AEM Tesla LDU Base Drive Inverter Control Board & Harness (MUST BE USED WITH VCU200)

30-8402

Install a Tesla Model S Large Drive Unit (LDU) in any vehicle and achieve complete control with AEM EV’s LDU Inverter Control Board (ICB, PN 30-8402) and VCU200 Vehicle Control Unit (PN 30-8000)! This system provides full control of the LDU for programming torque curves, torque limits, regenerative braking, accelerator pedal response, drive-mode switches, and much more. The Tesla LDU currently comes in two versions, Base and Sport. The Base unit is supported, and the Sport version will be supported soon.

AEM EV’s Tesla Inverter Control Board acts as a VCU expansion device that replaces the stock Tesla ICB. Once connected to a VCU200 using the supplied communications harness, calibrators can program propulsion strategies and characterize inputs through the VCU using AEMcal software. AEM EV’s LDU ICB was co-developed with Cascadia Motion, an industry leader in EV propulsion systems, to ensure the highest standards of quality and reliability.

NOTE: The Inverter Control Board must be used with a VCU200 Vehicle Control Unit for programming and controlling a Tesla LDU. This system is designed for conversion and motorsports vehicles with Tesla LDU swaps. It will not control a Tesla LDU in a Tesla OE chassis

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Improved Performance Over Stock

AEM EV’s engineers were able to increase the peak torque output of the Base LDU using the AEM EV LDU controls system. The following dyno chart shows a +50Nm torque increase with the AEM EV VCU & Tesla LDU ICB over the stock torque level.

TEST 1: The green trace is a Base LDU with OE Tesla control board used with a competitor CAN spoofer control device. The red trace is the same Base LDU with AEM EV controls package. Average peak torque from the OE control board is 415Nm and average peak torque from AEM EV controls package is 465Nm – a +50Nm gain! Both tests were completed at the same HV voltage level using AEM EV’s stationary dyno power supply.

It's important to note that the motor’s maximum achievable power output is highly dependent upon the HV battery’s discharge characteristics. Certain battery cell types and battery pack configurations will lend themselves to making more overall power. Because of this, AEM is not able to guarantee a specific power output, however, the peak torque output should almost always be achievable. Ultimately, since power directly correlates to torque and rpm, peak power will always be based on how long the motor’s peak torque can be made which is directly related to the battery’s discharge power capability.

A comparison that highlights this point can be seen in the following dyno chart the shows the different power levels that can be achieved with a Base LDU depending on battery discharge characteristics.

TEST 2: The blue trace is a Base model 2013 Model S P85 with Base LDU and stock 85kWh battery pack. The green trace is the AEM EV R&D development car, the “TesTang”, a 2007 Ford Mustang GT with Base LDU swap and hybrid minivan batteries. The red trace is the AEM EV R&D dyno test rig with Base LDU and stationary dyno power supply (130kWh energy capacity, 1700Amp DC discharge rating). The +50Nm torque gain is realized with the AEM EV controls package over stock but it’s important to note that how long the motor’s maximum torque output can be sustained will determine the ultimate power level. For instance, with the lower torque output and limited battery discharge capability, the stock Model S is only capable of making ~250kW of power. The AEM EV TesTang with increased torque output and high-power hybrid batteries can sustain a significantly boosted torque curve that results in more power – 300kW peak giving a +50kw performance advantage over a stock Base Model S 85. A more extreme example of this is with the very large, very powerful stationary battery/power supply used by AEM EV for motor/inverter development. With 1700Amps of DC discharge capability and minimal voltage sag, the Base LDU’s torque curve is further boosted and results in a peak power output of nearly 350kW! Although it may be difficult to physically house a battery of this size in a road vehicle, this represents the possibility of realizing a +100kW power increase over a stock Model S with a Base LDU!

Other improved performance aspects include the elimination of any hard-coded motor speed limiters as well as HV battery voltage limits*. Through testing, it was observed that the stock Tesla LDU controls will limit motor speed to 14,500-15,200 rpm. The AEM EV controls package completely removes this limitation and allows motor speeds up to the max advised mechanical motor speed of 18,000 rpm allowing for higher ultimate vehicle speeds. It has additionally been observed that the stock Tesla LDU controls limit allowed maximum battery voltage to 404 volts. HV battery supply voltage will directly impact the motor’s ultimate power output and allowing for a higher supply voltage will result in more power. The AEM EV Tesla LDU ICB has no hard-coded voltage limit, but the inverter’s 450-volt DC link capacitor rating should always be observed.

* The ability to apply higher RPM and voltage to increase a Tesla Drive Unit’s power may result in degradation of the unit.

Comprehensive Control Through a Central Interface

AEM EV’s optional CAN expansion modules can provide additional data channels, our CAN-based modular battery management system integrates seamlessly with any AEM EV VCU-controlled vehicle, our CAN-based PDU-8 Power Distribution Units provide accessory control over switched functions, and data visualization/logging of any and all channels from devices on any connected CAN network is possible using AEM EV’s CD Carbon logging dash displays. All programming for our BMS and PDU-8 modules is performed in AEMcal software for the VCU200 and VCU300.

