Abstract
The specifications that define a new automotive product development are established at an early stage in the product life cycle and define the direction of such a development, and changing these decisions becomes costlier the further the project evolves towards introduction into the market. Simulations and predictions underpin the crucial decisions made at the inception stage of the new product development life cycle, since these tools inform prototype development, production strategies, and improve profitability. The tool presented facilitates the decisions required when embarking on the new product development of a vehicle that incorporates electric-drive technologies and the vital choices made regarding the battery pack powering by such a vehicle. The tool functions can be split into two parts, firstly it incorporates a sizing model for determining the number of cells and the configuration required to meet a specified battery requirement. Secondly, a 1-D model is implemented to determine some of the basic thermal and power characteristics that can then be utilised to inform other parts of the design specification. Improvements are proposed that improve previous model accuracy from 8-9% to 6% for thermal predictions and down to 3% for electrical simulations. When integrated with a database containing cell characteristics, the tool can identify candidate cells that meet the proposed requirements. In addition, the tool's rapid execution time allows fact comparison between cell choices, at a level comprehensible by all project stakeholders in the decision making process.
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