A “tunnel” to the future

The tunnel engineered and industrialized by MTA for a premium electric car is a highly complex component designed to distribute and regulate power from the battery pack to the two electric motors, while also supplying energy to other electrical and electronic systems on board the vehicle. Positioned atop the battery pack, it extends approximately 1.5 meters in length (with a width of 500 mm and a mass of around 20 kg), fitting within the underbody area between the front armrest and the rear seats.
This unique and complex component is responsible for managing a high volume of energy, and houses essential protective elements, including fuses, disconnecting devices such as contactors, current measurement tools like shunt or Hall effect sensors, transduction components like bus bars, and control and management devices, including the BMS. All these units are mounted on a support base made from aerospace-grade blanked aluminum sheet metal, which is covered with a thermal bulkhead to prevent heat transfer to the systems above. 

The assembly of this sizable product, made up of nearly 400 components (some highly delicate and others requiring careful handling), is entrusted to skilled and specially trained operators. The production line at the Codogno plant spans 15 meters, and features 5 sequential assembly stations, including a cleaning unit equipped with a cyclonic vacuum system to remove any impurities. There is also an external island that assists with the installation of the screws in the metal components.