Current Global Workforce Scenerio

 Global automotive industry has always trusted the skilled labour and technical workforce since the first Industrial Revolution. With the onset of the Electric Vehicle Revolution in the last decade, the situation has changed very little. Every country including major electrical automotive manufacturing giants like the UK and EU still employ as high as 3.5 million people in this industry. Even India finds itself in the need of at least 20 million Electric Vehicle engineers, technicians, researchers and labourers (European Climate Foundation and Niti Ayog, 2019). With the growing focus on switching transportation from ICE vehicles to Electric vehicles, there are a lot of job opportunities that the existing workforce, as well as the fresh talent, can capitalize on. Here we will also discuss the job opportunities the EV industry presents.

The limitations of current academic curriculum related to Electric Vehicle manufacturing, battery management systems and charging infrastructure, leaves EV enthusiasts and academicians with no option but to pursue independent Electric Vehicle training courses. There are many independent institutions in India which provide comprehensive Electric Vehicle courses to students and experienced professionals. Here is a complete beginners guide to navigate the EV industrial training segment in India.

Types of Electric Vehicle Training Courses

Indian academic institutions and industrial organisations have been struggling to match the rising demand of skilled labour in the Electric Vehicle Industry. The suggestions of Niti Ayog and Rocky Mountain Institute (2017) include development of a ‘Nationalised Learning Platform’ for researchers, academic institutions, OEMs (Original Equipment Manufacturers), State/Govt. And other Private stakeholders.

The Government of India has also been in the process of developing the Swayam platform and raising the level of NPTEL courses to provide industrially salient certification programmes. But lack of proper IT infrastructure has led to multiple delays. There are still options of independent certification institutions approved by various government and public institutions like Automotive Research Association of India (ARAI), Automotive Skills Development Council (ASDC), Central Staff Training and Research Institute (CSTARI).

The following details of Electric Vehicle Training Courses can help EV professionals and aspirants to identify which learning options match the industry requirements.

Categories

1. Electric Vehicle Fundamental Certification Course
2. Electric Vehicle Intermediate Certification Course
3. Electric Vehicle Advanced Certification Course
4. Electric Vehicle Internships and Co-ops
5. Electric Vehicle Nanodegree Programmes
6. Electric Vehicle Specialization Programmes
7. EV Research and Development Programmes

Electric Vehicle Degree Programmes

Students looking for an academic approval in the Electric Vehicle industry may opt for the formal degree programmes in EV manufacturing, design and business. Engineering institutions like IIT-Madras and IIT-Delhi have started their own research centres for EV Mobility (C-BEEV, Centre for Battery Engineering and Electric Vehicles). This allows students to have more practical exposure to the ongoing research in the field.

However, only a few elite institutions have research facilities for hybrid vehicles, battery infrastructure for grid or charging. DIYguru is one institution whose electric vehicle course has recently been approved by ASDC & AICTE other than that none of the institutions currently offer approved courses by the AICTE or UGC. While there are some institutions like Chitkara University, Amrita University, GISE which provide specialised degree courses for Electric Vehicle training, most of them are deemed universities or institutions. To sum it up only a handful of Indian academic institutions have receive their final approvals from NSDF (National Skill Development Federation) or AICTE for proposed Electric Vehicle curriculum.

Electric Vehicle Internships and Co-Ops

The future of the Electric Vehicle Industry in India is being driven by the manufacturing advantage and talent pool of the nation. As accepted by ex-HRD Minister Hon’ble Prakash Javdekar, AICTE approved curriculum takes at least 3 years to update. This happens for mainstream courses but not for avant-garde fields like electric mobility and grid infrastructure. In line with the unavailability of academic opportunities students who wish to pursue higher education in the Electric Vehicle industry, can attend Electric Vehicle internships and industrial co-ops.

Students with minimal or no prior exposure to Electric Vehicle training courses can attend such programmes to improve their EV skills. Electric Vehicle internships offer students an entry into the EV community and helps them to choose a specialization to pursue in the future. Such courses are often offered under the Excellence centres of Academic Institutions/Universities deployed by EV Consultancy Leaders and Think Tanks.

Electric Vehicle Certification Programmes

Electric Vehicle Certification Programmes offer the latest information to EV aspirants in this industry. Independent research institutions, Electric Vehicle consultancy companies, and training centres offer such Electric Vehicle training courses. These institutions continuously update their curriculum based on the latest developments in the industry. The pedagogical panel of such courses often comprises of industry veterans, subject-matter experts, patent owners, OEM R&D personnel and international teaching staff.

Such courses are often accredited by international standards institutions like SAE, ASME, ARAI, NSDF, ASDC etc. Electric Vehicle Certification Programmes offer specializations to aspirants like Vehicle Grid Integration (VGI), usage of LFP (Lithium-Ferrous-Phosphate-Graphite) Batteries, Leaf Battery Integration, CAFE compliance, etc.

