SANYO Electric Co., Ltd. (SANYO) is pleased to announce the co-development of the Electric Drive System with SUZUKI MOTOR CORPORATION (SUZUKI). The Electric Drive System combines a ‘high performance in-wheel motor[*1]‘ and a ‘high efficiency control circuit’, basically developed by SANYO, as well as a ‘dedicated charger’ and a ‘battery system for electric motors’ which uses proven SANYO lithium-ion batteries for consumer equipment. SANYO has supplied the system to the experimental electric scooters previously announced by SUZUKI.

Given the growing public concern for conserving the environment, interest in the expanded use of electric vehicles, such as automobiles and motorcycles, is increasing. SANYO has a long track record in its technologies for motor control and rechargeable batteries. Since entering into the electric assist bicycle market in 1995, SANYO has been refining its technologies for drive motors and control circuits. Based on these experiences, SANYO has successfully co-developed a ‘high performance in-wheel motor’ which can regeneratively charge and a ‘high efficiency control circuit’ for the experimental electric scooters with SUZUKI.

Through this co-development, a well balanced combination of the ‘high performance in-wheel motor’, the ‘high efficiency control circuit’, the ‘dedicated charger’ and the ‘battery system for electric motors’, which make up the core parts of a light electric vehicle, has been made possible. Sanyo will further continue to accelerate the development in the future, and is aiming to create a practical application of the drive system that can be provided to automakers which are developing electric vehicles.

SANYO is helping to create new markets, while contributing towards the realization of a low-carbon society.

*1 The in-wheel motor is a drive motor which can be housed in an inside of a wheel. The motor is characterized by setting the axes of the motor and tire on the same axis, and makes it possible to put whole drive mechanism into the inside of the wheel. This simplifies the structure of the vehicle and increases flexibility in the designing of vehicles.

-Able to provide a total system combining a ‘high performance in-wheel motor’, a ‘high efficiency control circuit’, a ‘battery system for the motor’ and a ‘dedicated charger’.
-Available for various vehicle systems thanks to communication between each unit through the CAN[*2] (in-vehicle LAN).
-The ‘battery system for the motor’ can be flexibly customized depending on customers’ needs.

*2 CAN stands for Controller Area Network. The standard for in-vehicle LAN which is normally used on vehicles and is suitable for vehicle control.