ESI : Deploying the Hybrid Twin to Aid the Automotive Industry’s Digital Transformation

You might be wondering if the Hybrid Twin can be useful to the automotive industry? The answer is, absolutely! Introducing this innovative application improves the reliability of Electric Vehicle (EV) safety and comfort. Once integrated into a connected EV via a smart human-machine interface, the solution could enable the driver to receive real-time alerts in the event that the car foresees an issue with the completion of the planned journey. The interface could then advise the driver on how to adjust the controls related to in-car comfort, for maximum driving range. Going further, the interface could advise an alternative route depending on traffic and weather forecasts, all the while ensuring the driver and his passengers are aware of degraded driving conditions that could impact their safety.

One crucial problem for all EVs is the management of energy to increase vehicle range. One of the main challenges is the passengers' consumption of thermal comfort in different weather conditions, including extreme cold or hot temperatures. Balancing battery capacity and comfort requirements are more becoming extremely demanding. Let's summarize the recent achievements made in this field and take a closer look at the results from the OPTEMUS project.

ESI had the pleasure of actively contributing to the OPTEMUS project by lending our expertise in material physics and combining established 1D and 3D simulation methodologies with our latest Hybrid Twin technologies. The results are tremendous: Together we achieved up to 40% range increase for electrical vehicles, while at the same time offering the highest cabin comfort and safety.

In a recent presentation at FISITA congress in September 2021, I shared when to deploy a Hybrid Twin for EVs and how to leverage optimal energy consumption and energy harvesting.