Abstract
There is a world-wide push to transform automobile technologies from traditional fossil-fuel based to one that is based on electric drives. Many automotive companies have launched Electric (EV) and Hybrid Electric vehicles (HEV). These vehicles are more fuel-efficient and environmentally friendly compared to conventional vehicles. Optimizing the power intake in EVs allows the vehicle’s operation to be kept within the range designed for best fuel economy and lowest emission, while the motor/generator system provides additional power input as well as generates electricity using the excessive power from the engine. In the case of hybrid electric vehicles (HEVs) the motor/generator system also recovers the kinetic energy during braking or coasting. All these advantages have attracted worldwide development interests for such vehicles. It has also created a need for engineers working in the automotive industry to develop expertise in these systems as they contribute to the design and manufacturing of EVs and HEVs. The mechanical engineering curriculum needs to adjust to this new reality, and it is imperative that graduates of mechanical engineering programs graduate with a decent understanding and knowledge of EVs and HEVs if they are to be employed by the automotive industry. This course was designed with that need in mind and careful attention was paid to designing the content and focus of this course. It needed to be introductory in nature, yet students needed more than just awareness and gain some skill and confidence in the topic. That is why this course covers all aspects of the EV and HEV technology and every topic discussion is followed by modeling exercises. Simscape, a physical modeling toolbox in Matlab, is used for all the modeling work. The simulation exercises are designed with ample scaffolding so that the students can gain proficiency in using the tool while simultaneously accomplish the modeling task assigned. This paper discusses the course content, the simulation exercises, the challenges, and the lessons learned.
