Optimal Battery-Structure Composites for Electric Vehicles

Light-weighting is a key research area for reducing the cost of electric vehicles (EVs). In this paper, multifunctional battery-structure composites, PowerPanels, are introduced, modeled and analyzed. To demonstrate the advantages of PowerPanels in EV applications, the Tesla Model S85 frame is redesigned. Component masses and bending stiffnesses are estimated for Tesla’s original design. The optimal PowerPanel design minimizes the vehicle weight under geometric, mechanical, and energy constraints. Including vehicle mass compounding effect, the redesigned vehicle is 350 kg lighter and its chassis is 0.418 m³ smaller, with the same mechanical rigidity and driving range.