Vitesco Technologies, a leading international supplier of modern drive technologies and electrification solutions, will deliver its EMR3 (Electronics Motor Reducer, 3rd Generation) integrated axle drive to Honda for its all-new CR-V e: FCEV that will be marketed in the U.S. and Japan later in the year. It is the first time that a Vitesco Technologies drive system is integrated into a hydrogen fuel cell electric vehicle (FCEV). Along with the axle drive, Honda will install Vitesco Technologies’ fuel cell stack bypass valve to control the airflow to and from the fuel cell. This bypass valve is based on decades of experience with combustion engine airflow management which now proves to be instrumental for state-of-the-art fuel cell systems.
While the production numbers of the CR-V e: FCEV will probably not match those of other CR-V models, the vehicle is highly innovative: It combines a long-range and quick re-fueling of an electric vehicle with a fuel cell system with the option to drive up to 60 kilometers purely electric with power from the 17,7 kWh high-voltage battery. In addition, the driver has a 110 V electric outlet in the car to supply electric devices with up to 1,500 W consumption. Thus, the vehicle can become a clean power source during power outages as well as for outdoor recreational activities.
Vitesco Technologies’ EMR3 axle drive is a platform that integrates up to three drive system components in one unit: An electric motor, power electronics, and a reducer. For the Honda e: FCEV Vitesco Technologies will deliver an electric motor and power electronics version without a reducer. Owed to very compact dimensions, low weight, high efficiency, and ease of vehicle integration, the EMR3 is one of the most successful Tier1 axle drive systems on the market. By the end of March 2024, more than 900,000 EMR3 Vitesco Technologies units were delivered to many brands and models worldwide.
The EMR3 version for the CR-V e: FCEV was jointly developed by experts in Europe, China, and Japan. In the Honda SUV, it pushes out 174 horsepower and offers 229 lb.-ft. peak torque. With a full hydrogen tank, the vehicle is expected to have a range of over 600 kilometers plus an additional purely electric range of more than 60 kilometers. Manufacturing of the EMR3 has commenced at the Vitesco Technologies site in Tianjin, China.
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