Challenges of a Transdisciplinary Team in the Design of a Lithium-Ion Battery Pack for Small Urban Electric Vehicles: Lessons Learned

Electric vehicles (EVs) are becoming a viable alternative to eliminate emissions, reduce dependence on fossil fuels, and gradually replace vehicles with an internal combustion engine (ICE). The traction battery of these vehicles has the primary function of supplying the energy necessary for the electric motor to work. Its design is complex and represents one of the most significant difficulties in reducing the cost of vehicular electrification. This article describes the challenges faced by a transdisciplinary team in designing a lithium-ion battery pack with a battery management system (BMS) applied to a small urban vehicle developed in the context of the "Program Route 2030". Through the case study approach, we will present the interaction between 29 researchers from three Brazilian Science and Technology Institutions (ICT) (UTFPR-PG; UTFPR-CT; SENAI-PR) and two subsidiaries of multinationals (Renault; Clarios) in the automotive sector also based in Brazil. Preliminary results show the importance of transdisciplinary work in leveling the team's knowledge about the product, determining target specifications through applying the House of Quality (HoQ) tool, specifying cell chemistry, proposing the modules' physical arrangement, and developing the BMS.