當(dāng)下，汽車行業(yè)正處于歷史巨變之中。作為支撐行業(yè)轉(zhuǎn)型的基石，博格華納（BorgWarner）等一級(jí)供應(yīng)商必須持續(xù)推動(dòng)創(chuàng)新，支持其客戶的靈活發(fā)展需求。作為一家擁有推進(jìn)系統(tǒng)核心技術(shù)的供應(yīng)商巨頭，博格華納首席技術(shù)官兼副總裁 Hakan Yilmaz 向《SAE 汽車工程》雜志介紹了自己對(duì)汽車行業(yè)巨變的見解，以及博格華納將如何在巨變之中求生發(fā)展。
Yilmaz 負(fù)責(zé)博格華納公司的先進(jìn)工程、投資組合戰(zhàn)略和市場(chǎng)研究等多支團(tuán)隊(duì)，主要工作目標(biāo)是確保博格華納的技術(shù)產(chǎn)品組合始終處于行業(yè)領(lǐng)先地位，并同時(shí)兼顧當(dāng)下和未來(lái)市場(chǎng)的需求。在加入博格華納之前，Yilmaz 曾為博世（Bosch）效力超過(guò) 15 年，擔(dān)任過(guò)多個(gè)技術(shù)和高管職位，并最終從博世動(dòng)力總成和先進(jìn)工程研發(fā)全球主管一職離職。更早之前，Yilmaz 在密歇根大學(xué)獲得機(jī)械工程和工程管理碩士學(xué)位，并在沃爾沃（Volvo）積累了豐富的工作經(jīng)驗(yàn)。
如今，汽車行業(yè)的推進(jìn)系統(tǒng)選擇越來(lái)越多樣化，遠(yuǎn)遠(yuǎn)不止汽油或柴油兩個(gè)選項(xiàng)。與許多頂級(jí)供應(yīng)商一樣，Yilmaz 也認(rèn)為，電氣化泛指各種可以提高推進(jìn)系統(tǒng)效率的技術(shù)，但具體如何應(yīng)用可能因車輛類型和區(qū)域監(jiān)管環(huán)境有很大不同。他表示，“博格華納的核心產(chǎn)品策略在于平衡，即同時(shí)推進(jìn)內(nèi)燃機(jī)、混合動(dòng)力和純電動(dòng)產(chǎn)品的創(chuàng)新與發(fā)展。
目前，這家擁有 92 年歷史的老牌供應(yīng)商已經(jīng)看到市場(chǎng)正在明顯向高度多樣化的電動(dòng)解決方案轉(zhuǎn)型，包括輕混車型、全混車型、插電式混合動(dòng)力車和純電動(dòng)車等。這種多樣化“實(shí)際上是電氣化技術(shù)在不同立法環(huán)境、區(qū)域市場(chǎng)需求和車輛市場(chǎng)細(xì)分要求等條件下的不同體現(xiàn)。”Yilmaz解釋說(shuō)，“在如今這樣激蕩多變的市場(chǎng)環(huán)境中，博格華納專注于為更多新興推進(jìn)系統(tǒng)提供具有差異性和附加值的解決方案，從而更好地配合我們的主要客戶推進(jìn)公司戰(zhàn)略。”
長(zhǎng)期以來(lái)，北美等市場(chǎng)均更加偏愛皮卡或 SUV 等大型內(nèi)燃機(jī)車型，可以想象，這部分市場(chǎng)更加迫切希望可以有提高內(nèi)燃機(jī)車輛效率的電氣化技術(shù)，比如 e-axles、e-boosting 系統(tǒng)等。在此背景下，很多供應(yīng)商均將絕大部門工程資源留給了電氣化技術(shù)研發(fā)，博格華納也不例外。對(duì)此，Yilmaz 已經(jīng)證實(shí)，公司已經(jīng)在電氣化研發(fā)領(lǐng)域投入了大量人力和物力，但能否將電氣化技術(shù)推廣至公司完整產(chǎn)品線應(yīng)取決于技術(shù)本身的可擴(kuò)展性。
“具體而言，我們已經(jīng)確定要大力投入混合動(dòng)力和電動(dòng)動(dòng)力總成，要在這兩個(gè)領(lǐng)域爭(zhēng)先爭(zhēng)強(qiáng)。”Yilmaz表示，“你想的沒錯(cuò)，我們的電氣化和集成產(chǎn)品是完全可擴(kuò)展的，可以根據(jù)全球各類客戶的不同需求進(jìn)行定制化，適應(yīng)乘用車、卡車、SUV和商用車的使用。”
事實(shí)上，博格華納的多款產(chǎn)品都是很好的例子，比如適用于混合動(dòng)力汽車的集成 Px 模塊、用于純電動(dòng)汽車的集成驅(qū)動(dòng)模塊（可適用多種電壓和功率級(jí)別）、以及適用于內(nèi)燃機(jī)車型的 eTurbo 和 eBooster 充電壓縮機(jī)解決方案。
“目前，我們可以看到市場(chǎng)明顯在向高度多樣化的電動(dòng)汽車解決方案轉(zhuǎn)型，各種架構(gòu)和電氣化水平的車輛都有自己的市場(chǎng)。”