Such courses are often suitable for aspirants who have some basic Electric Vehicle Training in form of a crash course, internship or co-op. Most of these Electric Vehicle training courses are designed for employability improvement or knowledge development of Electric Vehicle professionals and enthusiasts. Popular organisations like ASDC,  DIYguru, SAE-India, Skill-Lync, NPTEL, provide such certification programmes and batches are mostly open throughout the year.

Industrial Knowledge Development Programmes and Conventions

Indian science and technology communities have always cherished the professional forums of various specialisations for many years now. These communities offer opportunities to experienced professionals and industry members to debate, contribute and collaborate with each other to inspire the latest developments in the respective field. Electric Vehicle Communities is a relatively new and under-explored concept in India. Through Knowledge Development Programmes (KIPs) and Conventions, the corporate community gets an opportunity to lead collective learning initiatives in the Electric Vehicle industry. KIPs and Conventions are usually workshops summed up in days or weeks conducted by Electric Mobility Consultants, Learning Centres, and Standards Institutions. They offer theme-based learning oftenly aligned with brainstorming sessions, seminars by industry leaders, research paper recitations on latest technical developments and practical problem-solving sessions.

Currently such programmes are being offered only by a limited number of institutions like ARAI and DIYguru India.

Electric Vehicle training courses are provided for various specializations in the industry. Almost all learning programmes are usually theme based and provide certification in a specific EV trade. In order to get the maximum outcome from an Electric Vehicle course in India one should know what kind of specializations are available in this field. It has been found that the following specializations currently have the highest scope of development in the electric and hybrid vehicle industry for the next few years.

Specializations in Electric Vehicle Training Courses

• Electric Vehicle Powertrain Design and Fabrication
• Battery Management Systems
• EV Charging Infrastructure Technology
• Electric Vehicle Design (Mechanical and Embedded Systems)

Here is more information about the Electric Vehicle training specializations in India.

Electric Vehicle Training Courses for Powertrain Design and Fabrication

Electric Vehicles are basically dependent on the extraction of electric power and its transmission to the powertrain for motion. Powertrain Design, Fabrication and Integration Courses for Electric Vehicles enable any aspirant to understand the operational depth of an EV or Hybrid Electric Vehicle (HEV). Such courses generally inform students about inverter topologies (battery pack and vector control), semiconductor studies, cooling mechanisms and more. Some key topics covered in such EV training courses are:

• Convertor and Inverter Topology
• Power Loss studies
• Metal-Oxide-Silicon Field Effect Transistor (MOSFET) analysis
• Magnetic Circuits (Force vs. torque production)

Electric Vehicle Training Courses in India for Battery Management Systems

The United States Advanced Battery Consortium has challenged the EV Mobility community to formulate solutions for achieving the US$ 250 per kWh target. Battery Manufacturing OEMs across the world are thus looking forward to get R&D solutions in this context. Electric Vehicle courses in BMS (Battery Management Systems) help students and professionals to study:

• BMS Architecture
• Cell Balancing
• Sensory Systems
• Degradation Control
• CAN Management systems

Electric Vehicle Training Courses in India for EV Charging Infrastructure

As mentioned in the ZEV (Zero Emissions Vehicle) Policy Framework, the government has now started to emphasise on supply-chain management of Electric Vehicle energy systems. As a result charging system studies have been included in various certification programmes. Electric Vehicle certificate specialization in charging infrastructure also has huge business potential in the upcoming times. Under these programmes students, professionals and business owners can learn about:

• Bharat Charging Protocol
• On-Board (OB) Charging and On-Off Grid Charging
• EVSE Protocols for Charging Infrastructure
• FMVSS standards

Electric Vehicle Training Courses in India for Vehicle Design

Structural Designing is but only a single aspect of Electric Vehicles in India. For EV mobility to be commercially viable both embedded systems and control systems should be designed sustainably. With the introduction of IoT based Automotive Manufacturing, training courses have recently updated their curriculum. Students commonly seek such courses to upgrade their skills from CAD-CAE programmes. Electric Vehicle Design courses offers the following learning outcomes:

• HV/LV Embedded systems integration
• HVAC design
• Braking and Transmission Systems
• Component sizing & integration trade-offs
• CAD/CAE/ simulation and design compliance

Cost and Duration of Electric Vehicle Training Courses

Following is a comparative analysis of cost and return on investment of common Electric Vehicle training courses.

The future of the Electric Vehicle industry is full of dynamic opportunities for both technical and non-technical aspirants. Students and professionals who wish to explore various opportunities in the field of electric mobility must enrol for Electric Vehicle training courses regularly. Such programmes help them in staying updated about the national market and latest application based technical trends of the industry.

McKinsey Report on Electric Vehicles business in India shows an annual increase of sales by 59%. This shows the growth that one can expect from the Indian EV industry in the coming times. It is necessary that Electric Vehicle and battery System OEMs, academic institutions, students, EV businesses (esp. MSMEs), and professionals realize the need of skilling in the field of electric cars and hybrid vehicles. The programmes mentioned above offer umpteen possibilities for any willful aspirant in this ever-growing industry.

