Battery powered vehicles can evolve to have complex requirements related to packaging, software management, and advanced automated features. This can impact the lifecycle and serviceability attributes of an electric vehicle (EV).
An element that is often given less consideration than battery performance or range capabilities is the serviceability of the vehicle, particularly several years after purchase and initial use.
Key aspects of EV engineering can impact component accessibility, serviceability, and the repair process for battery technology, and electronics-based control functions.
Factors that influence maintainability and repair include:
• Battery packaging considerations
• Software and electronics diagnostics and control
• Availability of replaceable and serviceable components
There are also specific considerations related to lifecycle availability of technical documentation and repair parts for EV platforms in general and certain classes of battery designs.
Battery Packaging Considerations
An essential aspect of vehicle lifecycle and repair considerations is the ability to access individual battery modules or cells and related components.
Some degree of integration of battery technology with other vehicle subsystems is generally unavoidable, but the extent and the resulting implications for repair processes will vary depending on the architecture.
The ability to replace or access components can depend on whether there is access to the battery compartment or space, and the degree of integration with other systems such as power electronics.
For example, if a fault develops in a battery system, there may be a need to identify if the root cause is in the battery modules, sensors, battery management system, or thermal management components and access this set of systems. There may also be the need to access individual sets of cells or modules.
Impacts on repair processes include: restricted access to specific elements of the battery system, high voltage safety and diagnostic considerations, proprietary diagnostics and technical support requirements, and the possibility of having to replace larger sections of the battery system.
This can also impose additional lifecycle constraints on the ability to make repairs if specific technical documentation, diagnostic tools, or technical training are not available. The implications of these architectural decisions can vary significantly depending on the nature of the fault and the extent to which the system can be serviced.
Electronics Diagnostic Considerations
As part of modern vehicle architectures, there is increasing use of embedded and connected software technologies. There are implications for lifecycle and serviceability, particularly around diagnosing the root cause of a fault and ensuring required technical skills and tools remain available.
A control module fault, for example, may not always require only a simple module replacement but may also involve the need to perform software programming and system diagnostics. Similar considerations apply to sensor related faults and interactions between sensor systems, power modules, and vehicle-level software.
Some of the key serviceability considerations for electronics-related systems include: diagnostic access and availability of relevant software tools, software support and programming requirements, component replacement considerations, calibration and programming requirements for sensors and other components, and training requirements.
There are additional considerations around lifecycle implications of connected and industrial AI enabled technologies.
These considerations also cut across OEM manufacturing and production operations, particularly related to using operational data to optimize manufacturing processes. For more information on AI and industrial IoT technologies in manufacturing, please visit OEM Nex AI.
Finally, related to the availability of spares and serviceability documentation is the question of replacement part availability.
Particularly with respect to control modules, battery electronics, and other system-specific electronics, there may be considerations around the availability of replacement components for an extended period.
For example, it can be a critical concern for fleet managers to ensure availability of spare parts, diagnostics, and repair capacity at the local level. This is further impacted by overall vehicle availability and utilization considerations. For a private owner, the primary concerns may be related to warranty coverage and availability of local repair service support.
Some of these issues can be addressed through appropriate lifecycle planning and logistics support at the manufacturer level. The engineering evaluation during the product development cycle can also ensure that there is appropriate diagnostic and repair support at the component level.
Other considerations around diagnostic and repair capabilities apply to training needs for appropriate personnel. As part of the lifecycle management and repair strategy, the manufacturer should evaluate training and qualification requirements for working with high-voltage battery systems.
It is possible in some cases to provide modular repair approaches or component-level replaceable options to address some of these requirements. It is not always necessary to engineer a repair process that will optimize every aspect of lifecycle cost.
Rather during the design review process, engineering staff should evaluate a number of lifecycle, serviceability, and maintenance considerations in the context of overall performance and packaging constraints and arrive at an appropriate design.
Repair Consideration Checklist for Manufacturers and Managers
The following list provides a brief overview of key considerations for evaluating long-term serviceability attributes:
Which battery components are replaceable or repairable at the component level?
What are the tools and equipment needs for diagnostics?
Are electronics replaceable and programmable at the component level?
Will essential replacement parts and technical documentation continue to be available?
Will qualified local repair facilities be available?
Which repairs typically require the replacement of an entire assembly?
7.What battery and electronics repairs are covered under warranty?
Depending on the manufacturer, model, and the region of operation, there may be a number of additional questions to consider.
With these considerations in place, it will also be possible for a fleet or private owner to determine if the purchase of a specific make and model will be supportive of long-term vehicle availability and minimize unplanned repair costs and downtime.
Summary and Further Consideration
EV lifecycle and repair considerations can add an additional dimension to design reviews for extended-range vehicles. Battery technology, packaging considerations, and software-related issues can impact the ability to access and repair systems over the course of the vehicle’s useful life. Some of these considerations are more relevant to certain classes of faults and certain design architectures.
These repair considerations should not be a reason to avoid purchasing an extended-range or battery-powered vehicle but rather a means to evaluate the need for appropriate lifecycle planning during the design process, and to ensure that lifecycle and repair support is available at the component level across a wide range of fault scenarios.
For fleet managers and manufacturers, the evaluation should be extended to overall lifecycle cost and availability considerations. These factors can also impact vehicle acquisition decisions for a private owner, depending on the overall projected utilization and local availability of repair resources.
Discussion: Should repairability considerations constitute a formal criterion in the design of an electric vehicle, alongside other standard requirements and considerations? What engineering compromise trade-offs would you consider most critical in this context?
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