Role of Software and IT in EV Industry

The electric Vehicle market is growing rapidly. Research by Morgan Stanley shows that one billion electric cars will be on the roads by 2050.

It’s hard to imagine a modern car without embedded software. It’s even harder to imagine an electric vehicle without it. From maintaining and monitoring the battery to the user interface software is one of the most vital components of EV. EVs already have software embedded in every part, and this trend will be only greater in future EVs.

This prevalence of software and digital all over the electric vehicle opens up a wide variety of opportunities for the IT, software companies and digital solutions providers. The other automotive trends such as connected, shared and autonomous vehicles add even further diversity to these opportunities.

With the future of software in EVs looking so bright, IT & software firms with the right strategy and approach could have laid the foundations for big wins.

What is EVIT?

EVIT stands for Electric Vehicle & Information Technology. It is a detailed expert guide that provides comprehensive inputs and analysis on the growing opportunities for software companies in the EV field and outlines avenues through which stakeholders can focus their efforts on the exact opportunity.

To gain a deeper understanding on the role of software on the EV industry and identify additional abatement efforts the industry could pursue, our team examined the entire value chain from batteries to non powertrain components, and has considered how key stakeholders such as EV manufacturers (OEM's),Charging infrastructure providers, battery manufacturers, maintenance service providers, big brands, retailers, investors, consumers and policymakers can contribute to the increasing opportunities.

Our analyses took a deep dive into each component of the EV value chain, and we have provided insights and characteristics of the software applications and possible software opportunities for over 20 different value chain components.

Our team has reviewed in-depth the involvement of software in an electric vehicle and its associated components, a detailed look at the new software and IT innovations across the value chain and finally comprehensive review of the upcoming opportunities supported by market case studies.

Our inputs and analyses show how there are fascinating chances for software available right now for every part of the value chain and every stakeholder category. Based on our analyses and from insights and perspectives from other industry experts, we have provided recommendations to EV as well as Software and IT industry top management which when implemented has the potential to significantly increase the opportunities.

Who will benefit from EVIT?

EVIT will be of exceptional value to the following stakeholder categories:

  • Software industry top management keen on providing solutions for the fast growing e-mobility sector
  • Software professionals and technology solutions providers
  • EV OEMs – For cars, 2/3 wheelers, heavier vehicles
  • Entrepreneurs - especially from businesses that have the potential to develop new softwares for the EV industry.Electronic, Semiconductor industry professionals
  • Researchers & innovators - corporate and university researchers & innovators with a focus on developing new and more effective EV related Software solutions.
  • Financial investors - with a desire to contribute in the rapid developing software solutions for the EV sector

How was EVIT developed?

  • Developed by EVNext, a leading market intelligence firm focussed on the future of the global E-mobility industry.
  • Over 5 person years - A team of 3 dedicated researchers, working for over 2 years
  • Comprehensive data research and analyses - Utilizing data, knowledge and insights that our consulting team had gathered in the EV and software industry through consulting assignments and focussed research.
  • 10+ years of experience in the sustainability industry - EVIT was developed by EVNext which leveraged the significant strategic and sustainability consulting expertise and perspectives of the parent company, Energy Alternatives India (EAI). EAI has assisted over 250 companies - including 25 Fortune 500 companies - in their sustainability efforts.
  • Events organised by EVNext team - EVNext team has organised many events and workshops for stakeholders and users of EV. EVNext team was a part of India EV summit and Power2drive 2019.
  • Core EVIT team - The core research team behind this expert guide is from EAI, a leading cleantech consulting firm that has been providing sustainability consulting to Indian and global firms since 2008. Since 2018, the team has undertaken multiple efforts - through consulting and industry research - to add value to the electric vehicle ecosystem The EVIT team has been researching sustainable technology and business trends in the global e-mobility sector since 2018 with a special emphasis on software solutions, innovations and practical implementations worldwide.

Geographical scope of EVIT

EVIT has been prepared with the global business stakeholders in mind, and covers IT, digital solutions, innovations and case studies from from over 50 countries including USA, Canada, EU (France, Italy, Germany, Spain, Norway, Sweden), UK, South Korea, Japan, China, India, Brazil, Mexico, South Africa, Australia and more.

