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submitted on 2020-06-26 22:19:00

Professor Daniel Costinett works with graduate students Kamal Sabi and Ziming Wang in ECE482: Power Electronics Circuits

Volkswagen Group of America; the University of Tennessee, Knoxville; the UT Research Foundation; and Oak Ridge National Laboratory today announced a partnership to create Volkswagen’s first innovation hub in North America at the UT Research Park at Cherokee Farm.

The partnership is leveraging the expertise of ORNL scientists and several faculty members within the Tickle College of Engineering at UT to develop lighter vehicle components made from composite materials and to electrify vehicles—two areas where UT is at the forefront of research and expertise.

“Working with the University of Tennessee is a great opportunity to continue growing Volkswagen’s engineering footprint in the North American region,” said Wolfgang Demmelbauer-Ebner, executive vice president and chief engineering officer for Volkswagen’s North American region. “This hub, along with other research institutions here, is an integral part of Volkswagen’s global research and development efforts and can also directly contribute to vehicles in North America.”

Interdisciplinary Engagement

The work—some of the most innovative applied research of its kind being done anywhere in the world—is being led by UT-ORNL Governor’s Chair for Advanced Composites Manufacturing Uday Vaidya from the Department of Mechanical, Aerospace, and Biomedical Engineering. His team is focused on several research and development activities to support prototyping, develop a sheet molding compound, and evaluate materials and their properties for use in Volkswagen vehicle components.

From the Min H. Kao Department of Electrical Engineering and Computer Science, Min H. Kao Professor Leon Tolbert and Associate Professor Daniel Costinett are focusing on research that has been pioneered by their counterparts at ORNL—the wireless charging of parked electric vehicles as well as dynamic charging, in which roadways are embedded with a system that charges electric vehicles as they move. A second project involves packaging wide bandgap power electronics in order to increase power density and efficiency. The realization of these technologies will reduce battery size and vehicle weight, resulting in longer driving distances between charging.

Other EECS faculty involved include Associate Professor Kevin Bai, Professor and Condra Chair of Excellence in Power Electronics Fred Wang, and Assistant Professor Helen Cui.

From the Department of Civil and Environmental Engineering, Peebles Professor Dayakar Penumadu is providing his expertise in materials characterization for lightweight composites.

Student Engagement

As part of the partnership, Volkswagen has awarded fellowships to doctoral students Andrew Foote and Nathan Strain from EECS and William Henken from CEE.

“The collaboration is providing unique opportunities for our undergraduate and graduate students and researchers in advanced materials and additive manufacturing. Working alongside Volkswagen engineers and managers in this real-world experience is extremely valuable for their career paths,” said Vaidya.

Economic Impact

Today’s announcement is another accomplishment for a region that is known for its strengths in the areas of advanced and additive manufacturing.

“The partnership between UT, ORNL, and Volkswagen strengthens Tennessee’s position as a significant source of innovation and talent for the Volkswagen North American manufacturing base, especially at the flagship Chattanooga facility,” said UT System Interim President Randy Boyd. “These types of partnerships are transforming the Tennessee Valley Corridor into a global innovation leader.”

Volkswagen has been a valued partner of UT since opening its Chattanooga Assembly plant in 2011. The Chattanooga facility produces the Volkswagen Passat sedan and Atlas and Atlas Cross Sport SUVs, specifically designed for the North American market. This past fall Volkswagen of America broke ground on a new electric vehicle production facility, which includes a 564,000-square-foot body shop addition and up to 1,000 new jobs in Tennessee.

Volkswagen also is a member of the Institute for Advanced Composites Manufacturing Innovation (IACMI), which is supported by the US Department of Energy’s Advanced Manufacturing Office. A team of IACMI undergraduate and graduate students and researchers led by Vaidya created a novel composite liftgate for the Volkswagen Atlas that reduces weight by 35 percent, with lower investment costs and an improved environmental footprint compared to a conventional part. Researchers from ORNL, Purdue University, and Michigan State University were integral collaborators on the effort.

The new innovation hub in Knoxville will join Volkswagen’s larger global innovation ecosystem. This includes innovation centers in Belmont, California; Wolfsburg, Germany; and Beijing, China, along with innovation hubs in Barcelona, Spain; Tel Aviv, Israel; and Tokyo, Japan.