How To Become An E-Powertrain Engineer?

The penetration of electric vehicles into the market is revolutionizing the entire automotive sector. Suppliers of OEM are steadily increasing their investment in manufacturing batteries and other specialized components for EVs.

The increase in EV usage is slowly reducing the dependency on oil. As per the report of Argonne National Lab, the advent of electric vehicles has reduced oil consumption by only 0.54%. In India, to witness a decrease in oil consumption, the EV market share should increase to 67%.

This is a massive milestone for EV manufacturers. The industry needs talented engineers to design and develop specialized systems for EVs like powertrain modules. Various kinds of research are ongoing to increase the efficiency of electric vehicles and promote their sales.

The major difference between an EV and a conventional IC engine vehicle lies in its powertrain system. This makes the role of a powertrain engineer critical as the other subsystems, like steering, suspension, gearbox mechanism, etc., with fewer design alterations, remain almost the same for both conventional and electric vehicles. Read the article to understand e-powertrain and the role of a powertrain engineer. 

What is an E-Powertrain?

As the name says, the powertrain is the system that powers the vehicle and sets it in motion. It includes a power source and a transmission system. In EVs, batteries are the power source, and electric motors drive the transmission system. Together, such systems are called e-powertrain.

Based on the type of EV, the powertrain can be solely electrical or hybrid. In hybrid systems, the transmission system includes both a motor and a conventional internal combustion engine.

The essential components of an e-powertrain include

• DC-DC converter
• Battery Management System (BMS)
• On-board Charger
• Electric Motor
• Inverter

What is The Role of an E-Powertrain Engineer?

The role of an e-powertrain engineer is a combined work of power electronics, electrical and mechanical engineering. Though the e-powertrain system entails many electrical components, these engineers are responsible for encountering issues associated with mechanical systems.

They are responsible for building the powertrain dynamic module and electric powertrain architecture. They design and select components for power circuits. They also create PCB layouts, develop embedded systems, and perform circuit analysis and simulation while adhering to guidelines, 

They validate the design and conduct QC analysis which is crucial in ensuring the system's reliability. They support NVH and the acoustics team to meet the standard requirement and seamless functioning. These engineers also carry out Analyzing DFMEA, and CAE reports.

Skills in Demand

The recent shift from gasoline-powered to battery-powered automobiles created a demand for electrical and power electronics engineers. For designing and developing e-powertrain systems, expertise in the mechanical and electrical domains is necessary. Here are the skills that are in demand

• An in-depth understanding of the architecture of the different systems and sub-systems of EVs.
• Knowledge of developing powertrain systems.
• Proficiency in mechanical and electrical software tools.
• Hands-on experience in designing and selecting different electrical components for various voltages.
• The ability to identify technical and functional issues associated with the different subsystems.
• Expertise in resolving, troubleshooting and calibrating electrical units.
• To maintain overall design documentation by communicating with various stakeholders, including all the essential details while designing and developing EV architectural systems.
• Experience in developing PCB designs and validating their functionality.
• Essential programming skills are necessary for embedded software development used in different sub-systems, including BMS.
• Basic knowledge of battery chemistry is needed for designing a battery pack without compromising its functionality and safety requirements.
• Knowledge of thermal management systems and cooling systems is essential in maintaining the temperature of the battery pack and other components.

Essential Software Skills

Along with technical knowledge, proficiency in several software tools is much needed today. These software tools made the development process feasible in less time and cost. The trending software tools you need to master are listed below.

MATLAB

It is one of the most popular tools used in different industries for various purposes. The modern vehicle electric modules require around one million lines of code to be implemented. It would be tedious to work on these codes, identify bugs, and validate their functionality.

MATLAB helps in developing algorithms for larger codes and testing the same. Using a model-based development approach, you can design, develop and simulate the model. Rapid prototyping allows the user to arrive at the best possible solution at the earliest.

Simulink

This add-on product of MATLAB can test, simulate and verify embedded systems. It can even generate C, C++ or HDL codes for embedded systems. The key feature of this platform is its graphical modeling interface. It entails a visualization tool for comparing the results of multiple approaches.

Altium Designer

PCBs(Printed Circuit Boards) are an integral part of electrical and electronic units. To design and develop a complex circuit board, Altium Designer is used. While developing, this potential tool can simultaneously check the design for violation of DRC PCB (Design Rule Check)rules.

ANSYS Maxwell

ANSYS Maxwell helps to simulate and test electromechanical systems and understand their performance. It is a commonly used software to design electric machines and converters, which are the key components of an e-powertrain system.

How to Become a Skilled E-Powertrain Engineer?

The onset of the EV revolution has provided opportunities not only for electrical but also for computer science, mechanical and electronics engineers to make innovative contributions. To develop a powertrain system, it is essential to be adept in power electronics. In addition to that, a basic knowledge of the overall functioning of an EV is essential. Watching the full video list of how an electric vehicle works will help you to understand EVs.

Follow the steps below to kick-start your career.

1. Surf through credible sites like LinkedIn, Indeed and Naukri to know the job requirements.
2. Check for the eligibility criteria and software skills essential needed.
3. Find ways to meet the eligibility criteria and learn the requisite skills.
4. Look for companies that hire powertrain engineers.
5. Take up mock interviews and assessment tests relevant to the job description and work on frequently asked interview questions
6. Enroll in specialized powertrain engineering courses that train you in the relevant software tools.

Why Should You Become an E-Powertrain Engineer?

The Indian Ministry of Skill Development estimated that by 2030 the EV industry would create 10 million jobs. This includes job roles for several sub-system developments, including technical and non-technical roles. 

 The industry demands certain skill sets, and the gap has to be filled to realize India's dream of zero emissions. Companies like Cyient, OLA Electric, Polaris Inc., Mercedes Benz and many other top OEMs hire skilled powertrain engineers to address the skill gap.

Equipping yourself with relevant software skills and domain knowledge will prepare you for the EV revolution. Skill-Lync is a  leader in transforming the lives of engineers and catering to the growing industries' demands. We can help you to become eligible for innovative new roles like e-powertrain engineer through our PG program in EV design and development. 

According to Ambitionbox, the average salary of a powertrain engineer is around INR 6.1 LPA. In 2022, 60% of three-wheelers sold were electric. This indicates that the demand for roles like powertrain engineers will skyrocket soon. Learning powertrain engineering courses from one of the best platforms like Skill-Lync will help you secure a promising career.