Electric Vehicle Systems Engineering: Architecture, Diagnostics and Design

A complete engineering-chain course on the modern battery-electric vehicle: whole-vehicle architecture and energy flow, electrical and measurement fundamentals for EV work, high-voltage safety and emergency response, battery-cell electrochemistry and manufacture, cell formats and chemistries, pack electrical and mechanical architecture, battery management and state estimation, thermal management and degradation, HV distribution and pre-charge, charging hardware and communication, power electronics, traction motors and drive units, reduction gearing and regenerative braking, vehicle thermal management and HVAC, low-voltage systems and cybersecurity, systematic diagnostics and troubleshooting, manufacturer and platform differences, and system design, validation and lifecycle. Every module includes a practical assignment and a five-question knowledge check, and the course closes with an exhaustive component catalogue, measurement guide, glossary and standards register for ongoing reference.

Course content

Electric-vehicle architecture and energy flow

14 lessons

▤ 1.0 - Module overview and learning outcomes 28m

▤ 1.1 - The EV as an integrated engineering system 55m

▤ 1.2 - BEV, PHEV, HEV and range-extended architectures 55m

▤ 1.3 - Grid-to-battery charging energy flow 60m

▤ 1.4 - Battery-to-road propulsion energy flow 60m

▤ 1.5 - Regenerative braking and reverse power flow 58m

▤ 1.6 - Low-voltage wake-up and high-voltage activation 58m

▤ 1.7 - Pre-charge, contactor closure and READY state 65m

▤ 1.8 - Controller authority and torque arbitration 55m

▤ 1.9 - Power, energy, torque and tractive effort 65m

▤ 1.10 - System efficiency, loss mechanisms and derating 58m

▤ 1.11 - Architecture-led fault diagnosis case study 70m

▤ 1.P - Practical assignment: state-and-energy map 90m

? 1.Q - Knowledge check and explained answers 35m

Electrical and measurement foundations for EV work

14 lessons

▤ 2.0 - Module overview and measurement mindset 35m

▤ 2.1 - Voltage domains and galvanic isolation boundaries 55m

▤ 2.2 - Loaded voltage testing and voltage-drop reasoning 58m

▤ 2.3 - Milliohm faults, heat and high-current consequences 58m

▤ 2.4 - Current measurement and sensor interpretation 55m

▤ 2.5 - Capacitance, DC-link energy and pre-charge physics 62m

▤ 2.6 - Inductance, switching transients and contactor stress 58m

▤ 2.7 - Three-phase AC in traction drives 60m

▤ 2.8 - PWM, RMS readings and oscilloscope interpretation 60m

▤ 2.9 - Floating HV circuits, chassis reference and insulation evidence 58m

▤ 2.10 - Instrument selection, category ratings and bandwidth 60m

▤ 2.11 - Four-wire measurement, continuity and evidence quality 58m

▤ 2.P - Practical assignment: measurement evidence portfolio 42m

? 2.Q - Knowledge check: electrical and measurement foundations 20m

High-voltage safety, workshop control and emergency response

14 lessons

▤ 3.0 - Module overview: high-voltage safety as an engineering control system 45m

▤ 3.1 - Hazard classes and the EV energy-source map 65m

▤ 3.2 - Electric shock, DC arc and stored-energy physics 70m

▤ 3.3 - Floating HV systems, insulation monitoring and chassis misconceptions 72m

▤ 3.4 - Authorisation, competence, roles and method statements 66m

▤ 3.5 - Isolation, lockout and wake-source control 72m

▤ 3.6 - Prove-dead, prove-test-prove and absence-of-voltage evidence 74m

▤ 3.7 - HVIL, MSDs, contactors, crash disconnects and residual voltage 70m

▤ 3.8 - PPE, insulated tools, barriers and rescue provision 68m

▤ 3.9 - Damaged, flooded and thermally abnormal vehicles 72m

▤ 3.10 - Thermal runaway, off-gassing, fire-service interface and quarantine 74m

▤ 3.11 - Re-energisation, post-work checks and diagnostic boundaries 68m

▤ 3.P - Practical assignment: HV method statement and damaged-vehicle triage 60m

? 3.Q - Knowledge check: HV safety, workshop control and emergency response 25m

Battery-cell electrochemistry, construction and manufacture

13 lessons

▤ 4.0 - Module overview: from electrochemistry to service evidence 50m

▤ 4.1 - Electrode reactions and ion transport 65m

▤ 4.2 - OCV curves, polarisation and voltage observability 65m

▤ 4.3 - Cell components, materials and interfaces 70m

▤ 4.4 - Separator, electrolyte, SEI, gas generation and internal short risk 70m

▤ 4.5 - Cell manufacturing: electrode preparation, assembly and filling 70m

▤ 4.6 - Formation, grading, traceability and field variation 70m

▤ 4.7 - Heat generation, impedance and current distribution inside cells 75m

▤ 4.8 - Voltage response, relaxation and resistance estimation 70m

▤ 4.9 - Cell fault mechanisms: internal short, lithium plating, swelling and leakage 75m

