Batteries are shaping the future of e-mobility. Accounting for nearly a third of
the cost of a vehicle, they define range and performance and are central to the
competitiveness of automotive manufacturers. During development it is essential to
optimize the cells according to the use case and to maximize utilization of existing
cells. Until now, however, battery behavior has been oversimplified in simulations –
a limitation that AVL is now overcoming.
raditional RC models have long supported development.
While fast and useful for battery management systems
(BMS), they remain restricted due to their behavioral
approach – unable to reflect the chemical complexity of a
battery or predict long-term effects such as aging. To move
forward, simulation must evolve.
With electrochemical models embedded in AVL CRUISE™ M,
we can now capture the true inner life of a battery: processes
at the anode, the cathode, and the electrolyte are represented
with physical fidelity. These models form a Virtual Twin – a
digital counterpart mirroring real-world behavior. This allows
us to see what hardware cannot. Through virtual sensor-
ing, we gain insights into temperature hotspots, chemical
reactions, or early signs of dendrite growth – phenomena
impossible to measure directly. The benefits are clear: from
anticipating degradation to enabling fast charging without
thermal runaway, we obtain a level of detail that transforms
both design and operation.
The decisive leap lies in accuracy. RC models require large
buffers, leaving much potential unused. Our electrochemical
models show the exact state of the cell, allowing batteries to
be pushed closer to their limits without compromising safety.
In the in-use phase, this becomes real-time: each vehicle can
be guided by its Virtual Twin, continuously improving efficien-
cy, range, and durability. Combined with fleet data and AI-driv-
en analytics, this paves the way for extended lifetime.
Safety is another strength. Because our models are phys-
ics-based, they can extrapolate safely beyond measured data.
In this way we can virtually explore operating conditions that
have the potential for thermal instability.
And not forgetting the development speed. Thousands of test
cases – from thermal management to extreme conditions –
can be run directly in the cloud. In partnership with Microsoft
Azure™, we scale this to tens of thousands of test cycles,
achieving in days what would otherwise take years on physical
testbeds – and with minimal investment.
For OEMs, this means precise battery sizing, lower prototype
costs, and higher performance. For suppliers and cell man-
ufacturers, it provides a virtual benchmark for new designs.
And across the industry, electrochemical modeling speeds
calibration and shortens time to market.
The transition from RC to electrochemical modeling is more
than an upgrade – it is a turning point. By unleashing the full
potential of the battery, we do not just follow the evolution of
e-mobility – we accelerate it.
Electrochemical Modeling:
Redefining Battery Simulation
From Cell
to Pack
AVL’s Simulation Desktop (SDT) unites
AVL CRUISE™ M, AVL FIRE™ M, and AVL
EXCITE™ M on one powerful platform.
Engineers can explore critical cases like
thermal runaway in high-fidelity com-
putational fluid dynamics (CFD)
simulations and seamlessly trans-
fer consistent battery models into
system-level analyses. With ChatSDT
– our AI copilot trained on AVL expertise
– modeling becomes intuitive, parame-
ters are suggested instantly, and simple
e-powertrains can even be created via
chat. The next step: AI-driven automa-
tion that transforms model building and
large-scale cloud simulations.
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