Low-Voltage Electric Vehicle with a Reconfigurable Powertrain Architecture for Urban and Extra-Urban Mobility

2026-37-0025

To be published on 06/09/2026

Authors
Abstract
Content
The growing penetration of electric mobility in urban environments calls for vehicle solutions that balance accessibility, safety, and operational flexibility. However, high upfront costs and the widespread oversizing of battery systems remain significant barriers to large-scale adoption, particularly for short-range use cases. To address these limitations, this paper presents the Low Voltage Reconfigurable Electric Vehicle (LVREV), a modular vehicle concept designed to bridge the gap between L7e and M1 categories. The proposed architecture integrates a low-voltage electrical system (<60 V), a reconfigurable powertrain, and a modular, swappable battery, enabling mission-adaptive performance while reducing cost, weight, and energy consumption. The vehicle architecture features a dual 52 V inverter system coupled with a six-phase permanent magnet synchronous motor, optimized through model-based design and genetic algorithms. Energy storage consists of two independent swappable battery modules equipped with wireless battery management systems and a proprietary quick-release mechanism. The system operates in two configurations: Frugal Mode, using a single module optimized for urban mobility, and Dual Mode, employing both modules to enable higher power output and extended range for extra-urban missions. The electric drive module is designed through coupled electromagnetic, thermal, and mechanical simulations across urban and extra-urban driving cycles to maximize real-world efficiency at the vehicle level. The swappable battery modules are also designed for secondary-life integration into domestic energy storage systems or energy communities. Experimental results demonstrate that the proposed solution meets all target performance requirements. Overall, results confirm that powertrain and battery reconfigurability effectively adapt the vehicle to diverse missions, validating the benefits of an integrated, modular design approach.
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Citation
Tramacere, E., Favelli, S., Galluzzi, R., and Tonoli, A., "Low-Voltage Electric Vehicle with a Reconfigurable Powertrain Architecture for Urban and Extra-Urban Mobility," CO2 Reduction for Transportation Systems Conference, Turin, Italy, June 9, 2026, .
Additional Details
Publisher
Published
To be published on Jun 9, 2026
Product Code
2026-37-0025
Content Type
Technical Paper
Language
English