Yilmaz 表示，盡管電氣化技術(shù)在所有原始設(shè)備制造商的產(chǎn)品組合計(jì)劃中都是“C 位”，但在短期內(nèi)，內(nèi)燃發(fā)動(dòng)機(jī)在汽車推進(jìn)系統(tǒng)領(lǐng)域內(nèi)的地位仍不容撼動(dòng)，特別是考慮到內(nèi)燃技術(shù)仍有很大改進(jìn)與優(yōu)化空間的前提下。“在傳統(tǒng)推進(jìn)系統(tǒng)領(lǐng)域中，內(nèi)燃機(jī)、變速箱和傳動(dòng)系統(tǒng)等組件均見證了大量新的技術(shù)創(chuàng)新，可以提高燃油經(jīng)濟(jì)性并減少發(fā)動(dòng)機(jī)排放。”Yilmaz 解釋說(shuō)，“今天，我們很多傳統(tǒng)產(chǎn)品仍然銷量不斷增加，這點(diǎn)不能忘記。此外，新興混合動(dòng)力架構(gòu)的出現(xiàn)更是對(duì)內(nèi)燃機(jī)的效率提出了更高需求。”
Yilmaz 指出，eTurbo 技術(shù)就是一個(gè)很好的例子。eTurbo 的“本職工作”是提升發(fā)動(dòng)機(jī)的進(jìn)氣壓力，但其獨(dú)特的單軸設(shè)計(jì)可以將所有動(dòng)力電子元件全部集成起來(lái)，作為電機(jī)為車輛提供輔助電力助推，從而提高發(fā)動(dòng)機(jī)的燃油經(jīng)濟(jì)性和性能。據(jù)悉，博格華納有一位主要?dú)W洲客戶計(jì)劃在 2022 年推出一款采用 eTurbo 技術(shù)的車型。
電氣化轉(zhuǎn)型的巨變影響深遠(yuǎn)，無(wú)論是機(jī)械零部件還是其他組件，全部都必須完全集成至車輛的電子控制系統(tǒng)之中。這種轉(zhuǎn)變無(wú)疑增加了供應(yīng)商需承擔(dān)的責(zé)任，特別是軟件方面的壓力。Yilmaz 指出，無(wú)論是何種系統(tǒng)，可靠性都是第一要?jiǎng)?wù)。“我們的重點(diǎn)非常明確：繼續(xù)扮演最可靠的合作伙伴，為我們的原廠客戶提供行業(yè)領(lǐng)先且具有差異性的獨(dú)立和/或集成系統(tǒng)產(chǎn)品。”
Yilmaz 繼續(xù)說(shuō)：“我們擁有非常全面的產(chǎn)品組合，可以滿足內(nèi)燃機(jī)、混動(dòng)和純電動(dòng)汽車的不同需求，而且已經(jīng)儲(chǔ)備了大量研發(fā)能力，可以及時(shí)開發(fā)最適合的產(chǎn)品。“隨著電氣化在我們產(chǎn)品中的比例越來(lái)越大，我們也同步補(bǔ)充了我們的軟件和系統(tǒng)研發(fā)能力，”從而更好地支持公司“務(wù)實(shí)而靈活”的產(chǎn)品和系統(tǒng)開發(fā)戰(zhàn)略。
目前，電子控制策略在車輛系統(tǒng)功能中的占比逐步加大。在此背景下，當(dāng)我們聽到博格華納宣布收購(gòu)德爾福技術(shù)公司時(shí)也并不驚訝。該收購(gòu)有望幫助博格華納擴(kuò)寬其現(xiàn)有的產(chǎn)品和技術(shù)組合。Yilmaz 表示：“本次收購(gòu)也是為了繼續(xù)推進(jìn)我們的平衡產(chǎn)品策略，鞏固我們?cè)陔姎饣七M(jìn)以及內(nèi)燃機(jī)、商用車和汽車售后市場(chǎng)中的地位。”
博格華納此番收購(gòu)德爾福技術(shù)相當(dāng)于強(qiáng)強(qiáng)聯(lián)手，受到了業(yè)界的贊許。Yilmaz 解釋說(shuō)，這兩個(gè)公司將在完整發(fā)動(dòng)機(jī)管理系統(tǒng)研發(fā)方面相互支持、相互補(bǔ)充，將德爾福的空氣/燃料、控制和全混合動(dòng)力解決方案與博格華納的集成式即插即用模組相結(jié)合，持續(xù)提高純電動(dòng)汽車的效率。他說(shuō)，德爾福技術(shù)為我們帶來(lái)了一大批行業(yè)領(lǐng)先的電子電氣技術(shù)和人才，且擁有穩(wěn)定的生產(chǎn)、供應(yīng)和客戶群。
“在完成對(duì)德爾福科技的收購(gòu)后，我們將有能力為客戶提供更完整的電氣化推進(jìn)系統(tǒng)，”從而幫助博格華納在大量同類產(chǎn)品中脫穎而出，并鞏固我們?cè)谕七M(jìn)系統(tǒng)領(lǐng)域的領(lǐng)先位置。
作者：Paul Seredynski
本文原發(fā)表于SAE《汽車工程》雜志