▤ 4.10 - Cell-level service evidence and safety boundaries 65m

▤ 4.P - Practical assignment: cell fault evidence map 60m

? 4.Q - Knowledge check and explained answers 30m

Cell formats, chemistries and performance limits

13 lessons

▤ 5.0 - Module overview: formats, chemistries and performance limits 55m

▤ 5.1 - Cell formats: cylindrical, prismatic, pouch and long-format cells 75m

▤ 5.2 - Cylindrical cells: parallel groups, fusing and current collection 75m

▤ 5.3 - Prismatic and blade/long-format cells 70m

▤ 5.4 - Pouch cells: compression, swelling and tab fatigue 70m

▤ 5.5 - NMC and NCA systems 75m

▤ 5.6 - LFP and LTO systems 75m

▤ 5.7 - Sodium-ion, solid-state and emerging cell systems 65m

▤ 5.8 - C-rate, energy density, power density and operating limits 75m

▤ 5.9 - Chemistry-specific diagnostics and SOC estimation 70m

▤ 5.10 - Chemistry-to-pack design trade-offs and diagnostic case study 80m

▤ 5.P - Practical assignment: chemistry and format comparison matrix 60m

? 5.Q - Knowledge check and explained answers 30m

Battery pack electrical and mechanical architecture

11 lessons

▤ 6.0 - Module overview: battery pack architecture as a safety-critical assembly 70m

▤ 6.1 - Series, parallel, pack voltage and current capability 85m

▤ 6.2 - Pack segmentation, service disconnects and residual hazards 75m

▤ 6.3 - Modules, cell-to-pack and structural integration 85m

▤ 6.4 - Battery disconnect unit, fuses, contactors and current sensing 90m

▤ 6.5 - Enclosure, sealing, venting and crash protection 80m

▤ 6.6 - Busbars, welds, fuses and service interfaces 75m

▤ 6.7 - Diagnosing high-resistance joints and group-level pack faults 90m

▤ 6.8 - Pack service boundaries, lifting, sealing and post-repair verification 85m

▤ 6.P - Practical assignment: pack topology and service evidence map 90m

? 6.Q - Knowledge check and explained answers 35m

Battery management, sensing and state estimation

12 lessons

▤ 7.0 - Module overview: BMS measurement, control and state estimation 70m

▤ 7.1 - BMS hardware and distributed measurement architecture 80m

▤ 7.2 - Cell-voltage sensing chain: taps, AFE channels and isolation barriers 85m

▤ 7.3 - Voltage, current, temperature and isolation sensing 85m

▤ 7.4 - Current sensing, coulomb counting and drift errors 80m

▤ 7.5 - SOC, SOE, SOH and SOP estimation 90m

▤ 7.6 - State-estimation algorithms and model correction 85m

▤ 7.7 - Balancing and cell divergence 85m

▤ 7.8 - BMS fault detection, plausibility and protective limits 90m

▤ 7.9 - Reading BMS data as diagnostic evidence 95m

▤ 7.P - Practical assignment: BMS evidence report 90m

? 7.Q - Knowledge check and explained answers 35m

Battery thermal management, degradation, safety and service

12 lessons

▤ 8.0 - Module overview: battery thermal management, degradation, safety and service 70m

▤ 8.1 - Cooling and heating architectures 85m

▤ 8.2 - Cooling plates, manifolds, coolant integrity and heat paths 90m

▤ 8.3 - Preconditioning, fast charging and charge-taper diagnosis 95m

▤ 8.4 - Calendar and cycle ageing 85m

▤ 8.5 - Degradation mechanisms, warranty evidence and customer complaints 95m

▤ 8.6 - Thermal runaway and propagation management 90m

▤ 8.7 - Battery fault diagnosis and service boundaries 90m

▤ 8.8 - Second life, transport and recycling decisions 80m

▤ 8.9 - Integrated case study: slow charging, high temperature spread and ageing evidence 100m

