Automotive supplier MTA has developed a junction box specifically for ӫ-Berlingo and e-Partner, all-electric car-derived vans produced by Citroen and Peugeot (two brands owned by Stellantis).
The junction box is a 450V unit installed in the battery pack compartment, supplying current to the electric motor and providing regenerative braking. The unit contains an HV fuse and a PCB (printed circuit board) that allows the current, voltage and battery charge to be measured.
The vehicles were developed on the group’s EK9 electric platform, featuring gentle acceleration and regenerative braking for maximal range.
The busbar developed for the junction box was developed at an MTA site in Codogno, while the PCB is assembled in Rolo, a site specializing in electronics. The plastic is molded by MTA Morocco where the final assembly is also carried out. Finally, the the product is forwarded to the Stellantis facility in Spain.
MTA primarily offers junction boxes and high-voltage power distribution boxes (PDUs), already installed on electric and hybrid cars from several major manufacturers. For the development of electrified architectures, significant investments have been made by MTA in terms of R&D and production techniques. The use of specific materials also required the complex search for new suppliers, resulting in new evaluation and qualification processes.
MTA has been able to create a short supply chain, mainly EMEA, achieving two main advantages: reduced design development times with experts in new manufacturing technologies and less CO2 emissions.