Topics included in Certification Programmes

Unit I: Introduction to Hybrid Electric Vehicles: (6 Hrs)

History of hybrid and electric vehicles, social and environmental importance of hybrid and electric vehicles, impact of modern drive-trains on energy supplies

Conventional Vehicles: Basics of vehicle performance, vehicle power source characterization, transmission characteristics, and mathematical models to describe vehicle performance.

Unit II: Hybrid Electric Drive-trains: (8 Hrs)

Basic concept of hybrid traction, introduction to various hybrid drive-train topologies, power flow control in hybrid drive-train topologies, fuel efficiency analysis

Electric Drive-trains: Basic concept of electric traction, introduction to various electric drive-train topologies, power flow control in electric drive-train topologies, fuel efficiency analysis.

Unit III: Electric Propulsion unit: (6 Hrs)

Introduction to electric components used in hybrid and electric vehicles, Configuration and control of DC Motor drives, Configuration and control of Induction Motor drives, configuration and control of Permanent Magnet Motor drives, Configuration and control of Switch Reluctance Motor drives, drive system efficiency.

Unit IV: Energy Storage: (6 Hrs)

Introduction to Energy Storage Requirements in Hybrid and Electric Vehicles, Battery based energy storage and its analysis, Fuel Cell based energy storage and its analysis, Super Capacitor based energy storage and its analysis, Flywheel based energy storage and its analysis, Hybridization of different energy storage devices.

Unit V: Sizing the drive system: (8 Hrs)

Matching the electric machine and the internal combustion engine (ICE), Sizing the propulsion motor, sizing the power electronics, selecting the energy storage technology, Communications, supporting subsystems

Unit VI: Energy Management Strategies: (6 Hrs)

Introduction to energy management strategies used in hybrid and electric vehicles, classification of different energy management strategies, comparison of different energy management strategies, implementation issues of energy management strategies

TEXTBOOK:

1. “Electric and Hybrid Vehicles Design Fundamentals” (2^nd Edition), by Iqbal Husain

REFERENCES:

2. “Hybrid Electrical Vehicle Principles and Application with Practical Perspectives” by Chris MI, M. Abul and David Wenzhong Gao
3. “Propulsion System for Hybrid Vehicle” 2nd Edition” by John M. Miller
4. “Modern Electric, Hybrid Electric and Fuel Cell Vehicles Fundamentals, Theory and Design” By Mehrdad Ehsani, Yimin Gao and AliEmadi

Project Based labs:

Project 1: Project based on Hybrid vehicles drive train

Project 2:  Project based on Electric vehicles drive train

Project 3: Project based on determination the power requirement of hybrid /electric vehicles

Project 4: Project based on sizing of the various components for hybrid /electric vehicles

Project 5: Project based on testing of hybrid /electric vehicles

Course Outcomes:

Students will be able to

1. Demonstrate, and compare the conventional vehicles and hybrid vehicles
2. Demonstrate, and analyze the drive trains of hybrid vehicles and electric vehicles
3. Demonstrate, compare and analyze the motors used in  hybrid vehicles and electric vehicles
4. Demonstrate, compare and analyze the energy storage systems used in hybrid vehicles and electric vehicles
5. Analyze the  sizing of the components for the hybrid and electric vehicles  
6. Demonstrate the utilization of various energy management strategies in the hybrid vehicles
7.  

Unit I: Hybrid vehicles Analysis (6 Hrs)

Unit II: Hybrid vehicles Analysis: (6 Hrs)

Unit III: Electric vehicles Analysis: (6 Hrs)

Unit IV: Electric vehicles Analysis: (6 Hrs)

Unit V: Hybrid vehicles simulation (6 Hrs)

Unit VI: Hybrid vehicles simulation (6 Hrs)

Reference Books:

1. User Manuals Hybrid Vehicle simulation Software’s
2. “Electric and Hybrid Vehicles Design Fundamentals” (2^nd Edition), by Iqbal Husain
3. “Modern Electric, Hybrid Electric and Fuel Cell Vehicles Fundamentals, Theory and Design” By Mehrdad Ehsani, Yimin Gao and AliEmadi

Project Based labs:

Project 1: Project based on Hybrid vehicle analysis

Project 2:  Project based on Electric Vehicle analysis

Project 3: Project based on software

Project 4: Project based on simulation of hybrid vehicles

Project 5: Project based on simulation of electric vehicles

Course Outcomes:

Students will be able to

1. Analysis of hybrid vehicles
2. Analysis of electric vehicles
3. Understanding the use of Simulation software
4. Do the simulation of Hybrid vehicle with MATLAB
5. Demonstrate, the skill for Engine simulation software’s and Hybrid vehicles simulation software’s
6. Have hands on experience for Engine simulation and Hybrid /Electric vehicle simulation

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