▤ 8.P - Practical assignment: battery thermal and degradation diagnostic plan 90m

? 8.Q - Knowledge check and explained answers 35m

High-voltage distribution, contactors, pre-charge and isolation

14 lessons

▤ 9.0 - Module overview: HV distribution as controlled energy release 85m

▤ 9.1 - HV distribution, BDU and PDU architecture 90m

▤ 9.2 - Main DC contactors: construction, control and failure evidence 95m

▤ 9.3 - Fuses, pyrotechnic disconnects, service disconnects and crash isolation 90m

▤ 9.4 - Pre-charge fundamentals and DC-link capacitor control 100m

▤ 9.5 - DC-link validation, discharge and pre-charge fault patterns 90m

▤ 9.6 - HV interlock loop and connector safety 85m

▤ 9.7 - HV cables, shielding, bonding and connector failure modes 90m

▤ 9.8 - Floating HV architecture and insulation monitoring 95m

▤ 9.9 - Leakage localisation: heater, compressor, coolant, cable and charger-side faults 95m

▤ 9.10 - Integrated diagnostic case: no READY, pre-charge timeout and isolation inhibit 100m

▤ 9.11 - Diagnostic evidence tables and service-report writing for HV distribution faults 85m

▤ 9.P - Practical assignment: HV distribution diagnostic map and safe evidence plan 75m

? 9.Q - Knowledge check and explained answers 45m

Charging hardware, control pilot and high-level communication

15 lessons

▤ 10.0 - Module overview: charging as a controlled energy-transfer system 55m

▤ 10.1 - Charge inlet, cable, protective earth and connector protection 55m

▤ 10.2 - AC charging, Mode 3 behaviour and the on-board charger 60m

▤ 10.3 - DC fast charging hardware, charge contactors and off-board conversion 60m

▤ 10.4 - Control pilot, proximity pilot and connection-state logic 55m

▤ 10.5 - High-level communication: EVCC, SECC, ISO 15118 and session control 60m

▤ 10.6 - Charging limits, taper curves and slow charging diagnosis 60m

▤ 10.7 - 400 V, 800 V and charger-voltage compatibility 55m

▤ 10.8 - Thermal management during charging: battery, inlet, cable and charger 60m

▤ 10.9 - Bidirectional charging: V2L, V2H and V2G engineering boundaries 60m

▤ 10.10 - Interoperability, authorisation, OCPP and charging cybersecurity 55m

▤ 10.11 - Systematic diagnosis of no-charge and interrupted-charge complaints 65m

▤ 10.12 - Charging-system design, validation and service documentation 55m

▤ 10.P - Practical assignment: charging-session evidence report 75m

? 10.Q - Knowledge check: charging hardware and communication 45m

Power electronics: inverter, DC/DC converter and on-board conversion

15 lessons

▤ 11.0 - Module overview: power electronics as controlled energy conversion 65m

▤ 11.1 - Power semiconductor devices: IGBT, MOSFET, SiC and module construction 70m

▤ 11.2 - Gate drivers, isolation supplies, dead time and fast protection 70m

▤ 11.3 - DC link, laminated busbars, filtering and ripple current 70m

▤ 11.4 - Pre-charge compatibility, residual-voltage discharge and DC-link faults 65m

▤ 11.5 - Inverter bridge, PWM and three-phase current production 75m

▤ 11.6 - Field-oriented control, Id/Iq current and torque authority 75m

▤ 11.7 - Inverter sensing, protection and plausibility diagnostics 65m

▤ 11.8 - DC/DC converter: low-voltage support, auxiliary battery charging and wake stability 70m

▤ 11.9 - On-board charger conversion, isolation and integrated charging units 65m

▤ 11.10 - Power-electronics thermal design, junction temperature and derating 70m

▤ 11.11 - Power-electronics failure modes and diagnostic workflow 70m

▤ 11.12 - Worked examples: inverter heat, DC-link energy and phase-current interpretation 75m

▤ 11.P - Practical assignment: power-electronics evidence report 80m

? 11.Q - Knowledge check: power electronics, inverter, DC/DC and OBC 45m

Traction motors, position sensing and integrated drive units

15 lessons

▤ 12.0 - Module overview: traction motors and integrated drive units 65m

▤ 12.1 - Stator, windings, laminations and rotating magnetic fields 70m

▤ 12.2 - Hairpin, distributed and concentrated windings; insulation stress 65m

▤ 12.3 - Rotor types and torque production 70m

▤ 12.4 - PMSM, IPMSM, induction and EESM control differences 65m

▤ 12.5 - Resolver, encoder and rotor-position control 70m

▤ 12.6 - Offset calibration, sensor failure and safe torque inhibition 60m

▤ 12.7 - Bearings, cooling, lubrication and reduction gear inside the drive unit 70m

