B2384 - Powertrains for Sustainable Mobility

Learning outcomes

At the end of the integrated course, the student can perform detailed energy and exergy analyses of thermodynamic and energy systems, including sustainable powertrains, evaluating losses, efficiencies, and opportunities for improvement. The student can design heat exchanger networks, assess combustion and renewable energy technologies, and apply principles of minimal entropy generation and sustainability in energy conversion and system optimization. In this module the student learns the basics of sustainable powertrain technologies, from the use of natural resources down to energy conversion, including power and emissions control.

Course contents

The course introduces the main powertrain architectures for sustainable mobility, with emphasis on energy conversion, efficiency, emissions, and system integration.

The content is organized into two modules.

Module 1 – Internal Combustion Engines and Sustainable Fuels

1.1 Fundamentals of Sustainable Mobility

• Introduction to sustainable mobility
• Environmental impact of transport
• Life Cycle Assessment (LCA)

  1.2 Sustainable Fuels

• Hydrogen as energy carrier
• Biofuels
• E-fuels

• 1.3 Internal Combustion Engines Fundamentals
• Efficiency and losses
• Torque generation
• Heat release and combustion metrics
• SI and CI combustion characteristics

  1.4 Emissions and Aftertreatment

• Emissions in SI and CI engines
• Formation mechanisms
• Aftertreatment systems (ATS for SI and CI engines)

  1.5 Advanced Combustion and Engine Technologies

• Supercharging and downsizing
• Variable compression ratio
• Advanced combustion concepts:
• Turbulent Jet Ignition (TJI)
• Spark Assisted Compression Ignition (SACI)

  1.6. Internal Combustion Engines with Sustainable Fuels

• Hydrogen engines
• Integration of alternative fuels in conventional engines

  Module 2 – Electrified and Hybrid Powertrains

  2.1 Introduction to Electric Mobility

• Historical overview of electric vehicles
• Performance metrics (range, charging time)
• Energy density (gravimetric and volumetric)
• Classification of electrified vehicles (BEV, PHEV, HEV, FCEV)

  2.2 Battery Systems

• Battery architecture (cell, module, pack, system)
• Key performance indicators (SOC, SOH, C-rate)
• Battery management systems (BMS)
• Charging strategies and standards
• Safety aspects (thermal runaway)

  2.3 Electric Powertrain Components

• Electric machines (DC, BLDC, induction, PMSM)
• Inverters and power electronics
• DC-DC converters

  2.4 Fuel Cell Systems

• Fuel cell types and operating principles
• PEM fuel cell architecture
• Polarization phenomena and performance
• Balance of plant (BoP)
• Hydrogen storage and supply systems
• Air supply and thermal management

  2.5 Hybrid Powertrains

• Hybrid architectures:
• series
• parallel
• power split
• Layout configurations (P0–P4)
• Operating modes:
• electric drive
• hybrid operation
• regenerative braking

  2.6 Energy Management and Control

• Supervisory control strategies
• Energy flow optimization
• Regenerative braking control
• Power split control strategies

Particular emphasis is placed on comparing different powertrain solutions in terms of efficiency, emissions, and sustainability.

Readings/Bibliography

Mandatory material: lecture slides, notes, and supplementary materials are provided through Virtuale, the University e-learning platform (Moodle).

These materials cover all course topics and are sufficient for exam preparation.
Lecture recordings are made available at the end of the course to support revision and self-study.

Reference books:

Gasoline Engine Management - Robert Bosch - Wiley

Diesel Engine Management - Robert Bosch - Wiley

L. Eriksson, L. Nielsen; Modeling and Control of Engines and Drivelines; Wiley

B. Sunden, Hydrogen, Batteries and Fuel Cells; Elsevier

Hybrid and Electric Vehicles, CRC Press (Taylor&FRancis)

Teaching methods

The course is delivered through lectures supported by slides, multimedia material, and experimental data.

Teaching integrates:

- theoretical concepts

- data from the scientific literature

- experimental data collected in laboratory activities

This approach allows students to connect theoretical concepts with real-world powertrain applications and to understand the performance of different technologies in the context of sustainable mobility.

All teaching materials are made available through Virtuale, the University e-learning platform (Moodle).

In addition to classroom activities, students will visit the Sustainable Mobility Laboratory, where advanced powertrain solutions are developed, including internal combustion engine and fuel cell systems. This experience provides direct exposure to real engineering applications and state-of-the-art technologies.

Assessment methods

The assessment consists of a final oral examination.

During the exam, students are asked four questions selected from the course topics, including:

- synthetic fuels and the role of internal combustion engines with sustainable fuels

- hydrogen internal combustion engines (H2-ICE)

- fuel cell powertrains

- battery electric vehicles (BEV)

- hybrid electric vehicles

- Life Cycle Assessment (LCA) and comparison of different powertrain solutions

Each question is graded up to 7.5 points, for a total maximum score of 30.

The assessment is designed to evaluate:

- **Knowledge and understanding**: comprehension of different powertrain technologies and energy conversion processes

- **Applying knowledge**: ability to analyze the performance of different propulsion systems

- **Making judgements**: ability to compare powertrain architectures based on efficiency, emissions, and sustainability (including LCA)

- **Communication skills**: ability to clearly explain concepts and justify technical choices

During the exam, students are expected to:

- describe the operating principles of different powertrain systems

- compare technologies in terms of performance and environmental impact

- discuss the role of different solutions in the transition toward sustainable mobility

The list of topics is provided through Virtuale, the course Moodle platform.

The use of artificial intelligence tools to answer exam questions is not permitted. During the written exam, students may only have a sheet of paper and a pen with them: the presence of any other device or tool, such as a mobile phone, tablet, or smartwatch, will result in the cancellation of the exam and postponement to the next exam session.

Teaching tools

The following teaching materials are provided to support learning:

- lecture slides covering all course topics

- additional material from the scientific literature for in-depth study

All materials are made available through the Virtuale, the University e-learning platform (Moodle).

These resources support students in understanding and comparing different powertrain technologies, with particular emphasis on efficiency, emissions, and sustainability aspects.

Office hours

See the website of Enrico Corti

See the website of Vittorio Ravaglioli