Continental : Vitesco Technologies Nominated for the Automotive News PACE Awards...

• Vitesco Technologies is one of only 27 automotive suppliers chosen from around the world as a finalist
• The coolant flow control valve is a key enabler for optimizing thermal management in electrified powertrains
• Aim is to increase the attractiveness of electric vehicles
• PACE Awards is setting industry standards for innovation and quality
  

Auburn Hills (USA), Regensburg (Germany). April 19, 2021. Vitesco Technologies, a leading international supplier of modern drive technologies and electrification solutions, has been selected as a finalist for the 2021 Automotive News PACE Awards for a specific innovation furthering the automotive industry's evolution toward e-mobility and electrification.

Vitesco Technologies was recognized for its innovative coolant flow-control valve which has been specifically designed to support the growing global interest in powertrain electrification. With these modular, switchable multi-way valves, the changing heating and cooling requirements in an electric car can be controlled flexibly and in an energy-saving manner. This increases the range, especially in winter, speeds up charging, and the service life of the high-voltage electronics and the battery is extended.

Electrical vehicles benefit from the Vitesco Technologies Smart Thermal Management in various ways. The system increases the driving range, especially in winter, other advantages of the system include faster battery charging, an extended service life for central components, and more comfortable vehicle air conditioning.

'The race is on for bringing battery electric vehicles (BEV) to market around the world,' said Klaus Hau, head of Vitesco Technologies Sensing and Actuation business unit. 'But the race is still relatively young and auto makers are still developing their strategies and architectures for bringing BEVs to the masses. We addressed this industry issue with an innovative, modular design of a key enabler for optimizing thermal management in electrified powertrains.'

The Vitesco Technologies' modular coolant valve aids auto makers by allowing for various configurations with minimal component changes and a high-degree of confidence when making design changes requiring minimal to no additional validation. Our design is most significantly recognized for its system cost reductions, reducing two valve types into one and for also reducing packaging space. Specifically, adaptability lends itself to a reduction in the number of hoses, connection points, brackets, harness and connectors, one less driver on an electronic control unit, less part numbers to maintain, and a reduction of physical packaging space. Manufacturing efficiency also lends itself to additional cost and time savings.

The switchable multi-way valve serves highest needs within efficiency, modularity, and scalability. With this, various heating and cooling requirements can be easily achieved. According to the customers needs, the 'intelligence' can either be in the valve or it can be centrally controlled from a higher-level electronic control unit.

With a market growth of around 30% per year until 2025, the technology is one of the company's long-term core areas. The high level of customer interest extends to both traditional global automakers and electric vehicle startups.

PACE Awards: Setting Industry Standards for Innovation and Quality

Vitesco Technologies is one of only 27 automotive suppliers chosen from around the world as a finalist for this prestigious award. The Automotive News PACE Award, now in its 27th year, is given to suppliers in recognition of a technological innovation in product or processes that has reached commercial application. PACE judges will review the innovations for the award, to be presented Sept. 30, 2021 at a ceremony in Detroit, Mich., U.S.A.

Smart Thermal Management solutions consists of modular and scale able product platforms.