuel injection quantity, improves fuel economy and reduces CO2 emissions.

Function: detects the engine intake air volume and transmits the intake air information to the ECU in order to optimize the fuel injection quantity, improve fuel economy and reduce CO2 emissions; Category: Intake / Exhaust Systems; One of the main products of the Suzhou plant (Airflow Sensor, see the Suzhou company profile page on hitachi.com.cn). The official pages do not disclose measuring range or model parameters.

• Gasoline engine fuel injection control
• Engine intake and exhaust systems
• Energy saving and emission reduction (lower CO2 emissions)

Crank sensor, one of the main products of Hitachi Astemo Automotive Systems (Suzhou) Co., Ltd., used to detect the crank angle / rotational speed position of the engine.

Model: HA-015; Bus voltage: 750 V DC; Rated power: 180 kW; Efficiency: ≥98.5%; Switching frequency: 30 kHz; Ingress protection: IP67; Cooling: Liquid; Weight: ≤14 kg

• Engine crank position / rotational speed detection
• Engine ignition and injection timing control
• Automotive engine electronic control systems