▤ 12.8 - Bearing-current damage, gear NVH and mechanical diagnostic separation 65m

▤ 12.9 - Torque-speed envelope, field weakening and high-speed limits 70m

▤ 12.10 - Motor losses, efficiency maps and thermal derating 70m

▤ 12.11 - Diagnostic separation: motor, inverter, gearbox, harness or cooling? 70m

▤ 12.12 - Integrated drive-unit replacement, coding and post-repair validation 65m

▤ 12.P - Practical assignment: drive-unit fault-separation report 80m

? 12.Q - Knowledge check: traction motors and integrated drive units 45m

Reduction gearing, vehicle dynamics and regenerative braking

15 lessons

▤ 13.0 - Module overview: gearing, vehicle dynamics and regenerative braking 55m

▤ 13.1 - Single-speed reduction and gear-ratio selection 70m

▤ 13.2 - Motor torque, wheel torque, tractive force and adhesion limits 70m

▤ 13.3 - Differential, e-axle and half-shaft architecture 65m

▤ 13.4 - Bearings, gear teeth, lubrication and mechanical durability 65m

▤ 13.5 - Torque direction, coast-versus-regeneration testing and NVH separation 60m

▤ 13.6 - Vehicle dynamics, axle torque allocation and supervisory authority 65m

▤ 13.7 - Regenerative braking energy pathway 65m

▤ 13.8 - Battery, DC-bus and stability limits on regenerative braking 65m

▤ 13.9 - Brake blending, pedal feel and friction fallback 65m

▤ 13.10 - ABS, ESC and low-grip intervention during regeneration 60m

▤ 13.11 - EV friction-brake maintenance, corrosion and service modes 55m

▤ 13.12 - Worked example: recoverable kinetic energy and real-world losses 70m

▤ 13.P - Practical assignment: drivetrain and regenerative-braking evidence map 80m

? 13.Q - Knowledge check: gearing, dynamics and regenerative braking 30m

Vehicle thermal management and high-voltage HVAC

15 lessons

▤ 14.0 - Module overview: vehicle thermal management and high-voltage HVAC 55m

▤ 14.1 - Integrated thermal architecture and heat-flow modes 65m

▤ 14.2 - Battery coolant loops, gradients and charge-power limits 70m

▤ 14.3 - Motor, inverter and drive-unit cooling 65m

▤ 14.4 - Refrigerant circuit and heat-pump fundamentals 70m

▤ 14.5 - Radiators, chillers, condensers and heat-exchanger evidence 60m

▤ 14.6 - High-voltage compressor, PTC heater and coolant-heater safety 65m

▤ 14.7 - Pumps, valves, flow routing and actuator plausibility 65m

▤ 14.8 - Battery preconditioning and fast-charge thermal strategy 70m

▤ 14.9 - Cabin thermal load, demist and driving range 60m

▤ 14.10 - Thermal diagnostics using commanded mode and energy balance 70m

▤ 14.11 - HVAC-related isolation faults and contaminated fluids 65m

▤ 14.12 - Thermal-system service, bleeding, refrigerant handling and validation 65m

▤ 14.P - Practical assignment: EV thermal diagnostic energy balance 85m

? 14.Q - Knowledge check: thermal management and high-voltage HVAC 30m

Low-voltage electrical systems, networks, software and cybersecurity

15 lessons

▤ 15.0 - Module overview: low-voltage systems, networks, software and cybersecurity 60m