Intuitive Software

AEMcal software for AEM EV VCUs simplifies the process of customizing the power delivery strategies and controlling all the ancillary subsystems of EV motorsports and conversion vehicles. AEMcal software is free to download, and it is fully enabled (not a demo version), allowing users to explore its full suite of features and capabilities.

Utilizing a simplified and intuitive graphical interface that combines tables and graphs for implementing strategies for torque delivery, launch control (stationary and dynamic), traction control, regenerative braking, speed limiting, map switching and more, AEMcal software puts an end to the need for stacking multiple controllers to control an EV's propulsion and ancillary systems. AEMcal software is available for download on the Software page.

Complete Control, Maximum Performance and Safety for LDU EV Conversions

AEM EV’s LDU Base Drive Inverter Control Board replaces the OEM Tesla board in the LDU inverter and connects to the VCU200 over CAN bus. An adapter harness is included with the Inverter Control Board that provides a near plug & play connection except for sourcing 12V power and ground connections. The AEM EV VCU200/LDU Inverter Control Board system is designed for EV conversions; it will not operate an LDU-equipped OEM Tesla vehicle.

The LDU Inverter Control Board for the Tesla LDU and the VCU200 must be used together to achieve the reported power gains and to use the additional control and safety features that the VCU200 provides, including the features listed below:

• AEM inverter control board and VCU200 provide complete control of Tesla Base LDU in conversion or motorsports vehicle. A complete base wiring harness is included for easy connection from Inverter Control Board (ICB) to VCU200
• AEMcal software for the VCU200 simplifies the calibration process by putting all of your controls in one suite. AEMcal is free and fully enabled (no fee to unlock features)
• Motor torque management (programmable torque curves) dependent on vehicle operating states and other driver-selectable modes
• Programmable accelerator pedal, brake switch, PRND switches, and other driver/vehicle inputs
• Seamless data visualization and data logging with addition of CD Carbon Digital Dash Display
• Accessory control of cooling pumps, cooling fans, lights and more through VCU200 with addition of PDU-8 power distribution unit
• Redundancy and arbitration features for all safety-critical inputs
• Startup and shutdown sequencing of high voltage components, including independent contactor control
• CAN message translation for BMS, inverter, PDUs, and other CAN accessories
• Diagnostics and fault detection including CAN message timeouts, thermal limits, contactor, and inverter enable cross-checks

BMS Integration

Using a BMS with the VCU200 and AEM EV Inverter Control Board for the Tesla Base LDU, users are able to request torque deratings based on battery pack discharge, pack high temp, pack low temp, cell voltage min, cell voltage max, pack state of charge % (SOC) and overall pack voltage. BMS integration also allows for inverter pre-charge using measured battery pack voltage as a reference. The VCU200 currently supports the Orion BMS and AEM EV BMS, which is slated for release in early Q4.

Start Safe and Drive Mode Safety Features

Fundamental safety features are integrated. Start Safe is a series of safety checks performed by the VCU before a drive mode is selected. Should a fault occur, this can be identified via a CAN message to a CD Carbon dash display.
To prohibit runaway, the VCU will not allow a Drive Mode to be selected unless the brake pedal is engaged, or if a charge plug is connected to the charge port.

Programmable Creep and Reverse Modes

The VCU has a user-selectable creep mode that allows the vehicle to “creep” forward slowly after releasing the brake from a stop without applying the accelerator pedal, similar to how an ICE vehicle with an automatic transmission operates. Reverse mode is also programmable for delivering the perfect pedal feel and response when backing up.

Programmable Regenerative Braking

Do you like aggressive regen and never touching the brakes on decel, or do you want to regen but don’t want to feel the motor ‘dragging’ the speed down? With the VCU200, users can custom tailor this feature to achieve the perfect balance of feel and regen. A dedicated map for regenerative braking is included in AEMcal software for the VCU200.

Customized Torque Delivery

An electric motor’s capability to make large amounts of torque in less than one motor shaft revolution can result in undesired roughness on acceleration. To combat this, the VCU has user-adjustable torque request rate of change limiters for both increasing and decreasing torque requests. This allows for fine-tuning of the torque delivery rate and ensures the torque management provides a smooth driving feel.

Selectable Performance Levels

The VCU provides calibrators with up to four different performance levels. For street conversions, users can set levels based on who will be driving the vehicle, and for motorsports applications, it delivers on-the-fly adjustments to ensure maximum traction for varying track conditions.

Motor Rev Limiting

The VCU200 includes a rev limiter to prevent the motor from over-speeding and/or to limit the speed of a vehicle. When used with a Tesla Drive Unit and AEM EV Inverter Control Board, the ramping rev limit feature is used.

Inverter Current Limiting

Multiple levels of current limiting are available. From simple ramp limits that engage when the inverter current exceeds a predefined limit to fully modeled power limiting that considers everything from individual cell voltages to total pack resistance to motor and inverter efficiency.

Cooling System Controls

The VCU200 supports 3 different main thermal management configurations with options for different types of coolant pump and cooling fan controls. Pumps and fans may be powered by VCU triggered relays, or optionally with AEM PDU-8s. The VCU will support single-coolant pump/drive system cooling, single-coolant pump, drive and battery system cooling, and dual coolant pumps with independent drive system and battery cooling loops.