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Ansys Concept EV: Optimizing Next-Generation EV Powertrains

Ansys ConceptEV

The electric vehicle (EV) industry is witnessing intense competition from established manufacturers to new startups, all striving to capture the market by offering superior products. The race to dominate the EV sector demands shorter product development cycles, compelling manufacturers to design best-in-class powertrains with maximum efficiency, reduced costs, and lower weight. However, designing and optimizing EV powertrains presents several challenges from the view of energy management and thermal regulation to real-world performance validation.  

A more efficient powertrain directly translates to extended vehicle range, a key factor influencing consumer adoption. However, one of the biggest challenges in EV adoption is charging speed, as it is nowhere near as quick and convenient as refuelling an internal combustion engine vehicle. Reducing charging time and improving vehicle efficiency are critical hurdles that the automotive industry is actively addressing through research and development.

Since the early days of automotive engineering, design engineers have had a clear understanding of the necessary battery capacity, powertrain components, and other specifications required for developing a vehicle. However, ensuring that these individually selected components work together as an optimized system remains a challenge. A set of individually optimized components does not necessarily equate to an optimized powertrain. The true potential of an EV powertrain lies in how well its components—battery, motor, inverter, and transmission—work together as an integrated system.

This blog explores key challenges in EV powertrain technology and how Ansys ConceptEV empowers manufacturers to overcome these obstacles effectively.

What is Ansys ConceptEV?

Ansys ConceptEV is a specialized cloud-based design and simulation platform for the early-stage development of electric powertrains from a system-level perspective. It provides a collaborative environment where design teams can fine-tune the interactions between different powertrain components, ensuring maximum efficiency and performance.

ConceptEV ensures seamless integration between powertrain components and acts as a simulation-driven evaluation platform, providing insights into how effectively a powertrain performs with the given components enabling accurate data exchange. It processes inputs for the battery, inverter, motor, and transmission, analyzing their interactions and dependencies.
The battery’s state of charge (SOC), thermal behaviour, and voltage output influence the inverter’s efficiency and motor performance. The inverter’s switching losses and thermal characteristics affect motor torque and speed, while the motor’s torque-speed characteristics depend on inverter control and battery output. Transmission gear ratios impact motor loading and overall energy consumption. By continuously evaluating these interdependencies, ConceptEV enables engineers to assess different configurations, understand trade-offs, and make informed decisions to refine the powertrain for improved efficiency and performance.

Challenges in EV Powertrain Development

Despite significant advancements in EV technology, manufacturers continue to face several challenges in achieving optimal performance, efficiency, and cost-effectiveness. Below are some of the key hurdles and how Ansys ConceptEV helps in overcoming them.

1. Energy Efficiency & Range Optimization

  • Challenge: Limited battery capacity makes energy optimization essential for maximizing vehicle range.
  • Solution: Using Ansys ConceptEV, engineers can optimize powertrain configurations, regenerative braking, and thermal management to minimize energy losses and improve overall efficiency.

2. Thermal Management & Battery Performance

  • Challenge: Excessive heat generation affects battery lifespan, motor performance, and overall system efficiency.
  • Solution: ConceptEV enables detailed heat dissipation modeling, allowing engineers to develop cooling strategies that enhance battery safety and efficiency under different operating conditions.

3. Weight Reduction & Material Selection

  • Challenge: Heavier components increase energy consumption and reduce range.
  • Solution: ConceptEV, in combination with other Ansys tools, helps analyze and select lightweight materials that maintain structural integrity while minimizing weight.

4. Cost vs. Performance Trade-offs

  • Challenge: Striking a balance between high performance and cost-effectiveness is crucial for mass EV adoption.
  • Solution: ConceptEV allows manufacturers to simulate multiple powertrain architectures, identifying the most cost-effective solutions without compromising performance.

5. Real-World Performance Validation

  • Challenge: Physical testing is expensive and time-consuming, requiring multiple iterations.
  • Solution: ConceptEV enables real-world drive cycle simulations, allowing engineers to validate efficiency and performance under diverse driving conditions before investing in prototyping.

How Ansys ConceptEV helps enhancing EV efficiency and Performance?

Ansys ConceptEV provides comprehensive solutions for optimizing electric powertrain efficiency, performance, and longevity. Key features include:
  • Optimized Gear Ratios: Enhances torque-speed balance for greater efficiency.
  • Ancillary Load Management: Reduces energy consumption from HVAC, lighting, and infotainment.
  • Advanced Thermal Management: Ensures effective cooling of motors, inverters, and batteries.
  • Regenerative Braking Optimization: Maximizes energy recovery from braking, extending range.
  • High-Voltage Powertrain Optimization: Supports 400V to 800V architectures for faster charging and reduced energy losses.
  • Inverter Efficiency Improvement: Reduces switching losses in power electronics (IGBTs and MOSFETs).
  • Predictive Energy Management: Uses AI-driven simulations to optimize energy distribution strategies based on real-world driving conditions.
  • Lightweight Material Analysis: Identifies optimal materials to reduce vehicle weight and enhance range.
  • Aerodynamic Optimization: Simulates airflow effects to minimize drag and increase energy efficiency.

Simulated performance of a dual-motor EV powertrain across the WLTP drive cycle, showing predicted driving range and energy efficiency

Seamless Integration with other Ansys tools

ConceptEV can seamlessly integrate with other Ansys tools to enhance EV powertrain design. It works with Ansys optiSLang for design space exploration, Ansys Motor-CAD for multiphysics motor simulations, and Ansys Maxwell for advanced electromagnetic field analysis. Additionally, ConceptEV supports third-party tool integration and custom workflow automation through its Python API, enabling manufacturers to streamline their development processes.

Conclusion

As the global demand for high-efficiency electric vehicles continues to rise, Ansys ConceptEV is driving innovation in EV powertrain design. By enabling manufacturers to develop optimized electric drive units (EDUs), refine energy management strategies, and enhance system reliability, ConceptEV plays a crucial role in shaping the future of electric mobility.

With its advanced simulation capabilities, seamless tool integration, and AI-powered predictive analysis, ConceptEV empowers automakers to build smarter, more efficient, and future-ready electric vehicles while reducing costs and accelerating time-to-market.

As EV technology evolves, manufacturers that leverage cutting-edge simulation tools like Ansys ConceptEV will lead the charge in creating the next generation of high-performance, sustainable electric vehicles.

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