Beijing, China, November 11, 2024 - Renesas Electronics (TSE), a global semiconductor solutions provider, 6723) today announced the first worldwide launch of the "8-in-1" proof-of-concept (Note) (PoC) solution for electric vehicle (EV) drive motor systems (E-Axle) - eight functions controlled by a single microcontroller (MCU). Developed in collaboration with Nidec, the PoC integrates motors, gears (reducers), inverters, DC/DC converters and on-board battery chargers (OBCs). In addition, system-level testing has been successfully completed to ensure its performance. Renesas will present its new 8-in-1 E-Axle design at the Munich Electronics Show (Hall B4, Stand 179) from November 12-15, 2024.

    As a unit of electric vehicle, E-Axle integrates drive motor, gear and inverter. By integrating multiple functions, the E-Axle system reduces system size and weight, simplifying vehicle design. Renesas provided key components for the development of the new 8-in-1 e-Axle system, including semiconductors and reference designs. Renesas also plans to bring one-stop semiconductor chips and solutions for various "all-in-one" systems based on the reference design of this PoC. With these solutions, developers can immediately implement and evaluate the "many in one" system, thus accelerating the development of electric vehicles.
    In addition to Nideco motors and gears, the features in this PoC include Renesas inverters (output power 70 to 100kW, Up to 99% efficiency or higher), 1.5kWDC/DC converters, 6.6kW OBCs, power distribution units (PDUs), battery management systems (BMS), and automotive positive temperature Common Efficiency (PTC) heating controllers. In general, each function of the E-Axle requires a dedicated MCU and power management IC (PMIC) to achieve control of the "multi-in-one" system. Renesas successfully developed this new E-Axle system requires only one MCU and one PMIC to control the entire 8-in-1 system. By integrating these functions into a single MCU through system integration, this PoC significantly reduces component count, system cost, and size.
    The new PoC has been tested for best performance and includes a wide range of Renesas products: the RH850/U2B 32-bit MCU, PMIC for MCU power supply, isolated gate driver RAJ2930004AGM, IGBT module for inverters, power devices for OBC and DC/DC converters. Thanks to these innovations, Renesas can provide customers with comprehensive system and software support, as well as key components for "all-in-one" solutions. Renesas is committed to creating comprehensive system solutions, including reference designs and software, to accelerate the development of electric vehicles.
    Chris Allexandre, Senior Vice President and General Manager of Power at Renesas said: "We are proud to partner with Nideco to launch the innovative 8-in-1 E-Axle solution, which has successfully proven its superior performance. "We are committed to providing a wide range of power semiconductor devices combined with Renesas' digital offerings to accelerate customer product development and reduce time to market with a complete ready-to-use system-level solution."
    Ryuji Omura, Senior Vice President,  Deputy Chief Technology Officer and Head of Nidec Semiconductor Solutions Center at Nidec said: "In the rapidly changing electric vehicle market, the demand for smaller and lower cost E-Axle systems is increasing. Using a single ECU to manage the electric vehicle powertrain control unit will help reduce the weight and cost of the system, reducing the number of components. We are the first to successfully develop this innovative PoC for controlling 8-in-1 systems through a single MCU. Special thanks to the Renesas team for their enthusiasm and excellent spirit of cooperation in this project. In addition, due to the varying levels of integration of multi-in-one systems in different market segments, this project also taught us the importance of developing a scalable design approach. By modifying the software configuration of multi-core MCUS, we expect to lay the foundation for a multi-in-one platform that can flexibly adapt to various combinations."
    (Note) Research based on Renesas Electronics.
About Renesas Electronics
    Renesas Electronics (TSE: 6723), technology makes life easier and is committed to building a safer, smarter and more sustainable future. As a global microcontroller provider, Renesas combines expertise in embedded processing, analog, power and connectivity to provide complete semiconductor solutions. The successful portfolio accelerates the market for automotive, industrial, infrastructure and iot applications, empowering billions of connected smart devices to improve the way people work and live.