Dresden-based scientists at TU Dresden’s Institute of Lightweight Engineering and Polymer Technology and Leichtbau-Zentrum Sachsen GmbH have worked jointly with ThyssenKrupp AG to develop a concept for an ultra-lightweight electric vehicle – with the world premiere of a roadworthy demonstrator set to take place at the 65th IAA in 2013 (Hall 4.0/Booth C13).

The InEco® project saw joint research carried out by scientists at the Institute of Lightweight Engineering and Polymer Technology (ILK) at Technische Universität Dresden and experts from Leichtbau-Zentrum Sachsen GmbH (LZS) and ThyssenKrupp AG with the aim of developing a 4-seater electric vehicle for the metro-urban environment. The vehicle concept was to benefit commuters and short-distance drivers in particular. The resultant research vehicle has a total weight of just 900 kilograms – including all components and its battery – and combines both a sporty drive with environmentally compatible travel and cost-efficient construction techniques with elegant design.

From initial sketches to roadworthy demonstrator

The joint work engaged in by all partners involved in the InEco® project was carried out under the banner of “Innovation - Electromobility – Composite”. Fuelled by political and scientific debate on the topic of electromobility, the InEco® project strove to define a novel, future-oriented, sustainable approach to vehicle design. The project partners adopted a holistic research approach in order to ensure the scrutiny of the entire vehicle system. The result was a generic project vehicle characterized by integrated, multi-material design which facilitates a significant reduction in the number of components used and the optimized exploitation of lightweight potential.
Right from the start of the project, the concept development process incorporated not only design and material selection issues, but also innovative ideas regarding the vehicle package, passenger safety and drive technology. Innovative material combinations such as CFRP-steel hybrid composites played a key role here, as did the implementation of novel integrated construction techniques for cost-efficient lightweight engineering systems.

Innovation through integration

The basic requirement placed on novel components and technologies such as the front bonnet (ultra-lightweight sandwich construction) and the RTM side panel with integrative CFRP-steel B­pillar is ecological competitiveness. According to internal calculations, the vehicle design developed within the framework of the InEco® project stands up to comprehensive ecological evaluation against both electrically and conventionally driven all-metal vehicles.
In addition to the project vehicle’s positive ecological comparison with existing vehicle concepts featuring conventional drive technologies, its ultramodern battery technology represents another important innovation. Both the battery and its optimized air-conditioning device are integrated into the central tunnel on the vehicle floor in a crash-safe, balance-neutral way. An additional advantage comes in the form of the reduced individual masses of many vehicle components. The research results arrived at in the case of these individual issues can also be applied to other vehicle concepts. To give an example, the weight savings of up to 75 per cent (when compared with conventional steel components) achieved in the case of the front and rear bonnet are not accompanied by restrictions on functionality. Working together with DEKRA, the project participants subjected the front bonnet to tests focusing on various aspects. Tests used to determine fire resistance and splintering behaviour and analyse head-on impact scenarios all delivered positive results.

Outlook

Developed by the Director of the ILK, Prof. Dr.-Ing. habil. Prof. E.h. Dr. h.c. W. Hufenbach, the Dresden Model of “function-integrative lightweight engineering in multi-material design” shows its strengths throughout the vehicle concept designed within the framework of the InEco® project. The combination of an innovative mix of various design materials and load-conform selection of construction techniques increases the performance of the entire load-bearing vehicle structure. In addition, the techniques used to produce function-integrative, fibre-reinforced composite components have been improved to the extent that they are now an attractive means of series production in terms of cycle times and costs. One example here is the highly integrative vehicle side panel manufactured using an automatable RTM process.

Premiere at the 65th IAA

Initial design results from the InEco® project and a 1:4 model presenting the design vision were unveiled at the 64th IAA in 2011. Those ideas have been transformed into a roadworthy demonstrator version of the electric vehicle, which will celebrate its world premiere at the 65th International Motor Show in Frankfurt am Main. The results of many years of work will be presented at Booth C13 in Hall 4.0 from the 12th to the 22nd of September 2013. In addition to the demonstrator, a 1:1 Body in White will give visitors the opportunity to get a clear view of fitted bodywork. Individual components – for example the ultra-lightweight front bonnet (sandwich construction) and highly integrative side panel – will also be on display.
This project is supported by funds from the European Union (European Regional Development Fund– ERDF) and the Free State of Saxony within the framework of the overall project ALIEN.

Press contacts
Technische Universität Dresden
Institute of Lightweight Engineering and Polymer Technology
Prof. Dr.-Ing. habil. Prof. E.h. Dr. h.c. Werner Hufenbach
Holbeinstr. 3, 01307 Dresden
Tel.: +49 (0) 351 463-37915


Leichtbau-Zentrum Sachsen GmbH
Dr. Jens Werner
Marschnerstr. 39,
01307 Dresden
Tel.: +49 (0) 351 463-39477


ThyssenKrupp AG
Erik Walner
Kaiser-Wilhelm-Str. 100,
47166 Duisburg
Tel.: +49 (0) 2035245130