The automotive sector is in a time of enormous flux. As the foundational aspects of the industry shift, longstanding Tier-1 suppliers such as BorgWarner must continue to drive innovation for their OEM customers. Hakan Yilmaz, BorgWarner’s chief technology officer (CTO) and a VP, is well situated to architect the changes affecting the technology at the core of the propulsion revolution. SAE’s Automotive Engineering sought his insights into changes roiling the field.
Yilmaz oversees BorgWarner’s advanced engineering, portfolio strategy and market research teams. He’s tasked with ensuring the supplier’s technical portfolio leads in the industry, while also meeting current and anticipated future market needs. Prior to joining BorgWarner, Yilmaz spent more than 15 years at Bosch, where he held several engineering and executive positions before departing as the global head of powertrain systems and advanced engineering. Before Bosch, Yilmaz earned experience at Volvo and holds a master’s degree in mechanical engineering and engineering management from the University of Michigan.
Strong electrification shift
The industry’s propulsion strategies continue to diversify beyond the incumbent gasoline or diesel choices. As with many of the top suppliers, Yilmaz noted that electrification is a general description for an efficiency improver but how it will be applied can vary widely, he said, by vehicle type and regional regulatory environments. “At our core, BorgWarner is focused on executing our balanced product strategy across combustion, hybrid and electric propulsion,” Yilmaz said.
The 92-year-old company currently sees a strong market shift towards diverse solutions for electrified vehicles with different architectures and electrification levels – mild HEV, full HEV, plug-in HEV and BEV. These are “mainly driven by legislative requirements, regional market demands and segment specific expectations,” Yilmaz explained. “In a volatile and rapidly evolving environment, BorgWarner is focusing on differentiating and value-added solutions for emerging propulsion architectures which fit into the main strategies of our customers.”
