Electric SUV Aiways U5 aims to score with innovative lightweight construction

The MAS platform features a new battery architecture.

In developing the U5 electric SUV, Chinese e-car manufacturer Aiways says it has placed a special focus on intelligent lightweight construction, an efficient drive train and the best possible thermal management of the battery to keep energy requirements as low as possible and in turn, maximise the range. The result pays off not only at the charging station, but also in generally lower maintenance costs.

The MAS (More Adaptable Structure) platform developed by Aiways, a Shanghai-based provider of e-mobility solutions, combines innovative technical solutions into an intelligent architecture, the manufacturer said in a recent statement. For example, the body-in-white of the U5 consists of 52 per cent lightweight and corrosion-resistant aluminium and 48 per cent specially alloyed high-strength steel. These are said to be up to four times stronger than conventional special steels used in vehicle construction and are intended to ensure maximum safety.

Meanwhile, innovative bonding and joining techniques in the body-in-white are said to result in a 50 per cent increase in the torsional stiffness of the aluminium substructure compared to conventional construction methods. In addition to the Aiways U5, the SUV coupé U6, which will be celebrating its premiere shortly, and other models will also be based on this flexibly adaptable platform.

A patented sandwich structure not only ensures a high level of crash safety for the 24 battery modules supplied by CATL but above all makes it possible to use an intelligent thermal management system to increase the efficiency of the high-voltage system. 

This increases not only the efficiency but also the operational safety of the lithium-ion battery, which can be optimally cooled or preheated thanks to the sandwich structure. The heat management system of the electric SUV thus enables operation at the best point of the 63 kWh pack at all times, which contributes to long service life. Aiways guarantees 75 per cent residual capacity of the battery even after eight years of operation. With a power density of 172-watt hours per kilogram, the high-voltage battery is also among the top performers in its segment.