FPT, the leading multinational provider of low environmental impact drive solutions including batteries for electric light commercial vehicles, buses and minibuses and Newtwen, an innovative Italian startup specialised in software based on Reduced Order Model digital twins, have announced a new collaboration aimed at applying this advanced technology to FPT’s e-axles.
Within an Open Innovation framework, FPT and Newtwen have established a joint development model focused on creating real-time thermal digital twins for electric motors, inverters, and battery systems. By implementing highly accurate thermal models that operate in real time on the corresponding control units, the solution enables complete component mapping—including areas inaccessible to physical sensors—under both static and dynamic operating conditions.
The precision of these models enables a reduction in safety margins related to temperature limits, delivering higher performance with the same hardware or allowing component downsizing without compromising efficiency. In addition, the real-time insights enhance predictive maintenance capabilities and optimise the total cost of ownership across the entire component lifecycle
Founded in 2020 as a spin-off of the Department of Industrial Engineering at the University of Padua, Newtwen has developed an ecosystem of products and services for intelligent thermal management. Today, the young Italian company counts around 25 employees, including 10 PhDs, and collaborates with some of the most advanced Tier 1 suppliers, OEMs, and industrial technology companies in Europe.
The partnership with Newtwen reflects the Company’s commitment to innovation in tackling the challenges of thermal management in electric systems. FPT views the adoption of digital twin technology as a key enabler to unlock additional component value while promoting a sustainable design philosophy across its development processes.
“The application of digital twin technology to FPT’s eAxle, combined with Newtwen’s Reduced Order Model approach, delivers a uniquely innovative and tangible solution for the end customer through continuous and highly accurate monitoring of the system’s health status” said Davide Del Giudice, eDriveline Innovation Chief Engineer of FPT
“Innovation means imagining the future in terms of new paradigms; we are thrilled to have found the same ambition and objectives in a major player like FPT” said Francesco Toso, CEO of Newtwen.
Following a successful conclusion of the pilot project, the two companies plan to move forward with broader technical and commercial negotiations to further strengthen synergies across their respective business areas expanding the exploration of potential applications to other vehicle systems beyond powertrain and involving other Iveco Group brands in the collaboration.
