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EDWartens UK

Free course · Electric vehicles

Electric Vehicle Technology Fundamentals

How an electric vehicle works, from the road back to the cell: the drivetrain, EV markets with India's two- and three-wheeler market as a case study, the forces on a vehicle, drive cycles and energy per km, lithium-ion battery parameters, SoC and SoH, pack development, the BMS and thermal design, and motors and controllers. Built on NPTEL lectures from IIT Madras.

See the modules

Free to learn. Verifiable certificate £19 when you pass the final exam (optional, VAT included).

Level
Beginner
Modules
9
Video
10 hours
Price
Free

Outcome

What you will be able to do

Describe the parts of an electric drivetrain and how energy flows through it; explain why some EV markets, such as India's, are led by two- and three-wheelers; calculate the forces on a vehicle and the power it needs; estimate energy per km from a drive cycle; read battery parameters and choose a chemistry; estimate SoC and SoH; design a battery pack from cells; explain what a BMS does and why thermal design matters; and calculate motor torque, power and efficiency.

  • Describe the parts of an electric drivetrain and how energy flows
  • Explain why two- and three-wheelers lead some EV markets, such as India's
  • Calculate drag, rolling resistance, gradient force and power
  • Estimate energy per km from a drive cycle, with regeneration
  • Read battery parameters and calculate pack voltage, energy and C-rate
  • Estimate SoC and SoH and design a pack's series and parallel arrangement
  • Explain what a BMS does and calculate pack heat
  • Calculate motor torque, power and speed through the drivetrain

Software

None required. A spreadsheet helps with the calculations.

Hardware

None.

Syllabus

9 modules

Each module has video lessons, notes and a short quiz. The final exam closes the course.

  1. 1How an electric vehicle works3 lessons
  2. 2Electric vehicles in India2 lessons
  3. 3EV subsystems and the forces on a vehicle2 lessons
  4. 4Drive cycles and energy per kilometre2 lessons
  5. 5Battery parameters, and why lithium-ion2 lessons
  6. 6State of charge, state of health, the battery pack and charging2 lessons
  7. 7The BMS and thermal design2 lessons
  8. 8Motors and controllers3 lessons
  9. 9Final Assessment1 lesson

How it works

How this course works

  1. Watch the video lessonsOne module at a time, at your own pace.
  2. Take the module quizA short quiz at the end of each module shows what stuck.
  3. Keep your notesWrite in My notes beside each module and ask the trainer if you are stuck.
  4. Sit the final examPass it once you have been through the modules.
  5. Certificate, if you want oneOptionalPaid, and only after you pass. Anyone can check it online.

EDWartens Lab

Practise this in the EDWartens Lab

Test a solar string, isolate the DC side safely and find an EV charger fault in the Lab's Solar and EV simulator.

Works alongside Electric Vehicle Technology Fundamentals. The Lab is solar and ev charging practice in your browser: no install, no hardware, free to use. Sign in as a learner and it opens with your account.

Open the free lab See the Lab
Solar and EV charging: Commission solar and EV.

Certificate

An optional certificate when you pass

Learning is free. Pass the final exam and you can have a certificate for £19, including VAT, with a number employers can check online. It records that you completed a free online course; it is not a regulated qualification or a CPD certificate.

  • Your name, the course, its study time and your final exam score
  • A unique certificate number and a QR code to its verification page
  • Issued by Wartens Ltd; add it to your LinkedIn profile in one click
  • Pay now or after you pass: it is issued the moment you pass the final

How the certificate works

Sample certificate for Electric Vehicle Technology Fundamentals

Credits

Who made the lessons

The video lessons belong to their creators. EDWartens wrote the study plan, notes, quizzes and the final exam.

  • NPTEL IIT Madras

    the Fundamentals of Electric Vehicles lectures on EVs in India, EV subsystems, vehicle forces, drive cycles and energy per km, battery parameters, lithium-ion, SoC and SoH, pack development, BMS and thermal design, and motors and controllers

  • CNET

    the explainer on how an electric vehicle's battery, motor and charger work together

  • E-Mobility Trends

    the introduction to how electric cars work

  • NPTEL-NOC IITM

    17 lessons in "How an electric vehicle works", "Electric vehicles in India", "EV subsystems and the forces on a vehicle", "Drive cycles and energy per kilometre", "Battery parameters, and why lithium-ion", "State of charge, state of health, the battery pack and charging", "The BMS and thermal design", "Motors and controllers" and "Final Assessment"

Questions

About this course

Who is this course for?
Engineering students, technicians and engineers from other fields who want to understand how an electric vehicle works. School physics and basic electrical terms are enough to start.
Is this an NPTEL course?
No. It is built on NPTEL's free public lectures from IIT Madras, credited on each module, but it is not the NPTEL programme and is not affiliated with NPTEL or IIT Madras. EDWartens wrote the notes, practice, project and assessment.
Does it cover charging stations?
Only briefly. This course is about the vehicle: drivetrain, battery, BMS and motor. Charging infrastructure is a subject of its own.
Is there a lot of maths?
Some, all at school level: force, power, energy and simple battery arithmetic. Every formula is worked through with an example.
Is the course really free?
Yes. Every module, the notes, the project and the final assessment. The only paid item is the certificate, if you want it.
What certificate do I get?
An EDWartens Certificate of Completion, issued when you pass the final assessment, with a number anyone can verify on our site.
How long does the course take?
About 10 hours of video lectures, plus time for the notes, worked problems and practice questions. Allow about 10 more hours if you do the optional project.
What is the project?
You specify the battery pack for an electric cargo three-wheeler: an energy study in Wh/km, pack sizing for the end-of-life range, a bill of materials, an FMEA and a validation plan. A worked sample pack for a company near Cairo, Egypt, shows what each document looks like.

The Professional Module is five live days of Siemens PLC, HMI and SCADA with an instructor, then a resume session and a CPD certificate.

See the Professional Module