Diploma in Electric Axles for Off-Road Vehicles
Online postgraduate diploma of 800 hours in electric axles for off-road vehicles. 8 modules covering traction electrification, electric machines, reduction gears and differentials, power electronics, mechanical integration, traction control and validation, with ISO 6469-3, ISO 6336 and Ansys Motor-CAD, with an assigned technical tutor.
Diploma in Electric Axles for Off-Road Vehicles — studying from Malta
Malta's construction, quarrying and infrastructure activity creates demand for heavy machinery, specialist vehicles and their maintenance. Contractors, plant hire companies and public works departments rely on skilled technicians and engineers to keep equipment safe and productive. The island's rugged terrain and coastal conditions also support niche markets in agricultural and marine-adjacent machinery. Engineers in this area commonly work with equipment dealers, contractors and public authorities responsible for fleet management.
Fees for Malta: €1,290 (Euro), with instalments and employer sponsorship available.
Relevant bodies in Malta
Typical roles
Questions from Malta
Which Maltese authorities regulate special vehicles and machinery, and does this qualification fit?
Machinery and vehicle safety in Malta follow EU-derived rules, with Transport Malta handling vehicle matters and the Occupational Health and Safety Authority overseeing workplace machinery. SEIUM Institute's qualifications are private and not official state degrees or accredited by a national body. Recognition for regulated roles is for employers or the relevant authority to decide.
Where might off-road and machinery engineers find work in Malta?
Malta's opportunities in this field are mostly in construction, plant hire, equipment maintenance and the marine and industrial services sectors. Employers in these areas usually value hands-on experience highly. How they view a private online qualification is for each employer to decide, so asking them directly is worthwhile.
Is employer funding available, and how demanding is the English language requirement?
Employer sponsorship is possible, and tuition can be paid in instalments. Programmes are taught fully in English, so you should be comfortable with technical English reading and writing. The online format lets you study around work, and each student has an assigned technical tutor. Hours range from 300 to 1,900 depending on the programme chosen.
Take the controls.
Run a real engineering trade-off from this field. Move the sliders, watch the model react in real time and beat the challenge.
What you will be able to do
Compare architectures for electrifying off-road traction.
Select and design electric traction machines.
Size integrated reduction gears and differentials.
Integrate power electronics into the axle.
Solve mechanical integration in harsh environments.
Develop traction control strategies.
Plan the validation and safety of the electric axle.
Who it's for
- Electric powertrain engineers developing traction systems.
- Transmission design engineers working on gears and differentials.
- Power electronics engineers designing inverters and motor control.
- Vehicle dynamics engineers tuning traction and stability.
- Vehicle validation engineers planning bench and track testing.
- Off-highway electrification specialists.
- Engineering or science graduates looking to move into off-road vehicles.
What you'll work with
- ISO 6469-3 (electrical safety of electrically propelled vehicles)
- ISO 6336 (load capacity of spur and helical gears)
- IEC 60034-1 (rating and performance of rotating electrical machines)
- ISO 281 (rolling bearing dynamic load ratings and rating life)
- ISO 13766-1 (electromagnetic compatibility of earth-moving machinery)
- ISO 19014 (functional safety of earth-moving machinery)
- IEC 60529 (IP degrees of protection provided by enclosures)
- Ansys Motor-CAD
- KISSsoft
- Romax
- MATLAB/Simulink
8 modules
1.1Fully electric and hybrid architectures1.2Central motor versus electric axles1.3In-wheel and hub motors1.4Torque requirements for launch and gradients1.5Load cycles in machinery and 4×4 vehicles1.648 V and high-voltage systems1.7Advantages in traction and control1.8Integration into existing chassis1.9State of the e-axle market1.10Workshop: calculating torque and power for an off-road vehicle
