Electric Vehicle Powertrain Boot Camp

Benefits and Learning Objectives: 

Module 1 - The Fundamentals of Lithium-Ion Cells

• Understand what goes in to a lithium-ion cell and the key principles of electrochemistry
• Describe how design and manufacturing decisions affect overall cell and battery pack performance.
• Understand why cells fail and prevention methods 

Module 2 - Lithium-Ion Battery Pack Fundamentals

• Specify battery packs to meet application requirements ensuring the correct cells are selected
• Understand key principles and stages when manufacturing a battery pack
• Understand the different levels of testing required in battery pack manufacture

Module 3 - Electric Motor Manufacture

• Understand the inner workings of an electric motor, and how the choice of different materials and components affects its operation.     
• Successfully design for manufacture, optimising processes, labour and machine choices to operate efficient, sustainable and high-speed manufacturing.

Module 4 - Electric Vehicle Manufacture

• Understand the inner workings of an electric vehicle, and how the choice of different design strategies affects its operation
• Successfully design for manufacture, optimising processes, labour and machine choices to operate efficient, sustainable and high-speed manufacturing

Module 5 - End of Life Pathways for EV Batteries

• Describe why designing for end of life is important, and the different options for a product at the end of its first life
• State the Legislation around the end of life for vehicles and batteries, its implications and future landscape
• Define, describe, and evaluate the following end of life strategies, with practical examples: repair / reuse, refurbishment / reconditioning, battery remanufacturing, repurposing, recycling
• Describe considerations that need to be taken into account when choosing a particular end of life strategy (e.g. volume, quality, state of health)
• Make informed decisions about piloting or implementing end of life strategies for EV batteries

Topics Covered: 

Module 1 - The Fundamentals of Lithium-Ion Cells

• Introduction to Electrochemistry 
• Lithium-ion Cell Construction and Manufacture
• Design for Performance and Cell Selection     
• Safety, Failure Modes and Prevention

Module 2 - Lithium-Ion Battery Pack Fundamentals

• Introduction to Electrical Fundamentals
• Relating application requirements to battery design
• Battery pack design principles
• Battery pack design exercises
• Production techniques with real case study
• Production line testing

Module 3 - Electric Motor Manufacture

• Brief history of the EM
• DC vs AC motors
• Motor construction (rotor, bearings, stator, air gap, windings, commutator)
• Motor supply/motor control
• Types of motor
• Self-commutated motors and externally commutated motors
• Special motor types
• EMs advantages vs traditional ICE components
• Today’s global EM market

Module 4 - Electric Vehicle Manufacture

• Brief history of Electric Vehicle
  
• Their types
• Component parts
• Associated manufacturing methods     
• Life-cycle of EVs
• High-level safety principles
• Look at the current global EV market

Module 5 - End of Life Pathways for EV Batteries

• Introduction to circular economy
  
• Closed loop supply chains for batteries
• Waste hierarchy for batteries
• Extended producer responsibility legislation and its significance
• End of life strategies for batteries
• Evaluation of end of life strategies based on various considerations (e.g. state of health), in addition to case studies and examples
• Tools for further decision-making and engagement with the topic (e.g. decision tree, EoL ForCE, CEMA)