Hyundai Transys has successfully developed the first electric vehicle (EV) all-wheel drive (AWD) disconnector system in the world, entering mass production starting May 2021.

The EV AWD disconnector system is a device attached to the EV system’s reducer, disconnecting or connecting motors and drive shafts according to the environment.

This allows the vehicle to disconnect the secondary axle from AWD in unnecessary circumstances, such as in snow or rough terrain, and transition the system to 2WD to enhance the vehicle’s energy efficiency. As such, this innovative system reduces energy waste and enhances efficiency by 6 to 8%, as well as improves product efficacy through more economical use of space.

The development of the EV AWD disconnector system is the first step in the company’s evolution from the internal combustion age to the EV era. While AWD disconnectors for internal combustion engines are available, Hyundai Transys claims to be the first to develop the technology for EV use.

A company representative explained that because of differences in propulsion methods, EV disconnectors must consider significant challenges in development, such as noise and transfer shock not found in internal combustion engines.

 Another complicating factor was the relative simplicity of EV reducers compared to their equivalents in internal combustion engines, making it conversely more difficult to enhance the system’s efficiency.

“Our new disconnector system is the core technology that allows us to enhance the most important metric for EV customers, which is range, and guarantee the vehicle’s performance at the same time,” a member of the EV reducer R&D team commented. “Our technological expertise allowed us to establish this new edge for the company through a specialised EV reducer system unique to TRANSYS and TRANSYS only.”

Hyundai Transys’s EV AWD disconnector system will be used in Hyundai Motor Company’s dedicated EV platform E-GMP and applied to the Hyundai Ioniq 5 product line for the first time.

The company plans to expand the system’s application to other product lines in its bid to establish dominance in the global EV market.