FACULTY OF ENGINEERING AND INFORMATION SCIENCES

PROFESSIONAL COMMUNICATIONS AND ENGINEERING

WORKPLACE PRACTICE ASSESSMENT
FINAL REPORT

TEAM: ONE
Team Member 1
Team Member 2
Team Member 3
Team Leader

THIS IS AN EXAMPLE OF A REPORT FOR TUTORIAL PURPOSES

You will be required to use this example to discuss both strengths
and weaknesses in the report

SPRING 20XX - DD MONTH 20XX

TABLE OF CONTENTS
1 EXECUTIVE SUMMARY .........................................................................................................2
2 INTRODUCTION ...................................................................................................................3
2.1 AIM – SCOPE STATEMENT .............................................................................................3
2.2 VW ID.4.........................................................................................................................3
2.3 PROBLEM IDENTIFICATION & JUSTIFICATION ................................................................3
2.4 DESCRIPTION OF PROBLEM IN GENERAL TERMS ...........................................................4
3 DESCRIPTION OF THE MAIN CONTENDERS ..........................................................................4
3.1 ADVANTAGES & DISADVANTAGES OF CONTENDERS .....................................................4
4 TECHNOLOGIES IN GENERAL TERMS ....................................................................................6
5 PERFORMANCE ANALYSIS ..................................................................................................13
6 COST ANALYSIS ..................................................................................................................14
7 CONCLUSION .....................................................................................................................15
8 REFERENCES ......................................................................................................................16
9 APPENDICES ......................................................................................................................17
Appendix A: Work Breakdown Structure ...........................................................................17
Appendix B: Gantt Chart ....................................................................................................18

LIST OF TABLES & FIGURES

Table 1a – Comparison of the ID.4 against its main competitors……………………………………..…… 4
Table 1b – Comparison of the ID.4 against its main competitors………………………………………..... 5
Table 2 – Strength vs. Density Chart………………………………………………………………………........…..... 9
Table 3 – Relative Cost vs Energy Content………………………………………………………………………......10
Table 4 – Relative Cost and Energy Content of materials.........................................................14
Table 5 – Potential Improvements............................................................................................14
Figure 1 – High Strength Steel....................................................................................................6
Figure 2 – High Strength Spring Steel........................................................................................ 6
Figure 3 – Replacement of components breakdown................................................................10
Figure 4 - Audi eROT system.................................................................................................... 11

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1 EXECUTIVE SUMMARY
Problem Statement
The Tesla Model Y outperforms the Volkswagen ID.4 as it is a more efficient vehicle in the
current market. Consumers require a vehicle that can be used over longer distances while
maintaining all of its safety features in a sustainable manner. Therefore the ID.4 must
improve in its overall efficiency to become a viable competing option.
Proposed Solution
Utilizing the latest technologies in weight reduction and management of the interior and
exterior components of the ID.4 along with the implementation of alternate power
generation techniques to regenerate energy, the vehicle can be made a lot more efficient to
increase the range of the vehicle on a single charge.
Value
An overall increase of 5% in the manufacturing of the ID.4 will result in it becoming
significantly more efficient making it a lot more competitive against the Tesla Model Y. Thus,
the renewed total pricing of the vehicle will not significantly exceed the current price but will
offer customers a much better and viable option for consideration which will in turn improve
sales as it would expand the brand in a positive way.

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2 INTRODUCTION
2.1 AIM – SCOPE STATEMENT
This project aims to increase the efficiency of the VW ID.4 to make it more competitive than
the Tesla Model Y while maintaining the existing battery size at 77kWh. The following were
the available options to increase the efficiency of the vehicle:
1. enhance the vehicle's range on a single charge
2. make the charging experience better (speed and infrastructure)
3. improve data analytics for better battery management

2.2 VW ID.4
As the company stated in its advertising this vehicle is for "the millions, not the
millionaires," it is indeed a cost-efficient electric vehicle. But various statistical reviews
prove that people prefer the Tesla Model Y over the VW ID 4, even though the Tesla Model
Y is priced higher. This VW ID 4 was brought into the market to replace the VW ID3 model
and also as a competitor to the Tesla Model Y. But VW ID 4 is really isn’t a competition as
of now, because the Model Y is far superior to it in terms of speed, range, power and
overall functionality.