For many suppliers, electrification (via systems such as e-axles, e-boosting, etc.) is receiving the lion’s share of engineering resources, as markets such as North America in particular seek to improve the efficiency of larger, more profitable, internal combustion engine (ICE) vehicles such as pickup trucks and SUVs. Yilmaz confirmed that BorgWarner is dedicating large resources to electrification, but the key to applying the technology across vehicle lineups remains in the technology’s scalability.
“Indeed, hybrid and electric powertrains are in our clear focus for product leadership and receiving a high share of our resources,” Yilmaz said. “And yes, our electrified and integrated products are fully scalable and can be adapted based on the needs of our global customers in passenger cars, trucks, SUVs and commercial vehicles.”
Yilmaz pointed to several examples already in the BorgWarner product portfolio, including its integrated Px modules for hybrids, integrated drive modules for BEVs with scalable voltage and power levels, and ICE solutions such as its eTurbo and the eBooster electrically charged compressor.
“We are currently seeing a strong market shift towards highly diverse solutions for electrified vehicles with different architectures and electrification levels.”
Roles for ICE, software – and Delphi
Though electrification is a key aspect of all OEMs’ future portfolios, according to Yilmaz, ICE will continue to be a large part of the propulsion landscape in the near term, particularly as a component to be evolved and improved. “There is still a lot of technology and innovation in conventional propulsion systems in ICE, transmission and drivetrain to improve fuel economy and reduce emissions,” he said. “We continue to see increasing take rates for many of our conventional products – let’s not forget that. In addition, emerging hybrid architectures are increasing demand for efficient ICE products which are synergistic with the electrification levels.”
He cites eTurbo tech as a prime example. BorgWarner has a major European OEM customer that will be launching a new model with this technology in 2022. An eTurbo serves its traditional role of boosting intake air pressures, but the single-shaft setup also features integrated power electronics. It can serve as a motor/ generator to provide a supplemental electrical boost to improve engine fuel economy and performance.
The move towards electrified components has created an enormous shift, from supplying mechanical parts, to components that must be fully integrated into a host of a vehicle’s electronic control systems. This places increased responsibility on suppliers, and particularly on software. Yilmaz notes that regardless of the system supplied, reliability is paramount. “Our focus is very clear: support our OE customers with leading and differentiating stand alone and/or fully integrated system products as a reliable partner.”
“We have a very comprehensive product portfolio for combustion, hybrid and electric vehicles and have built system capabilities in order to develop the right products,” Yilmaz continued. “As the electrification content of our products is rapidly increasing, our software and system capabilities are growing in parallel,” as the company takes a “pragmatic and flexible approach” to product and system development.
With electronic control strategies becoming a larger part of system functionality, BorgWarner’s recent announcement of entering into a definitive transaction agreement to acquire Delphi Technologies should only help broaden its technology portfolio. “This transaction represents the next step in our balanced propulsion strategy, strengthening our position in electrified propulsion as well as our combustion, commercial vehicle and aftermarket businesses,” Yilmaz said.
The Delphi purchase has been widely applauded in terms of combining the two entities’ specialties. They will complement each other for complete engine-management systems, combining air/fuel, controls and full hybrid solutions with BorgWarner’s integrated modules, and plug-to-wheel product and system solutions for battery electric vehicles, Yilmaz explained. He said Delphi Technologies “brings industry leading power electronics technology and talent, with an established production, supply and customer base.
“Once we complete the Delphi Technologies transaction, we would be able to offer customers more complete electrified propulsion systems,” thus helping BorgWarner differentiate and strengthen its propulsion-systems position, he said.
SAE Automotive Engineering
博格華納收購(gòu)德爾福技術(shù)公司，將專注新興推進(jìn)系統(tǒng)架構(gòu)方面的產(chǎn)品差異化。
博格華納公司的 P2 混合動(dòng)力系列解決方案采用了一款分離式離合器，可控制車輛與內(nèi)燃機(jī)的連接，實(shí)現(xiàn)純電動(dòng)駕駛。
博格華納公司的 eBooster 是一款適用于內(nèi)燃機(jī)應(yīng)用的電輔助充電系統(tǒng)，其特色在于采用了一款由電機(jī)驅(qū)動(dòng)的流量壓縮機(jī)，可以以組件的形式輕松安裝在渦輪增壓器之前或之后。