Examples of EV software opportunities analysed in EVIT

  • Siemens PLM Software offers simulation and testing solutions covering every aspect of electrification. Siemens is the only solution provider that offers a complete, integrated, and accurate digital twin addressing challenges for all aspects of electric vehicle engineering - from electric powertrain to electrical/electronic system architecture to vehicle engineering, controls, and embedded software. This not only enables companies to achieve a significant competitive advantage, ROI, and operational performance edge in developing electric vehicles but also empowers them to adapt and evolve in the fast-approaching era of new mobility.
  • Toyota Motor Corporation established its Toyota Research Institute Advanced Development, Inc. (TRI-AD) as a research and development portal to accelerate development and deployment of automated vehicle technology for the automaker. A big part of TRI-AD's mission was to help establish Toyota as a world-class software & technology company and build the safest car in the world.
  • The Volvo Group has signed an agreement with NVIDIA to jointly develop the decision making system of autonomous commercial vehicles and machines. Utilizing NVIDIA’s end-to-end artificial intelligence platform for training, simulation and in-vehicle computing, the resulting system is designed to safely handle fully autonomous driving on public roads and highways. The solution will be built on NVIDIA’s full software stack for sensor processing, perception, map localization and path planning, enabling a wide range of possible autonomous driving applications, such as freight transport, refuse and recycling collection, public transport, construction, mining, forestry and more.
  • Tel Aviv-based Ottopia is pitching itself as a teleoperation platform for autonomous vehicles. While part of its offering does indeed enable the manual control of vehicles by a remote human operator, the company’s pitch is more than that — it promises a hybrid system that relies on a human operator working in tandem with the car’s AI smarts during a remote intervention. The company said that the remote assistant may provide a new waypoint to circumvent a problem, instruct the car that it’s okay to temporarily cross over road markings to get around a blockade, or help the AV choose a new path based on multiple options. And, yes, the human can take full control if the situation requires it. 
  • Electriphi designs a suitable fleet operation method depending on various factors by running simulations using a software. Fleet management software refers to an application that helps business enterprises coordinate and manage work vehicles in a central information system for the smooth functioning of the entire organization. The software thus helps the enterprise to reduce costs and enhances performance according to government regulations. It uses a basic combination of Big Data Analytics and GPS to track, analyze, store information and make predictions. With the advancement of technology and User Interface design, it is becoming increasingly mobile-friendly and easy to use.
  • Turntide Technologies has developed Smart motar systems which are IoT enabled. The smart motor system is an energy conservation measure. Testing by National Renewable Energy Labs certified that the Turntide Smart Motor System is the most efficient motor system in the world, maintaining high efficiency across speeds and loads. NREL determined that the Smart Motor System is generally 33% more efficient than a standard motor with VFD. 
  • ROCSYS is developing a soft robotic arm and computer vision technology to enable fully automated charging of electric vehicles. This will be a convenient option for drivers of electric cars. It will also provide operators of fast-charging stations and owners of commercial fleets such as buses, trucks, and industrial vehicles to make optimal use of their assets.
  • TWAICE Predictive Analytics Software platform provides battery analytics solutions across different industries to monitor, analyze and optimize the operation of Li-ion batteries. Based on deep battery knowledge, AI and Machine Learning, the TWAICE Analytics Cloud processes real-life battery data into actionable insights. TWAICE analytics results are accessible intuitively anytime from anywhere via the TWAICE UI or the TWAICE API which smoothly integrates into any battery monitoring and management solution.
  • Calogy Solutions have developed thermal management solutions for batteries irrespective of battery chemistry.They have added sensor capabilities enabling in-situ measurement of parameters. This leads to a more precise monitoring of individual cells inside the battery pack, reducing thermal runaway risks and creating large data-sets for electric vehicle manufacturers. Combined with data-driven algorithms.
  • Feasible EchoStat™ uses ultrasound and machine learning to rapidly and non-invasively deliver actionable information throughout the entire battery value chain. Their patented process-control and process-enabling solutions are designed to help our customers achieve best-in-class battery performance, reliability, and safety while reducing overall battery costs. 
  • Astrolabe Analytics provides a software solution for battery companies and their partners that enables their clients to efficiently use their battery data to make batteries that work better, longer, and more reliably using a suite of cloud computing, data management, and machine learning techniques.
    • ETL - Automatically vacuum up data from different battery test hardware Supported to date
    • Data Management - Backup,  organize metadata, and search through active and historical tests
    • Electrochemical Analysis - Easily compare multiple  datasets across different hardware brands
  • Chargetrip’s routing engine uses over fifteen different variables to calculate the real-time range of any electric vehicle. By taking into account the outside temperature, weather, charge speed, elevation, rolling resistance, real-time vehicle data, and congestion at charge stations.  The company allows EV users to build queries, mention their vehicles, find suitable charging stations etc with their API(software). Chargetrip also develops web and mobile applications for various purposes as required by the customer company.
  • Otonomo provides a platform to share that data between various manufacturers while also protecting critical company and vehicle information (Cloud based data collection, processing and distribution technology). Collected data can also be distributed to various other companies from different parts of the value chain to help them build their businesses and applications based on this data.The Otonomo platform ingests automotive data from multiple sources, including OEMs and other data providers.
  • Akkurate diagnoses batteries which are used in fleets or in large numbers and provides their performance, maintenance requirements and end-of-life alerts to the Fleet operator. Akkurate studies all batteries of different specifications from different manufacturers in a centralized diagnostics centre (using Software called Diagnose) all through the battery’s life and provides cell level safety and performance information. It also ensures effective battery recycling and repurposing by indicating the reusable cells/parts of the spent battery.

