Looks like everyone is betting big on the electrification of cars. Ford controversially named an electric SUV after its iconic gas-guzzling sports car, Toyota is set to reveal its first EV next month at the Shanghai Motor Show, Kia and Hyundai have each released one recently, Audi and Porsche have created Model S competitors, and the list goes on. But how can a 3rd party company make this environmentally-friendly transition better? That’s where the automotive engineering firm Magna comes into play. You might recognize that name from their subsidiary, the Magna Steyr manufacturing plant in Austria, that makes the G-Wagon, BMW Z4, Supra, and others.
With their decades of experience, Magna decided to start with beam axles to enhance trucks. After all, axles are a key part of what give trucks their impressive strength needed for towing. A beam axle is a rigid axle that connects 2 wheels laterally by a single beam. Its simplicity, ruggedness, and low cost combined with its space-efficiency and fixed camber angle, which lead to more predictable handling, are the main advantages of this type of axle. The eBeam axle, as the name suggests, is a beam axle with a built-in e-motor in place of the traditional rear differential (often known as the “pumpkin” due to its shape). Currently, 3 variants are in the work: a single motor with a single speed, and a dual motor with 1 speed and torque vectoring, ranging from 160 hp to 335 hp. Simply put, this is a solid axle that will drop in place of traditional ICE axles that work with ICE engines.
But why is this special? After all, companies such as Bosch and Dana Electrified have created their own electric axles before. Unlike others, Magna has taken an interesting approach; they are marketing this for light-duty pickups, while others are more commercial based, however, it is meant for automakers and not the consumer because this is not a “drop-in” solution as it seems. The advantage of working with OEMs is that they can keep their old ladder frames, which allows them to keep their current suspension, one of the main things that truck owners love. This allows for other components to be kept as well, keeping costs lower for both the producer and consumer, and allows enthusiasts to find and replace parts with ease. Speaking of modifications, the eBeam axle itself is set to be versatile. Magna’s Powertrain President said that “a simple gear ratio change is all that is needed to transition from pickup truck service to light commercial vehicle service.” This means that a wide variety of vehicles will be able to use it with very few simple modifications.
With all of that, many are left asking what happens next? Some are left wondering if the Big 3, Ford, GM, and Stellantis (formerly FCA), will be working with Magna to develop electric trucks. Some are thinking of the possibilities: the new USPS van, other delivery vans, personal classics, etc. Some are left questioning why this product is needed or even if anyone will use it rather than making their own parts. Sooner or later, however, we will see a increase in hybrids and all-electric pickup trucks. Ford has come out with a “PowerBoost” hybrid starting from the 2021 model year, they are currently working on a F-150 EV, Ram has its “eTorque” system, and others like Rivian and Tesla are gearing up for truck releases. It’s only a matter of time until we start seeing the need for these. Who know, maybe one day they will incorporate the eBeam into a DIY conversion kit for everyone to use. Let us know what you think!
Additional Info:
- https://cleantechnica.com/2021/03/16/magna-introduces-ebeam-electric-rear-axle-for-pickup-trucks/
- https://jalopnik.com/this-company-has-a-simple-design-for-converting-pickup-1846486509
- https://www.motortrend.com/news/magna-ebeam-axle-ev-truck/
- https://www.thewattcar.com/home/magna-announces-ebeam-solid-axle-electric-motor-module
- https://www.autoblog.com/2021/03/15/magna-electric-motor-live-axle-pickup-truck/?ncid=txtlnkusaolp00000618
