To develop an electric powertrain from scratch requires immense engineering and financial resources, which aren’t always available to smaller automotive firms. Continental has spotted a gap in the market and developed a turn-key solution that is both cost-effective, efficient and powerful. The electric motor, transmission and power electronics are combined in a single unit. The unit can deliver anywhere from 60 to 120 kW and can be used in pure electric vehicles or hybrid applications.
Continental has set its sights on the Chinese market, where vehicle sales in 2025 should top 34 million. Considering that the current global market share for electric vehicles is around 4%, the unit is aimed more at the future growth of electric vehicles. Continental expects that EV market share will grow to 20% in 2025, in which case its business model makes sense.