German automotive manufacturer Audi is set to work with supplier MANN+HUMMEL on a pilot project to develop a filter for electric cars that collects particles from the surrounding area. It is already in a pilot phase to help improve air quality in cities during both driving and charging. The new technology will be demonstrated at the GreenTech Festival in London. The pilot project was launched in 2020 and will run for a period of four years.Together with supplier MANN+HUMMEL, Audi has developed a filter for the front end that collects particles from small dust particles. , which is hardly noticeable to the naked eye. The eye, which is only a few micrometers in size.
Fabian Groh, project manager in attachment system development at AUDI AG, explains: “This particulate filter is an example of achieving innovation for everyone’s benefit and successful cooperation with specialized suppliers. Today we are doing a lot on our own initiative. We hope that this will also become a legal requirement in the future.
The filter is incorporated into the vehicle’s existing air vent in front of the radiator so that only a few changes to the car are necessary, minimizing costs. The filter element is controlled by a switchable cooling air vent and has the same mechanical capacity as a vacuum cleaner. By a similar concept, fine residue particles remain trapped in the filter and air can still pass through. Until now, the filter has been used in Audi e-Tron test vehicles. While driving, it passively filters through the movement of the vehicle; Air passes through a filter framework, which captures even the smallest particles. Another opportunity is for filtering during fixed charging. A fan that is already built into every electric vehicle circulates ambient air through the radiator – the system takes advantage of this process and thus actively filters the air that flows through it using a fine dust filter. can, ensures that small particles are absorbed, even when still.It is ideal for use in urban environments, where particulate pollution is much higher than in rural areas.