Idemitsu Kosan Co., Ltd. (head office: Chiyoda-ku, Tokyo; Representative Director & CEO: Shunichi Kito; hereinafter, "Idemitsu") has developed the "E AXLE and Electric Parts Cooling Oil," a groundbreaking oil that can be used with e-Axle* drive units, electronics and battery systems in electric vehicles (EVs) and hybrid electric vehicles (HEVs). Including this newly developed oil, Idemitsu now offer a lineup of products in six categories for EVs and HEVs with various applications to provide comprehensive support for electric vehicle technology.
As the world pursues vehicle electrification as part of a global decarbonization push, simplifying vehicle constructions is key to optimizing the performance of EVs and HEVs. Energy efficiency, quietness, compactness, and weight savings must all be considered for mechanisms and parts.
Crucially, electronics, motors, batteries, gears, bearings, and other parts of EVs and HEVs require cooling and lubrication. Designs that use multiple cooling media, such as cooling water (LLC), e-Axle oil, and battery cooling oil, for each EV and HEV component are being considered, but are expected to result in overly complex circuitry.
In response, Idemitsu has developed the E AXLE and Electric Parts Cooling Oil, with the aim of reducing the number of parts by simplifying the cooling circuit, saving interior space and unifying oil types, with benefits for both manufacturers and consumers.
In particular, the new oil can be used for comprehensive cooling of e-Axle systems, which are increasingly used in EVs and HEVs. E-Axles consists of a motor, a power control unit (PCU), and a speed reducer. In the past, e-Axles required oil to cool motors and lubricate speed reducers, but the E AXLE and Electric Parts Cooling Oil enables direct cooling not only of motors but also other electronics such as the battery and PCU.
Going forward, Idemitsu will strengthen its proposals and sales of the newly developed oil as a product for automobile manufacturers and tier-1 suppliers in Japan and overseas.
Note
E-Axle is a next-generation drive unit for electric vehicles, such as EVs and HEVs, which have been gaining popularity in recent years. It integrates a motor that controls the driving power, an inverter that controls the electric power, and gears that adjust the rotational speed of the motor and transmit it to the wheels. The system helps to reduce size, weight, and space by integrating the key components of an electric vehicle into a single unit.
Features of the E AXLE and Electric Parts Cooling Oil
1. Simplification of the cooling system
Using one fluid to cool and lubricate the e-Axle, electronics and battery simplifies the cooling system.
2. Enables both superior energy efficiency and lubrication of gears and bearings
The oil enables both excellent lubrication of gears and bearings as required by the e-Axle and energy savings through its superior cooling characteristics.
3. Attains both cooling and insulation of electronic components
The oil can directly cool motors, batteries, and other electronic components.