▤ 15.1 - Low-voltage domains, auxiliary batteries and platform variation 75m

▤ 15.2 - DC/DC converter, LV power distribution and support strategy 75m

▤ 15.3 - Wake, sleep and parasitic-current diagnosis 80m

▤ 15.4 - Power modes, gateways and controller authority 70m

▤ 15.5 - CAN, CAN-FD and message-level diagnosis 85m

▤ 15.6 - LIN networks and local actuator diagnosis 60m

▤ 15.7 - Automotive Ethernet, DoIP and routed diagnostics 70m

▤ 15.8 - OBD, secure gateways and authorised diagnostic access 70m

▤ 15.9 - Software, configuration, calibration and coding 80m

▤ 15.10 - Cybersecurity engineering in EV service 70m

▤ 15.11 - Telematics, OTA updates and backend-controlled functions 70m

▤ 15.12 - Network and software diagnostic case study 90m

▤ 15.P - Practical assignment: low-voltage and network evidence portfolio 75m

? 15.Q - Knowledge check 25m

Systematic diagnostics and troubleshooting

16 lessons

▤ 16.0 - Systematic diagnostics as evidence-led state analysis 55m

▤ 16.1 - Building the diagnostic workflow 65m

▤ 16.2 - DTCs, freeze frames and evidence preservation 60m

▤ 16.3 - No-READY diagnosis 70m

▤ 16.4 - Pre-charge, DC-link and contactor evidence 70m

▤ 16.5 - Charging and reduced-charge-power diagnosis 70m

▤ 16.6 - Isolation-fault localisation 75m

▤ 16.7 - Battery performance diagnosis: resistance, capacity and balance 75m

▤ 16.8 - Thermal diagnostic reasoning 65m

▤ 16.9 - Network, software and secure diagnostic faults 65m

▤ 16.10 - Drive-unit and power-electronics diagnosis 75m

▤ 16.11 - Intermittent faults and data logging 65m

▤ 16.12 - Repair verification and documentation 60m

▤ 16.13 - Diagnostic case study portfolio 70m

▤ 16.P - Practical assignment: EV diagnostic evidence file 85m

? 16.Q - Knowledge check 25m

Major manufacturer and platform differences

14 lessons

▤ 17.0 - Module overview: comparing EV platforms without guessing 60m

▤ 17.1 - 400 V and 800 V-class platforms 65m

▤ 17.2 - VIN-specific information, campaigns and build variation 60m

▤ 17.3 - Tesla architecture tendencies and build-specific diagnosis 60m

▤ 17.4 - E-GMP, J1/PPE and high-voltage charging platforms 60m

▤ 17.5 - MEB, Ultium, SEA, e-CMP and modular platforms 65m

▤ 17.6 - Battery-chemistry platform cases: NMC, LFP, Blade and cell-to-pack 65m

▤ 17.7 - Distinctive battery, motor and charging cases 60m

▤ 17.8 - Shared-platform vehicles, brand variants and market differences 55m

▤ 17.9 - Platform-aware diagnostic strategy 65m

▤ 17.10 - Worked platform comparison: four-vehicle service table 70m

▤ 17.11 - Manufacturer comparison diagnostic case studies 70m

▤ 17.P - Practical assignment: platform service comparison 75m

? 17.Q - Knowledge check 25m

EV system design, validation, lifecycle and capstone

14 lessons

▤ 18.0 - Module overview: EV design, validation, lifecycle and capstone 60m

▤ 18.1 - Vehicle mission and requirement capture 65m

▤ 18.2 - First-pass battery, motor and inverter sizing 75m

▤ 18.3 - Battery pack architecture and voltage selection 65m

▤ 18.4 - Motor, inverter, gear ratio and thermal sizing 70m

▤ 18.5 - Controls, diagnostics and safe degradation 65m

▤ 18.6 - Validation planning and production testing 70m

▤ 18.7 - Serviceability, remanufacture and lifecycle design 65m

▤ 18.8 - Software, cybersecurity and update lifecycle 65m

▤ 18.9 - FMEA, fault containment and validation evidence 70m

▤ 18.10 - Capstone: design and diagnose a complete EV 80m

▤ 18.11 - Capstone data pack and model answer rubric 65m

▤ 18.P - Practical assignment: final design-and-diagnosis capstone 90m

? 18.Q - Knowledge check 25m

Reference Appendices: Component Catalogue, Measurement Guide, Glossary and Standards

14 lessons

▤ A.1 High-voltage traction battery and enclosure 8m

▤ A.2 High-voltage distribution and protection 8m

▤ A.3 Charging system 8m

▤ A.4 Electric drive unit 8m

▤ A.5 Low-voltage electrical system 8m

▤ A.6 Thermal management and HVAC 8m

▤ A.7 Chassis, braking and regeneration 8m

▤ A.8 Control, networking, software and diagnostics 8m

▤ A.9 Safety, restraint and crash systems 8m

▤ A.10 Auxiliary and conditional EV systems 8m

▤ Appendix B.1 — Symptom matrix and OEM platform reference 8m

▤ Appendix C — Glossary 8m

▤ Appendix D — Model answers to every module knowledge check 8m

▤ Appendix E — Standards and source register 8m