| Summary: |
The Portuguese and Spanish are committed to promote the development of sustainable vehicles as part of a strategy to accomplish new paradigms of mobility. This commitment includes a joint initiative (MOBI) supported by InterReg Program, and leaded by CEIIA (Centre for Excellence and Innovation for the Automotive Industry) and CTAG (Galician Automotive Centre), to development and prototype new concepts of vehicles. This gives the opportunity to MIT-Portugal Program to develop research activities in relevant technological areas that could be linked with the MOBI initiative.
This application includes various projects, based on specific partnerships between industrial companies and research/technological centres that will be developed under an integrated engineering approach in terms of reference specifications and bench marking, design philosophy and manufacturing constrains. The modules are selected on the basis on the requirements of the industrial partners, as well as the technological and scientific challenges involved. The working programme are divided into tasks:
-Modelling of the Energy Management System
-Laboratory Implementation of the EMS
-Prototype Implementation
-Hybridization of the Electrical Vehicle
-Design of a Motor-in-Wheel Unit
-Sustainable Automotive Components
-Smart Grids
-Flexible Design Concepts and Sustainability Assessment
The work will be based on 3 universities and cover a wide variety of expertise, and the industrial partners were chosen among the most promising. SIMOLDES has a major interest in developing natural fibre composites, EFACEC is leader in the Power Electronics in Portugal, with projects all over the world. MCG is very attentive to the electrical vehicle business, with interested in developing expertise on electrical/mechanical components. TMG is the national leader in coatings and textiles for the auto industry and is keen on the changeover to more sustainable materials. CEIIA and INTELI (centre for innovation) are  |
Summary
The Portuguese and Spanish are committed to promote the development of sustainable vehicles as part of a strategy to accomplish new paradigms of mobility. This commitment includes a joint initiative (MOBI) supported by InterReg Program, and leaded by CEIIA (Centre for Excellence and Innovation for the Automotive Industry) and CTAG (Galician Automotive Centre), to development and prototype new concepts of vehicles. This gives the opportunity to MIT-Portugal Program to develop research activities in relevant technological areas that could be linked with the MOBI initiative.
This application includes various projects, based on specific partnerships between industrial companies and research/technological centres that will be developed under an integrated engineering approach in terms of reference specifications and bench marking, design philosophy and manufacturing constrains. The modules are selected on the basis on the requirements of the industrial partners, as well as the technological and scientific challenges involved. The working programme are divided into tasks:
-Modelling of the Energy Management System
-Laboratory Implementation of the EMS
-Prototype Implementation
-Hybridization of the Electrical Vehicle
-Design of a Motor-in-Wheel Unit
-Sustainable Automotive Components
-Smart Grids
-Flexible Design Concepts and Sustainability Assessment
The work will be based on 3 universities and cover a wide variety of expertise, and the industrial partners were chosen among the most promising. SIMOLDES has a major interest in developing natural fibre composites, EFACEC is leader in the Power Electronics in Portugal, with projects all over the world. MCG is very attentive to the electrical vehicle business, with interested in developing expertise on electrical/mechanical components. TMG is the national leader in coatings and textiles for the auto industry and is keen on the changeover to more sustainable materials. CEIIA and INTELI (centre for innovation) are interested in the know-how in the development of capabilities of electric vehicle systems. Part of the project effort will be carried out by 5 PhD students, already within the MIT Portugal PhD program. Furthermore, 5 other graduates will "help" in the various tasks during the first 2 years.
During the project three prototypes will be built: the control system of the vehicle; the connection for fast/slow re charging; and a motor-in-wheel unit. The first system will be modelled numerically and initially it will be implemented at the laboratory and later in a test vehicle. This will include the assembly of batteries, supercapacitors, the power electronics of the control system and electric motor, together with the motor-generator. In parallel, the design of the motor-in-wheel will take place, and this design will also be incorporated on the test vehicle.
The potential use of biocomposites materials in automotive components, based in biodegradable polymers and natural reinforcements will be made.
A case study will be selected: an interior door module. A life cycle cost and analysis will allow the evaluation of the developed solutions.
A wider study of sustainability will be conducted, with the overall electric vehicle concept in mind. Studies of the effect of different concepts will be carried out in order to evaluate the compromises at different scenarios of use. Life cycle analysis will be conducted, as well as an analysis of car owner behaviour concerning battery recharging periods and electric energy needs and estimation of the current possible fleet penetration of electric/plug-in based vehicles. |