Price of EVIT

$1950 for one copy

Special rates available for multiple copies or for large network distributions among corporates

How can you know more about EVIT?

To obtain a sample of Electric Vehicle &  Information technology (EVIT) or to know more about purchasing it, please

send a note to evit@evnext.in or call Muthukrishnan +91-9952910083

About EVNext & EAI

EVNextis a division of EAI, and is focussed on providing intelligence on a diverse set of sustainability solutions to many industries.

Since 2008, EAI has been at the forefront of cleantech and sustainability consulting and research. Our management consulting and industry research has spanned the entire cleantech spectrum but with higher emphasis on solar power, e-mobility and the bio-energy sectors.

Our consulting and research reports have benefitted over 3000 clients globally, including 10 of the top Fortune 25 companies and 40 of the top Fortune 100 companies. Our consulting team has had the privilege of assisting some of the globally prominent companies and organizations such as GE, GSK, Exxon Mobil, Toyota, World Bank, Bill & Melinda Foundation, among others.

More about EAI from www.eai.in

Table of content for EVIT

1. Introduction

2. Overview of use of digital and software in E-mobility

3. IT use across value chain

  • Battery raw materials
    • Material identification, Extraction (Blockchain and other IT solutions),
  • Battery cells
    • R&D, thermal management at cellular level.
  • Battery packs
    • Pack simulation, architecture simulation, position simulation, power output simulations, over the air updates, thermal management and energy management.
  • Motor design
    • Topology simulation, copper content, Ancillaries arrangement
  • Motor components
    • 3D printing
  • Motor assembly
    • IoT controlled motors, high frequency controlling, predictive maintenance.
  • EV Design
    • 3d Design, simulation, material design
  • Non powertrain EV sub components and components
    • Infotainment, navigation, in-car AI, OS, Communications/telematics.
  • EV assembly/ OEMs
    • Industrial IoT, assembly robotics.
  • EV marketing and sales
    • Immersive websites, online sales, online customization
  • EV use and maintenance
    • Predictive maintenance
  • EV charging
    • Power optimization, payments, reservations, real-time availability, user-provider communication, advertising, grid balancing, V2X communications and connections.
  • EV battery swapping
    • Life cycle assessment, energy distribution
  • EV battery recycling
  • EV financing
  • Software use in EV fleets
    • Fleet management for cloud BMS, payments, usage data, others, planning
  • Automated EVs
    • Sensors, AI, IoT
  • PHEVs
  • 4. Emerging IT opportunities in innovations for EV across digital spectrum

