Top transmission engineers project big future for e-axles, advanced motors

A panel of high-ranking transmission and driveline engineers projected outsized adoption for electric-axle (e-axle) technology, as well as significant expansion of other driveline-electrification strategies now being adopted for new or near-future production vehicles. The engineering executives participated in a recent webinar in SAE's Leadership Roundtable series, a virtual event replacing the in-person program planned for April's SAE WCX 2020 conference that was cancelled because of the COVID-19 outbreak.

Most of the panel agreed that hybrid and other electrification strategies such as e-axles are the transition from internal combustion-based drivetrains to volume production and sales of battery electric vehicles (BEVs). “Long-term, BEV is going to be the better answer,” conceded Michael Solt, global head, transmission, driveline and axle at FCA USA LLC. But the EV solution - and when volume adoption happens - “depends on which market you're in,” he added.