Valeo and MAHLE iBEE System: A High-Efficiency EESM for Premium Electric Powertrains

The global push for electrification has driven the automotive industry to rely heavily on Permanent Magnet Synchronous Motors (PMSMs). While effective, this reliance introduces fundamental strategic vulnerability due to the volatile supply chain of rare-earth magnets. At Valeo and MAHLE, we recognized this risk early and formed a powerful partnership to deliver a solution that offers strategic certainty without compromising performance: the iBEE System (Inner Brushless Electrical Excitation).

Engineered for the High-End Electric Drivetrains

The iBEE system is specifically designed for the needs of high-performance and upper-segment electric vehicles. Its capabilities make it perfectly suited for key use cases:

• Power Range: Ideal for electric cars requiring a high peak power, targeting up to 350 kW+.
• High Torque: Capable of delivering torque up to 600 Nm at the motor (or up to 5,500 Nm at the wheel).
• High-Speed Efficiency: Optimized to offer outstanding performance and efficiency, particularly at high speed on the highway, which is crucial for long-distance range and driving pleasure.

Valeo & MAHLE iBEE System breakdown

Matching PMSM Performance with Advanced EESM Technology

Our joint development has successfully fused Valeo’s expertise in high-efficiency inverters and stator winding technology with MAHLE’s mastery of magnet-free rotors and brushless excitation.

1. MAHLE’s Rotor Design: Packaging and Continuous Power

MAHLE’s contribution centers on the unique Inner Brushless Electrical Excitation principle. This advanced rotor, including a patented, fully integrated MAHLE Contactless Transmitter (MCT), drives major gains in packaging and thermal management:

• Compact Integration: The design results in an axial assembly shortened by 50 mm compared to a brushed version. This crucial packaging reduction provides OEMs with greater flexibility for vehicle integration.
• Continuous Power: The innovative cooling concept, which was developed through the Valeo-MAHLE cooperation, is crucial for achieving high peak and continuous performance. This enables a high continuous-to-peak power ratio (greater than 60%), ensuring sustained performance for dynamic driving.

2. Valeo’s Inverter & Control Laws: Best-in-Class Efficiency

Valeo’s expertise in high-voltage power electronics ensures the EESM’s potential is fully realized. Our optimized control laws, combined with SiC specific Switching Cells, dynamically manage the excitation current ensuring the iBEE system delivers best-in-class efficiency. The system successfully achieves efficiency parity with PMSM across the driving map while being entirely magnet-free.

iBEE System: a strategic imperative for sustainable electrification, secure and scalable solution

The iBEE system is a game-changer.

• 100% Permanent Magnet-Free: It entirely eliminates dependence on rare earth elements.
• Sustainability Leadership: It achieves a motor production carbon footprint reduced by more than 40% compared to traditional permanent magnet motors of equivalent power.
• Durability: The design avoids issues associated with carbon dust and brush wear, ensuring long-term reliability.

The iBEE system is a high-performance, compact, and fundamentally durable solution. It is scalable in terms of performance, size, and cost, making it ideal for a wide range of upper-segment vehicles.

We are now ready, leveraging the combined industrial and technical might of Valeo and MAHLE, to support all OEMs in order to secure their future platforms. The time to act on rare-earth-free technology is now.