Why EV makers are embracing integrated electric drive units

Building competitive electric vehicles requires solving a fundamental assembly challenge: powertrain costs. In a new article published in EV Infrastructure News, Helix’s Motorsport Business Development Lead Neil Palmer explains how integrated electric drive units (EDUs) are revolutionising EV manufacturing and performance.

Currently, motors, power electronics, and transmission components are purchased separately and assembled on production lines—a process that accounts for 51% of total EV manufacturing costs, compared to just 18% for internal combustion engines. Integrated EDUs consolidate these core powertrain components into a single, optimised package, eliminating costly integration challenges while enabling component-level optimisation impossible in standalone systems.

The benefits extend across multiple dimensions. Shared housings reduce mass and material waste. Consolidated thermal management eliminates redundant cooling loops. Reduced wiring cuts assembly work and improves component communication. Most importantly, standardisation drives economies of scale, freeing manufacturer resources from integration complexity toward innovation and market differentiation. For motorsport and high-performance applications, where every gram and percentage point of efficiency matters, EDUs deliver installation simplicity, lower fault risk, and improved safety through reduced high-voltage connections.

Read the full article: Why EV Makers Are Embracing Integrated Electric Drive Units — EV Infrastructure News