AEM Tesla Small Drive Unit (SDU) Control Board
Terms and Conditions
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The AEM EV inverter control board that replaces the Tesla original inside a small drive unit, so the unit can be run and programmed in a car that is not a Tesla. It must be paired with an AEM vehicle control unit.
A Tesla small drive unit is an excellent conversion motor with one problem: its inverter expects to be told what to do by a Tesla, over a network that is not yours and that will not cooperate. The stock control board is what stands between you and the hardware.
This board replaces it. With an AEM VCU on the other end of the supplied communications harness, the drive unit becomes a programmable motor: torque curves, torque limits and rates, regenerative braking, pedal response and drive mode switching, all calibrated through AEMcal.
It also solves mounting orientation. Motor spin direction is set over CAN, so the drive unit can be installed whichever way round the car needs rather than whichever way round Tesla assumed.
It was co developed with Cascadia Motion, and it fits both the front and rear variants of the small drive unit.
Key specifications
| Manufacturer part | AEM EV 30-8403 |
|---|---|
| Type | Inverter control board for Tesla small drive unit |
| Fits | Tesla SDU, front and rear variants |
| Requires | AEM vehicle control unit |
| Software | AEMcal |
| Programmable | Torque curves and limits, torque rates, regen, pedal response, drive modes, spin direction |
| Connectors | 6, male and female |
| Dimensions | 10.5 x 10.5 x 5.5 inches |
| Warranty | 1 year |
| Weight | 2 kg |
Features
- Direct replacement for the stock Tesla SDU inverter control board
- Full programmable control of torque, regen and pedal response through AEMcal
- Motor spin direction set over CAN, so the unit can be mounted in any orientation
- Works with both front and rear SDU variants
- Co developed with Cascadia Motion
- Communications harness to the VCU supplied
Compatibility
For Tesla small drive unit swaps in conversion and motorsport vehicles.
An AEM vehicle control unit is required. The board is a VCU expansion device, not a standalone controller, and it will not run a drive unit on its own. Budget for both.
It will not control a Tesla SDU in a Tesla chassis. This is for the unit fitted into something else.
In the box
- 1 x AEM EV SDU inverter control board
- 1 x communications harness
Downloads
No document is published here. AEM publish the installation and calibration guides for this board, and we can point you to the current versions.