Electric Traction Dynamics Course
Online course of 300 hours in electric traction dynamics. 6 modules covering longitudinal vehicle mechanics, the motor torque-speed characteristic, traction and stability control, regenerative braking, and dynamic testing and validation, with an assigned technical tutor.
Electric Traction Dynamics Course — studying from South Africa
South Africa's transition to electromobility is gaining momentum, with automotive manufacturers evaluating electric and hybrid models and local battery and hydrogen research under way. The country has significant mineral resources, including platinum group metals relevant to fuel cells, and universities and the Council for Scientific and Industrial Research support work on energy storage and hydrogen technologies. Government policy on the energy transition shapes investment in charging infrastructure and related industries. Engineers in this field work across vehicle systems, power electronics and energy storage.
Fees for South Africa: 8,800 R (South African rand), with instalments and employer sponsorship available.
Relevant bodies in South Africa
Typical roles
Questions from South Africa
Is the programme suitable if I work full time?
Yes. The programmes are fully online and self-paced within the faculty's intake schedule, so they can be combined with full-time employment, shift work or project commitments.
What time zone are live sessions in?
South Africa uses SAST (UTC+2) throughout the year, so you can plan live sessions around your working day. Recorded material is available for study at any time.
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
Model the longitudinal dynamics of an electric vehicle.
Analyse the torque-speed characteristic and its effect on performance.
Design traction control and torque-split strategies.
Optimise regenerative braking without compromising stability.
Plan dynamic tests and correlate them with simulation.
Size the motor and transmission from performance requirements.
Develop a complete traction dynamics study.
Who it's for
- Vehicle dynamics engineers
- Powertrain control engineers
- Vehicle simulation engineers
- Calibration engineers
- Track test engineers
- Chassis systems engineers
- Engineering or science graduates looking to join a car manufacturer
What you'll work with
- UNECE Regulation No 13-H (braking of passenger cars)
- UNECE Regulation No 140 (electronic stability control)
- ISO 8855 (vehicle dynamics vocabulary)
- ISO 3888-2 (obstacle avoidance manoeuvre)
- ISO 4138 (steady-state circular driving)
- UNECE Regulation No 85 (measurement of net power)
- ISO 26262 (functional safety)
- SAE J2263 (road load measurement using coast-down techniques)
- MATLAB/Simulink
- IPG CarMaker
- VI-grade VI-CarRealTime
- AVL CRUISE M
- Simcenter Amesim
6 modules
1.1Equation of longitudinal motion1.2Aerodynamic drag and the Cx coefficient1.3Tyre rolling resistance1.4Gradient resistance1.5Equivalent mass and rotating inertias1.6Tractive effort versus speed curve1.7Coast-down coefficients1.8Grip and load transfer1.9WLTC and urban driving cycles1.10Practical exercise: wheel force on a 20% gradient
2.1Constant-torque and constant-power regions2.2Field weakening at high speed2.3Peak versus continuous power2.4Single gear ratio2.5Two-speed transmissions in EVs2.60-100 km/h acceleration and overtaking performance2.7Top speed and its limitations2.8Effect of battery voltage on performance2.9Thermal limits and power derating2.10Lab: acceleration simulation in Simulink
3.1Longitudinal slip and the Pacejka model3.2Traction control through motor torque3.3Response of the electric motor versus the combustion engine3.4Integration with ESC stability control3.5Torque vectoring with two or more motors3.6Torque split between axles3.7Starting on low-grip surfaces3.8Driveline oscillations and active damping3.9Accelerator pedal map calibration3.10Case study: torque vectoring on a quad-motor vehicle
4.1Physics of energy regeneration4.2Limits set by battery, motor and grip4.3Blending electric and hydraulic braking4.4One-pedal driving4.5Stability during regenerative braking4.6Braking requirements for passenger cars4.7Recoverable energy in the urban cycle4.8Regeneration on long descents4.9Regeneration in buses and trucks4.10Practical exercise: energy recovered over a WLTC cycle
5.1Chassis dynamometer testing5.2Track tests for acceleration and braking5.3Double lane-change manoeuvre5.4Instrumentation: GPS, IMU and torque sensors5.5Data acquisition and processing5.6Correlation between simulation and testing5.7Testing on ice and low-grip surfaces5.8Hardware-in-the-loop testing of traction control5.9Technical report on dynamic performance5.10Workshop: analysing data from an acceleration test
6.1Vehicle performance requirements6.2Longitudinal simulation model6.3Sizing the motor and gear ratio6.4Proposed traction control strategy6.5Proposed regeneration strategy6.6Validation with driving cycles6.7Sensitivity to mass, Cx and grip6.8Discussion of simulation results6.9Report and presentation6.10Final project: final review with the tutor
How you'll learn
A 100% online programme on the SEIUM Institute 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 you can combine it with your job.
Each module combines theory, guided reading of the original standards and applied exercises. The working software is MATLAB/Simulink, IPG CarMaker, VI-grade VI-CarRealTime, AVL CRUISE M and Simcenter Amesim, in free, academic or evaluation versions. Work is based on real procedures: simulating the acceleration performance of an electric vehicle, calibrating traction control on low grip and estimating the energy recovered by regenerative braking. Assessment is continuous by module plus the final project.
Standards covered: UNECE Regulation No 13-H; UNECE Regulation No 140; ISO 8855; ISO 3888-2; ISO 4138; UNECE Regulation No 85; ISO 26262; SAE J2263.
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
- No prior qualification 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 300 hours over 3 months. You set your own pace within each intake, and your tutor helps you plan the workload around your job.
You work with MATLAB/Simulink, IPG CarMaker, VI-grade VI-CarRealTime, AVL CRUISE M and Simcenter Amesim, using free, academic or evaluation versions. Your tutor indicates the free alternative wherever one exists.
A SEIUM Institute certificate, 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.
No prior qualification is required: just an internet connection, a computer able to run the programme 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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