Research Areas

   

The chair "Production Engineering of E-Mobility Components" (PEM) of RWTH Aachen University develops pioneering products for the sustainable production of electrified powertrains. In the areas of "battery", "electric drive" and "fuel cell" as well as in the integration in commercial vehicles, numerous researchers focus on production processes and innovations. Their common goal is the cost-efficient implementation of every electric mobility component.

More powerful batteries with lower manufacturing costs

In the battery area, the PEM team aims to use application-oriented research and development to help increase quality, performance, and sustainability while reducing the cost of battery cells, modules, and systems. The focus is on individual battery components and their recycling, battery technology and safety, and battery production.

For a variant-flexible production of electric motors

With regard to the electric drive, PEM contributes to the economic, variant-flexible and sustainable production of electric motors. To this end, the RWTH team is investigating issues along the entire value chain – from the semi-finished product to the finished drive and from the individual process to the holistic consideration of cross-process interactions. Research focuses on prototyping rotors and stators, feasibility studies and validation, production planning and optimization, as well as start-up support and root cause analysis.

Fuel cells in large quantities at favorable conditions

In the core area of fuel cells, PEM's researchers are working on using innovative technologies to enable fuel cell production in large quantities at reduced costs. The research ranges from stack component production through stack and system assembly to the integration of such fuel cell systems into the powertrain of electric vehicles.

Components and prototypes of different electric trucks

In addition, the PEM team is researching innovative solutions in the area of complete vehicle integration of alternative drives and storage systems. In this context, the researchers are working on enabling TCO-optimized, modularly adaptable all-electric and hydrogen-based powertrains for commercial vehicles. The focus is on requirements analyses and vehicle concepts, powertrain design and integration, electrical engineering and energy management, as well as general prototyping.