2.1Permanent magnet synchronous motors2.2Induction motors2.3Switched reluctance motors2.4Torque-speed curves and field weakening2.5Copper and iron losses2.6Liquid and oil cooling2.7Insulation and thermal classes2.8Design with Ansys Motor-CAD2.9Testing according to IEC 60034-12.10Practical exercise: preliminary design of a traction motor
3.1Single- and two-stage gear trains3.2Planetary hub reduction gears3.3Open and locking differentials3.4Torque vectoring3.5Gear load capacity ISO 63363.6Bearing life ISO 2813.7Lubrication and losses3.8Gear noise and vibration3.9Design with KISSsoft and Romax3.10Lab: sizing a planetary reduction gear
4.1Three-phase inverters and modulation4.2IGBT and SiC semiconductors4.3Field-oriented vector control4.4Inverter-motor-gearbox integration4.5Inverter thermal management4.6Electromagnetic compatibility ISO 13766-14.7Protections and safe disconnection4.8Communication with the vehicle controller4.9Fault diagnosis4.10Practical exercise: torque control in Simulink
5.1Loads on rigid axles and suspensions5.2Protection against impacts and stones5.3IP67 and IP69K sealing5.4Wading and mud ingress5.5Unsprung mass and dynamics5.6Mountings and vibration5.7Rugged high-voltage connectors5.8Maintenance and accessibility5.9Integration of the service brake5.10Case study: fitting an electric axle to a utility vehicle
6.1Per-wheel traction control6.2Electronic differential lock6.3Regenerative braking and hill descent control6.4Torque distribution between axles6.5Grip estimation6.6Terrain modes6.7Stability on side slopes6.8Calibration on sand, mud and rock6.9Integration with ABS brakes6.10Lab: simulation of traction on a gradient
7.1Electrical safety according to ISO 6469-37.2Functional safety ISO 19014 and ISO 262627.3Full axle bench testing7.4Accelerated durability testing7.5Vibration and shock IEC 60068-27.6Climatic testing7.7Validation on an off-road track7.8Failure analysis7.9Vehicle type approval7.10Case study: validation plan for an e-axle
8.1Definition of the vehicle and the duty cycle8.2Axle specification8.3Motor selection8.4Reduction gear design8.5Inverter and control8.6Mechanical integration8.7Validation plan8.8Cost assessment8.9Report and presentation8.10Final project: final review with the tutor
How you'll learn
100% online training on the SEIUM campus, with downloadable material, recorded classes and an assigned technical tutor. There are no fixed timetables: you progress at your own pace within the intake, so it can be combined with work.
Each module combines theory, guided reading of the original standards and applied exercises. The working software is Ansys Motor-CAD, KISSsoft, Romax and MATLAB/Simulink, in free, academic or evaluation versions. Exercises are based on real procedures: bench testing of complete electric axles, traction validation on off-road tracks and calibration of torque control on sand and mud. Assessment is continuous by module, plus the final project.
Standards covered: ISO 6469-3, ISO 6336, IEC 60034-1, ISO 281, ISO 13766-1, ISO 19014, IEC 60529.
Build it end to end
Your final project follows the real engineering workflow, step by step, reviewed by your tutor.
Where this takes you
Requirements
- Prior technical training or professional experience in the sector. No university degree is required.
- An internet connection and a computer capable of running the programme software.
- English sufficient to read technical standards.
Ready to start?
Send your application today. Our admissions team replies within 72 hours with your study plan and funding options.
Frequently asked questions
The programme totals 800 hours over 6–8 months. You set your own pace within each intake, and your tutor helps you plan the workload around your job.
You work with Ansys Motor-CAD, KISSsoft, Romax and MATLAB/Simulink, using free, academic or evaluation versions. Your tutor indicates the free alternative wherever one exists.
A SEIUM Institute diploma, awarded on passing the continuous assessment and the final project. It is SEIUM's own qualification, not an official state degree; its recognition depends on the programme completed and the regulations of each country.
Yes. Modules passed are recognised in a higher programme in the same area (postgraduate diploma or master's). Ask about the recognition policy when you enrol.
Prior technical training or professional experience in the sector (no university degree required), a computer able to run the software, and English sufficient to read technical standards.
Start dates are set by SEIUM's faculty for each intake. Our admissions team will confirm the next available date when you apply.
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