Fundamentals of Electric Vehicle Engineering

Coordinate multidisciplinary teams to define vehicle characteristics and goals for electric vehicle systems, integrating electrical, electronics, mechanical, chemical, and software engineering, battery management system, drive, transmission, and charging.

Explains a simplified block diagram of an electric vehicle, linking mass, inertia, and low friction to motor torque driving linear motion via battery energy.

Explore how power weight ratio governs electric vehicle performance, linking motor power and vehicle weight to acceleration targets from 30 to 100 km/h across cars, buses, and motorcycles, with cases.

Analyze the operating point where motor torque balances vehicle resistance to determine equilibrium speed, and use driving cycles to optimize motor selection for urban and highway conditions.

Develop and simulate a vehicle model in MATLAB Simulink by solving the differential equation for applied force minus drag and gravity, achieving steady-state speed.

Examine the torque–speed relationship in electric vehicles, showing how drag and friction shape steady-state speed and the minimum torque needed to reach a target speed using xy plots.

Explore fundamentals of electric motors, including how voltage, current, resistance, and magnetic flux drive torque and speed, and how motor, electrical and magnetic systems interact in EVs.

Examine how electrical, magnetic, and mechanical systems shape the motor’s speed–torque characteristics. Analyze how voltage, current, inertia, friction, and vehicle load determine steady‑state speed and control strategies.

Explore the electric motor drive system, detailing variable speed control, power electronics, and how the drive train delivers torque, acceleration, and regenerative braking for electric vehicles.

Analyze electric vehicle configurations based on electric drive train, from direct conversion with clutch and differential to fixed gear and single integrated arrangements, including dual motor and hub motor concepts.

Examine energy sources for electric vehicles beyond the battery, including lithium-ion, lead-acid, hydrogen fuel cells, ultracapacitors, and flywheels, and compare specific energy, energy density, and power density to improve range.

Explore how hydrogen fuel cells generate electricity for electric vehicles, noting efficiency (40–60%), fast refueling, and environmental benefits, while addressing hydrogen energy density and supply-chain challenges.

Explore ultra capacitors as high power energy sources for electric vehicles, highlighting their high power density and rapid charge-discharge, and their hybrid use with batteries to offset low energy density.

Explore how a flywheel in electric vehicles stores kinetic energy during braking, powers acceleration, and compares to batteries and ultra capacitors in energy storage.

Explore hybrid energy sources for electric vehicles, balancing specific energy and power with regenerative receptivity. Compare battery, fuel cell, ultra capacitor, and flywheel configurations for optimal range and performance.

Explore lithium-ion EV batteries, including charging versus discharging temperature effects, thermal management, cooling and heating systems, safety thresholds, and the costs of fast charging.