Derivation of Geometrical Interdependencies between the Passenger Compartment and the Traction Battery Using Dimensional Chains

Abstract

Dimensional chains are the basis for testing the feasibility of vehicle architectures in the early development phase since they allow for parametrical vehicle modeling. Parametrical modeling is employed in the early development of the vehicle in order to enable the estimation of the space available for powertrain components. For battery electric vehicles (BEVs), new dimensional chains have increased relevance because of the geometrical interdependencies between the traction battery and the passenger compartment. The passenger compartment and traction battery share the same position in the vehicle, i.e., between the axles, which leads to a conflict between these two components. Furthermore, the passenger compartment dimensions are needed to size components like heating, ventilation, and air conditioning (HVAC), the energy consumption of which in turn influences the required battery capacity. In order to describe these interdependencies, we identify a set of dimensional chains and derive a passenger compartment volume estimation model that can be employed in the early development phase of the vehicle design. We further analyze the single elements of the dimensional chain and present typical values for each element.