Rising standards of living, a growing awareness of the need to conserve limited natural resources and the effects of global warming are driving a shift from mechanical to electronic control systems in small conventional vehicles such as bicycles and motorcycles. This trend is apparent worldwide, especially in emerging markets. In addition, demand for small electric vehicles such as electric-powered bicycles (e-bikes and pedelecs) is growing around the world.
Within a period of only three years, Infineon managed to capture around one third of the global e-bike market with its 32-bit XMC1000 Industrial Microcontroller ARM® Cortex®-M0. The XMC1000 family enables Field Oriented Control (FOC) and hence smooth, efficient and wear-less operation of the motor. These benefits are crucial for the very competitive Chinese e-bike market. Infineon’s cost-effective 32-bit microcontroller devices come into play when advanced real-time performance is required. This is the case with more high-end 48V+ systems. This 32-bit microcontrollers have the added advantage of creating headroom for emerging trends such as sensor-less control and new functional safety features.
Increasingly strict emissions legislation in many countries is also driving demand for efficiency-enabling semiconductor solutions in the small 1- to 2-cylinder combustion engine segment. Looking beyond standard carburetors, customers are increasingly looking for more electrified solutions, ranging from enhanced carburetors to full EFI (electronic fuel injection). As the market leader in automotive electronics, Infineon is ideally positioned to meet growing needs for fuel-efficient solutions through a wide range of microcontrollers, sensors, power supplies, transceivers, driver ICs, MOSFETs, as well as IGBTs solutions.
Infineon is therefore actively helping many manufacturers to comply with stricter CO 2 emission regulations – enhancing energy efficiency overall while bringing new mobility choices to modern consumers.
Figure 1. Typical small electric vehicle types
Figure 2 eBike System Diagram
Figure 3. Small Electric Vehicle System Diagram