Today’s EV buyers are demanding. Not only do they expect new technologies under the lid, but they also expect good design, intelligent use of space (including batteries and fuel cells), multiple selections and, of course, excellent safety standards. By adopting next-generation PLM, EV creators drive high-performance automotive and streamline product development and product life cycles to meet these needs.
Intelligent Vehicles
Autonomous, self-driving cars capture the interest of fleet and private buyers alike. Take companies like Einride, a Swedish company that is behind T-pod and T-log, which has developed a system where the operator can remotely control multiple autonomous trucks at the same time, cutting off the need for a large, dedicated team of full-time operators and drivers. This level of efficiency opens whole new markets.
Extended Range
The biggest challenge for EVs is their limited range compared to ICE. Total operating costs are usually low, but given the availability of refuel options, speed and convenience, ICE still has upper hand. EVs take longer to charge and discharge quickly. Engineers are experimenting with a number of potential solutions, including temporary options such as extended range hybrids, and other attractive long-term variants such as a solar-powered car.
Growth of EV Production
EVs are probably cheaper to run and maintain than traditional cars. As expected, that makes it easier to sell to consumers – again, that increases the need for more EVs in a wider range of models. The great thing about the EV powertrain is that it is a simple, highly flexible component, so OEMs can focus on other details, customer needs and niche markets without having to worry too much about this.
Electrify ICE
EVs are so popular that even the newly formed ICE giants are looking to turn their ICE-powered cars into hybrid or fully electric vehicles. To take advantage of this opportunity, EV design teams look beyond EV products only. The best ones use advanced PLM tools to learn how to work smarter, analyze their designs and simulate a variety of environments to see how their ideas can be changed to change ICE-to-EV, quickly and effectively.
Accelerate EV Innovation
What do Tesla, BMW and Faraday Future have in common? Yes, they are all leaders in the EV space. But they have also achieved this with the help of powerful, world-class PLM technology.
This allows them to track accurately, and collaborate at all stages of product development. From concept design and consumer / market purchase to customer delivery. They can also make changes to the design with a few clicks and mimic the effects quickly, making it faster and easier to explore new ideas and stay ahead of the curve.
With ICE’s powerful vehicles facing global outbursts, and growing incentives to inspire EV designers, there has never been a better time to innovate in the industry.
