A Bumper-to-Bumper Transformation
Transportation accounts for approximately 24% of worldwide and 29% of U.S. emissions and stands as one of the most difficult challenges to moving to a net-zero carbon world.
A primary tool for cutting emissions, electric vehicles (EVs) have grown rapidly, thanks in part to a rapid decline in battery prices, pro-EV policies, and improvements in driving range, performance, and customer choice. By 2025, 40 million EVs should be on the road, according to 451/S&P Global Intelligence.1
Still, that represents only a fraction of the world's 1.2 billion vehicles. To achieve net-zero goals, zero-emissions vehicles will need to account for over 80% of car, bus, and light-duty truck sales by 2040.2 Step changes in performance, cost, and infrastructure will be needed.
Driving a Grid Upgrade. EVs consumed 6 terawatt-hours (TWh) of electricity in 2016. By 2040, they will consume 2,090 TWh, or roughly half of the capacity of the U.S. today3. Cloud and edge applications for dynamically balancing charging with renewable capacity will be vital.
The new and improved e-powertrain provides the latest Nissan LEAF model with 110 kW of power output and 320 Nm of torque. The newly developed inverter has enabled an improvement in vehicle acceleration and has had a positive impact on driver experience.
These improvements have been made possible with the new power module which has increased the motor drive current. It features an Arm core processor, the Cortex-R4, and the latest control technology to increase efficiency and output – enabling approximately 1.3 times more torque and power than the previous Nissan LEAF.
In controlling the inverter, the Arm-based microcomputer core accurately repeats a series of processes such as sensing, calculation, and control output for the events that occur in 1/10,000 second cycles. Nissan found that the Arm Cortex-R family of cores was the right choice due to its efficient performance and responsiveness enabling it to dependably deliver the precise control needed within such a tight computation window.
EVs, hybrids, and other vehicles will become vital nodes on smart city networks. With driver consent, utilities will be able to orchestrate EV charging over large geographic areas, for example, to avoid firing up dirty peak power plants.
Data sharing will also help drivers and transportation officials reduce the emissions, energy consumption, and lost time caused by traffic congestion. Before COVID-19, U.S. drivers on average lost 99 hours a year in traffic, generating millions of tons of excess emissions. And for residents of growing megacities like Bogota and Istanbul, it is even worse with drivers stuck up to 190 hours a year moving at 20 km/h or slower.4
NXP's Green4TransPORT (see video), based on Arm technology, is an innovative solution aimed at improving traffic flow and reducing emissions. Intelligent traffic infrastructure allows truck drivers to request priority at traffic crossings. Smart controllers reply, sending speed advice and a “countdown” to the next green light. Heavy trucks get priority, clearing crossings sooner and reducing congestion. The 'straight through' drive increases vehicle efficiency and reduces emissions in the city.
