Hyundai Transys Develops World's First Disconnector Technology for Electric Vehicles

Improving Electric Vehicle Efficiency by About 6-8%... Contributing to Increased Driving Range

[Asia Economy Reporter Yu Je-hoon] Hyundai Transys announced on the 12th that it has developed the world's first 'All-Wheel Drive (AWD) Disconnector System for Electric Vehicles' and began mass production last month. This is the first time a disconnector technology has been developed specifically for electric vehicles, not for internal combustion engine vehicles.

The AWD disconnector system for electric vehicles is attached to the reducer of the electric vehicle and is a device that separates or connects the motor and the drive shaft depending on driving conditions. When AWD is not needed, such as during high-speed driving rather than on snowy or rough roads, it disconnects the auxiliary drive shaft to switch to two-wheel drive (2WD), thereby improving energy efficiency.

According to Hyundai Transys, this system reduces unnecessary power loss and improves efficiency by about 6-8%, thereby increasing the driving range of electric vehicles. Additionally, it enhances marketability for easier installation and improves space utilization in electric vehicles.

Hyundai Transys explained that developing a disconnector for electric vehicles was not easy. Since electric vehicles have different drive sources from internal combustion vehicles, noise and shift shock that did not occur before appeared. Also, the reducer for electric vehicles has a simpler structure compared to internal combustion engine transmissions, making it difficult to develop technology that improves efficiency.

Hyundai Transys succeeded in product development by eliminating noise-causing factors and continuously improving durability performance, based on expertise accumulated through research on reducers for various mobility types including internal combustion engines, high-speed trains, and electric vehicles.

A Hyundai Transys official stated, "The disconnector system is a core technology that significantly increases the single-charge driving range, which is important to electric vehicle consumers, while simultaneously securing vehicle driving performance at a world-class level."

The system developed by Hyundai Transys will be applied to Hyundai Motor's electric vehicle dedicated platform E-GMP and will be first installed in the Ioniq 5. Hyundai Transys plans to continuously expand the application to other vehicles and target the global electric vehicle market.