MAE 5870
Fundamentals of Electric-Drive Vehicle Engineering
The course covers the engineering fundamentals and basic design of electric-drive vehicles by analyzing the relevant physics and applying the relevant equations and simple models. The course reviews transportation electrification history, electric vehicle architecture, powertrain components and their modeling and control.
Topics
- Explain the fundamental concepts of range and energy storage.
- Perform calculations using efficiencies and loads to estimate range.
- Perform calculations relating to the combination of cells to form battery packs, and the tradeoffs of voltage versus capacity.
- Describe the key operating characteristics of induction electric motors.
- Calculate the mpge and other efficiency metrics for various drive cycles.
- Be able to perform modeling of some specific electric vehicle systems, using MATLAB and/or Python scripts.
- Describe the performance and model the control systems of specialized low-speed electric vehicle systems such as wheelchairs, assistive scooters, and material handling equipment.
Official roster learning outcomes
Prerequisites & course information
background equivalent to: PHYS 2213 and MAE 2030 and MATH 2930.
Sources
- Course catalogue ↗2026-2027