    • In power electronics
    • In Big Data/ analytics
    • In IoT and Cloud
    • In AI/ML
    • In Wireless
    • Web applications
    • Smartphone apps
    • Robotics and automation
    • Design & Simulation
    • AR/VR for autonomous driving
    • Sensor networks
    • Drones for logistics
    • Fleet management systems
    • Battery charge flow management
    • Shared mobility networks
    • Communication networks (between autonomous vehicles)
    • Bi directional chargers / V2X interfacing
    • Navigation systems

    5. Prominent EV-IT start-ups

    • Over 350 start-ups in the intersection of EV and IT are profiled in the expert guide. A sample list of start-ups is provided below.

    6. Market development case studies

    7. Challenges

    8. Key takeaways

    9. Recommendations

    Sample list of start-ups from EVIT

    Name Location Product

    Battery Solutions

    Brill Power England Intelligent BMS
    Li-Cycle Canada Battery recycling ecosystem
    Calogy Solutions Canada Thermal management solutions
    Wiferion Germany Wireless inductive charging and inductive batteries

    Solar based E mobility

    Lightyear Netherlands Solar powered car
    Sono motors München, Bayern A car charging itself – a solar electric vehicle.

    Autonomous Vehicles

    TuSimple United States Autonomous electric trucks
    EasyMile France Autonomous electric bus / vehicles
    AEV Robotics Australia Autonomous robotic four wheeler base with customized pods
    Local Motors USA Self-driving electric cognitive shuttle
    Ottopia Israel Universal teleoperation device for remote controlling the vehicle

    Speciality EVs

    Fisker United States Sustainable electric car
    Lit Motors USA Self balancing electric two wheelers
    Pure Watercraft USA Electric propulsion boat
    SilverWing Aeronautic Holland Vertical take-off electric aircraft
    Rimac Automobili Croatia Electric hypercars and high-performance components
    Bolliger Motors United States Class-3 off-terrain electric trucks
    XEV Italy Miniature electric cars made with additive manufacturing
    Heart Aerospace Sweden Electric regional airliner certified for passenger flight.

    Motor and Power train

    Tevva United Kingdom Electric trucks and complete drivetrain components
    Lunaz Design United Kingdom Electrification and makeover for classic cars
    REE Automotive Israel Custom electric car and LCV platforms
    Turntide Technologies USA Smart motor systems, motors which have IoT enabled performance

    Charging Infrastructure Providers

    Electreon Israel Wireless charging roads
    GBatteries Canada Pulse charging
    Free Wire Technologies San Leandro, California Ultra fast chargers and mobile chargers for EVs
    ROCSYS Netherlands Fully automatic professional charging sites with soft robotic arm and computer vision technology.

    Fleets

    Electriphi United States EV fleet planning & management
    Recurrent USA Battery usage reports for electric car resales
    Meshcrafts Norway Charging station, service provider and energy provider interrelation

    Navigation system

    Otonomo Israel Neutral automotive data services platform
    Chargetrip Netherlands Navigation system for electric vehicles

    Testing and Diagnostic solutions

    Twaice Germany Prediction of battery health along the whole lifecycle
    Feasible Canada Advanced battery inspections by ultrasound
    Akkurate Finland Remote battery diagnostics software
    Dox USA Battery predictive analytics platform
    Aviloo Austria Walk-in battery testing and diagnosis facility

    Emerging energy storage solutions

    Electron England Interactive online platform for the various distributed energy markets
    Nikola Motor Company USA Innovative energy and transportation solutions. (Special purpose EVs and hydrogen fuel supply structure)

    Others

    Paramatters USA Autonomous generative designing software with additive manufacturing
    Arrival London, UK Zero-emission solutions for cities.

    Know more about EVIT

    To obtain a sample of Electric Vehicle &  Information technology (EVIT) or to know more about purchasing it, please send a note to evit@evnext.in or call Muthukrishnan +91-9952910083