Design & Development of 1.5 Ton Small Commercial Passenger Electric Vehicle using 3D Experience platform of Dassault Systemes

We as students of the final year of multidisciplinary background (Mechanical, Electrical, Electronics, Civil) from Centurion University made this challenging project a reality with the following key objectives:

• Design & development of Electric Vehicle for 1.5 Ton passenger carrier (7+1 seater) Small commercial vehicle (SCV)
• Low cost and up to last mile distribution with “GO GREEN the SAVE ENVIRONMENT” for rural and urban sectors
• Use of digital multi-disciplinary technology using the 3D Experience Platform of Dassault Systemes.
• Commercialise with start-ups, Intellectual Property and/or generate employability

  Approach/methodology followed and worked upon on Project an as follows:  

1. Target Study & Market Identification
   • Global Electric Vehicle Market Analysis & Forecast (2017-2025) Survey shows a significant rise in EV sector demand
   • In the Commercial Vehicle segment, Small Commercial vehicles (<2.5 Ton) expected to show the highest growth both in passenger and load body types
   • The government mandate to ensure electric vehicles for all by 2030
   • Government initiative to install Electric Vehicle Charging Stations at Every 25 kms in India to boost EV industry
2. Benchmarking to develop features of Vehicle:
   1. Studied competitor’s product in SCV in Indian & overseas for ideation/concept building
   2. Leveraged VAVE (Vale Analysis Value Engineering) methodology on components /sub-systems
   3. Developed ‘Make or Buy’ strategy on sub-systems & components of SCV for cost benchmarking
3. Product Technical Specification:
   1. Overall dimension: 3790 *1500*1845 mm
   2. Wheelbase: 2100 mm
   3. Ground clearance: 200mm
   4. Speed: 40-50 KMPH
   5. Motor: BLDC Motor (72V, 7.5 KW) 2000-6000 rpm
   6. Range: 80-100 km/charge
   7. Battery Capacity: SLA /SMF lead-acid battery (6 nos, 12V, 200Ah)
   8. Kerb weight: 700 Kg
   9. Gross vehicle weight: 1500 Kg
   10. Turning radius: 4300 mm
   11. Seating capacity: 7+1

 

4. System Engineering of Product - Used CATIA-Dymola:
   1. CATIA Behavioural Modelling (Dymola to determine various customer requirement parameters of SCV for Chassis, Auxiliary Load, Drive Line, Energy Supply, Control Unit, Environment, Driving Cycle, Driver, others. RFLP approach followed for Requirement Management, through Functional analysis and Logical Architecture Design to end with Physical Design.
   2. Energetic dimensioning using Dymola for our freeze customer requirement of SCV like speed, acceleration and range of vehicle, auxiliary loads, road and atmospheric condition, to subsequently determine the rating of Motor, gear & Battery.
   3. Driveline dimensioning, using Dymola to determine all parameters of Motor, Controller, modulator, inverter i.e. resistance and inductance in Motor. Proportional, integral and differential constant of PID controller, Switching Frequency requirements and DC-line capacitor of inverter for ripple free DC output
   4. Individual system modelling of Motor, battery, controller, modulator, an inverter to perform required changes in each model to fit in Functional block architecture
5. Product Design – Using various apps of CATIA:
   1. Designed all sub-system/aggregates and components like steering, power train, brakes, suspension, chassis, BIW, Interiors & others based on the outcome of System Engineering designed parameters, System, and build CAD model using apps like ‘Part design’ & ‘Assembly Design’ of 3D Experience platform
   2. Leveraged sketcher app to constrain design dimensions with equations & formulae and make the digital model design robust for any changes from iterations
   3. Used various features of ‘Generative surface design’ to improve the aesthetics of SCV.
   4. Designed welding using ‘Weld design’
   5. Performed ‘SHOULD COSTING’ to achieve the targeted cost of the vehicle with MAKE/BUY decision / strategic with Supply chain base.
   6. Designed and validated electrical system & Geometry using ‘CATIA 3D part design’ for electrical parts like battery, motor controller and ‘CATIA electrical 3d design’ for routing the wire harness for Headlights – Rear & Front, Indicators & others using bundle segment and multi-branchable.
   7. An integrated vehicle with vehicle coordinate system and intelligent use of ‘Assembly design’
   8. A simulated vehicle built up/exploded view and assembly/disassembly of Vehicle using ‘CATIA composer’
6. Product Validation – Using Simulia
   1. Carried durability analysis for sub-systems – Axle and Mounting bracket and improved design using Structural scenario, Durability validation & Structural model including Pre & Post processing and solving
   2. Simulated and calculated torsional stiffness, Vertical & Lateral Bending Stiffness for chassis with the comparative product for the improvement
   3. Simulated Service Level Analysis (SLA) for various load cases of the road using SIMULIA
7. Simultaneous Engineering - Using DELMIA & CATIA
   1. Mechanical & Electrical connections checked for clashes & re-routing
   2. Manufacturability checked for design parts and improved
   3. Standardization of parts and part counts improved
8. Prototyping- Using DELMIA & CATIA
   1. Assembled and built prototype digital
   2. Provided feedback for design improvement
9. Digital Marketing/Launch of Product – using CATIA:
   1. Created visualisation of our Small Commercial Vehicle using ‘CATIA live Rendering’.
   2. Digital Mock-up of the Rendered product (Interior and exterior) and presented to college management and examiner during the final semester exam

Note:  Kindly view images & video uploaded on our SCV product, sub-systems and component for more details to experience our work. Conclusion & Next Steps:

1. We used an end-to-end solution of 3D Experience Platform of Dassault Systemes at each stage of product development for our target Small commercial vehicle with more innovation in digital space. We learnt the domain and technology of Dassault Systemes
2. We look forward to funding for development of physical prototype and certification of the vehicle as a start-up.
3. It was a great “hands-on learning experience’ and competency development experience using 3D Experience Platform of Dassault Systemes.

We thank our Dassault Systemes India, Centurion University management, Mentors, faculties & college class friends to make it possible.