FRAUNHOFER GESELLSCHAFT ZUR FORDERUNG DER ANGEWANDTEN FORSCHUNG EV
Fraunhofer Institute for Transportation and Infrastructure Systems IVI
Organisation Introduction
Fraunhofer is Europe´s largest application-oriented research organization with 76 institutes and research units throughout Germany. Their research efforts are geared entirely to people´s needs: health, security, communication, energy, and the environment.
The Fraunhofer Institute for Transportation and Infrastructure Systems IVI, headquartered in Dresden, employs a total of around 150 people at three locations. The institute collaborates closely with the universities TU Dresden, TU Bergakademie Freiberg and Technische Hochschule Ingolstadt. Its transport-related research work ranges from the field of vehicle and propulsion systems to intelligent transport systems, and it also covers the areas of disposition, logistics and digital business processes.
In addition to high-performance laboratories, innovative test platforms and vehicles as well as modern hardware and software, Fraunhofer IVI’s research infrastructure includes a technical center with a vehicle hall and an adjacent test track.
Why ZEFES?
Fraunhofer IVI has many years of work experience in the field of innovative propulsion systems as well as modeling and simulation of their components for public transport and heavy-duty vehicles. The expertise is based on numerous measuring campaigns in different vehicles and a detailed knowledge of vehicle technology – especially regarding fully electric and hybrid propulsion systems and their implementation in test vehicles, including cars, buses, and trucks. One specific example is the e-dolly, a converter dolly equipped with a complete electric powertrain that was developed in the AEROFLEX project and will now be used in ZEFES.
ZEFES is a welcome project to demonstrate, and at the same time further develop, the competencies and tools of Fraunhofer IVI. Thus, the competencies in major research fields such as battery modeling, vehicle simulation, functional safety and system integration will be strengthened, visibility increased, and potential customers gained.
What in ZEFES?
The ZEFES project will demonstrate heavy-duty long-haul vehicle combinations with a distributed zero-emission battery-electric powertrain. To guarantee safe operation on public roads, Fraunhofer IVI will specify these distributed powertrain concepts and investigate their functional safety. Moreover, the e-dolly, originally designed in the AEROFLEX project to hybridize truck-trailer combinations with a conventional combustion engine, will be adapted to form a part of the distributed powertrain in a fully electric vehicle combination.
In addition, Fraunhofer IVI will contribute to the vehicle simulation platform and the digital twins by providing battery models and state estimators (especially for SOH).
“The ZEFES project helps us to transfer latest scientific knowledge in the field of innovative propulsion systems into real-world applications and thus improve efficiency in (long-haul) road transport.”