On March 20, Saietta, a British electric drive (eDrive) specialist, signed a master supply agreement with AVTEC Limited. The partnership brings together AVTEC’s expertise in the design and manufacture of transmissions with Saietta’s motor and inverter capability. The resulting eDrives have been designed for 3- and 4-wheel lightweight electric vehicles (EVs) for its first set of commercial agreements and the production is on track to commence in Q3 2023.
In addition to the supply agreement, Saietta and AVTEC intend to proactively market the combined eDrive technology to other existing and prospective clients, tailoring the core eDrive design to meet the precise requirements of additional individual OEMs in India and beyond. Over the course of the initial five years of the supply contract, Saietta and AVTEC will have the capability to produce a minimum of 150,000 complete eDrive units for customers globally of which 80,000 units are already reserved for the launch OEM in India. Saietta and AVTEC are also exploring the development of eDrive solutions for other lightweight vehicle sectors, including 2-wheel applications.
Lightweighting/Cost Reduction
On March 18, FAW Bestune officially started accepting pre-orders for the new Bestune M9 mid-to-large-size MPV, which is available in two models with a pre-order price of CNY 235,800 and CNY 255,800, respectively.
Based on the FAW FMA-B platform, the vehicle is more lightweight, and has better noise reduction in terms of NVH design. It features a new design language that presents a magnificent oriental beauty. It features a grille consisting of nine chrome-plated strips in the front profile, coupled with transverse headlights, transverse taillights, longitudinal lights, longitudinal grille, and longitudinal bumpers, breaking the visual center of gravity and making it highly recognizable.
The vehicle measures 5,280mm long, 2,005mm wide and 1,945mm high, with a wheelbase of 3,200mm. It features a 7-seater configuration, with a wide riding space and a 620L trunk volume, which is the largest in its class.
The vehicle is equipped with an FAW 2.0T high-power engine, mated to an Aisin 8-speed automatic transmission and a 48V mild hybrid system, with a maximum power of 185kW, a peak torque of 380Nm, and a combined fuel consumption of 8.8L/100km.
The vehicle is equipped with front and rear parking radars, a back-up camera, and CCS (Cruise Control System).
From an FAW Bestune press release and information on the FAW Bestune website
On March 16, ELIX Polymers announced that Beijing Beiqi Mould & Plastic Technology Co., Ltd. (BMPT) has selected its ABS H801 for the spoilers of the new Mercedes-Benz model GLA and GLB series. This is based on intensive collaboration between BMPT, Mercedes-Benz, Sinochem, and ELIX Polymers. ELIX ABS H801 has high stiffness, heat, and impact resistance, as well as excellent paintability. The density of this material is 4% lower than the previously used PC/ABS grades for this application, which means important weight reductions can be achieved.
Both the tensile modulus (2400 MPa) and flexural modulus (2300 MPa) of ELIX ABS H801 are higher than many PC/ABS grades with a greater PC content. The excellent performance of the ELIX ABS H801 material in glue joint assembly enables using the same material for both exterior painted parts such as “outer skin” as well as reinforcement interior parts.