Webasto says its CV Standard Battery, and other additions, showcase the company’s willingness to go the extra mile to make vehicles as safe as possible.
Building on more than 90 years of automotive expertise, Webasto has developed a modular and scalable high voltage battery to support the electrification of commercial vehicles and construction machinery.
Produced in it state-of the-art German facility, the CV Standard Battery with a configuration of 400V and 800V is designed to withstand the harshest environments.
With the implementation of new technologies there is understandably a discussion around safety.
To address this, global top 100 automotive supplier Webasto has designed its own range of innovative solutions to ensure safety is at the forefront for its e-mobility partners and customers.
The battery has been homologated against recognised standards CE, ECE R100, ECE R10 and tested against the highest industry safety and reliability requirements.
Unique testing and validation ensuring the highest quality and safety levels are part of Webasto’s automotive DNA. With an in-house design, prototyping and comprehensive range of facilities, Webasto tests and validates all components from cells to full systems.
This complete package of internal testing includes functional, thermal, environmental, mechanical shock, vibration and electrical testing.
Webasto says its robust design and housing result in the battery being used in both on road and off road applications.
“This modular scalable battery system offers a range of safety features that are essential for the safe operation of electric vehicles,” says Webasto CS sales and service director David Byrne.
“With its integrated BMS, the system is constantly monitoring key performance and safety critical factors such as voltage, current, temperatures, state of health and charge at a cell, pack and module level.”
Also included in every Webasto CV Standard Battery pack is insulation measurement, high voltage interlock and contactor monitoring. It all results in safe operations for vehicles within its designed parameters.
Webasto says the CV Standard Battery System has also been designed to feature integrated thermal runaway detection.
In the event of a fault or malfunction, the system will automatically detect any abnormal changes in temperature, voltage, current and other critical values to shut down the system long before it can reach any state in which harm can be possibly caused to human life and the customer’s property.
If the risk ever spirals into an unlikely thermal event, the highly sensitive system will automatically detect any sharp increase in temperature and carbon dioxide levels to give the driver time to safely evacuate the vehicle.
Byrne says specially designed degassing units on each layer of the system provide pressure relief in a controlled manner.
“In normal operation, these units also act as pressure equalisation devices and ensure the battery is always maintained at the correct pressure if there’s an altitude change for the vehicle,” Byrne says.
Byrne says one of the key safety features of the CV Standard Battery System is its physical separation between high voltage and cooling connectors. On top of this, the system also includes desiccant cartridges to avoid condensation over the lifetime of the battery pack, preventing moisture from damaging the battery.
With the need for multiple battery packs in vehicles, they can be connected via Webasto’s vehicle interface box (VIB). As well as acting as a master BMS, the VIB allows for power distribution and a two-way communication interface with the vehicle, including receipts of critical safety messages like crash detection that would then lead to the automatic shutdown of the battery systems.
“Complementing the intelligent thermal management within the battery system is Webasto’s eBTM 2.0,” Byrne says.
“This is a stand-alone battery thermal management unit that aims to regulate the temperature of the battery pack and maintain it within a safe operation range.
“It does this by combining heating and cooling elements with sensors and control systems that monitor and adjust the temperature as needed.”
Webasto’s eBTM 2.0 is especially designed to allow for optimal functioning of its water-cooled battery packs that are used in electric commercial vehicles.
Its compact design includes all components needed for heating and cooling such as pumps, heaters, compressors and DC/DC converters.
Byrne says this underlines the simple ‘Plug & Play’ principle and allows for flexible installation of the system into a commercial vehicle.
This provides a wide range of benefits that makes Webasto’s new battery packs safer and more innovative than ever before.
“One of the key benefits of a properly functioning thermal management system is improved battery life,” Byrne says.
“Batteries, commonly used in electric vehicles are sensitive to temperature fluctuations. If it’s then exposed to high temperatures for long periods of time, it can cause accelerated aging and reduce its lifespan.
“By regulating the battery temperature, the system lowers the risk of performance reduction that could limit the bus’s range and driving behaviour.”