2.3 PROBLEM IDENTIFICATION & JUSTIFICATION

In order to bridge the gap between the VW ID 4 Model and the Tesla Model Y at a
comparatively lesser price range, a solution is required which will considerably increase the
range of the VW ID 4 as it falls significantly lesser than the mileage covered by the Model Y
which stands at approximately 326 miles. The current weight of the ID 4 is around 2124 kg
and the range is 260 miles, to improve efficiency with respect to range of the vehicle, it is
necessary to reduce the weight of the ID4. The current default exterior body is made up of
steel material, which is a heavy material, a multi material approach has been considered to
reduce the weight of the exterior body. The chassis material and internal components of the
vehicle is replaced by a lightweight material. Also, feasible technologies like solar panels and
regenerative systems have also been researched to increase the efficiency of the vehicle. All
these light weight multi material components and the technologies together will reduce the
weight of the VW ID4 Model which in turn will improve the range of the vehicle.

Improvement of the charging experience would require a complete overhaul of current

processes and would not be feasible in consideration to a single vehicle model and would be
better suited in consideration of a large number of varying models under the VW electric
vehicle line. Whereas the improvement in battery management would require a long-term
detailed plan into the research and development of battery technologies. In contrast to that,
the introduction of an efficient multi-material lightweight component for exterior body,
tweaking the chassis of the VW ID 4 and making use of feasible technologies like solar
panels, regenerative braking, and suspension systems, all of which will contribute to
increase the range of the Volkswagen ID 4 Model is considered as it would result in

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achieving quicker results in a sustainable manner while keeping all the safety protocols in
check as well.
2.4 DESCRIPTION OF PROBLEM IN GENERAL TERMS
The VW ID.4 consumes a lot more power to deliver the same results in terms of range
covered in comparison to the Tesla Model Y. The distance covered on a single charge is one
of the most important factors taken into consideration by consumers in the selection and
purchase of an electric vehicle. As shown in the table below, the ID.4 requires significant
improvement in its driving range to be a more suitable option in the current market.
Model kWh for 40 mi. range

Tesla Model Y 10.4

Hyundai Kona 11.2

Kia Niro 12

Ford Mustang Mach-E 13.6

Volkswagen ID.4 14

Table 1a – Comparison of the ID.4 against its main competitors

3 DESCRIPTION OF THE MAIN CONTENDERS

3.1 ADVANTAGES & DISADVANTAGES OF CONTENDERS
The Volkswagen ID4 is an electric cross over introduced by the automobile giants
Volkswagen and is in a competitive market with other major competitors introducing new
electric crossovers in the past couple of years. A brief comparison of the main competitors
for the VW ID4 is given below

Tesla Model Y
Tesla model Y leads the competition in the electric crossover market with impressive
specifications. The base model Tesla Model Y has an impressive range of 303 Miles on a
single charge while the long-range model has a range of 326 miles. The base model has a
maximum power of 384 hp miles per hour and a 0-60 mph time of 3.5 seconds. The
longrange version has the same maximum power but a 0-60 time of 4.8 seconds. Both
variants offer all-wheel drive as standard and ca cargo capacity of 76 cubic feet and offers
highspeed charging through Tesla superchargers. Both variants weigh 2003 kgs and offers
additional features like tesla auto pilot HEPA air filtration system and premium audio.

Ford Mustang Mach E

Ford Mustang Mach E is the latest electric SUV to be introduced by Ford and has a
theoretical range of 230 miles on a single charge. The maximum power produced varies

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from 266 HP to 480 HP depending on the model and has a 0-60 MPH time of 5.8 seconds
on the standard model and 3.8 seconds on the performance edition. Ford offers both all-
wheel drive and rear wheel variants with a similar cargo space of 29.7 cubic feet across the
range.
The ford comes with extra features such as Ford Co-pilot 360, premium audio and
360degree camera.

Hyundai Kone
The Kone is a small electric SUV introduced by the Korean automobile manufacturer
Hyundai and offers a theoretical range of 190 miles on a single charge. The car does not
have an impressive 0-60 MPH time and is does it only in 9.8 seconds. The Kone offers a
cargo space of 11.72 cubic feet. Kone offers less additional features compared to the tesla
or the ford but does offer some key features like Hyundai smart sense, fast charging and
regenerative breaking.

KIA Niro
KIA Niro is yet another electric SUV in the crossover market segment and has a range of 239
miles on a single charge. The small crossover has a maximum power of 201 HP and a 0-60
MPH time of 9.5 seconds. It offers a cargo space of 18.5 cubic feet and a few additional
features like Kia drive wise driver assist technology, premium audio and automatic climate
control.

Vehicle Range 0-60 MPH Maximum Cargo Additional technologies Minimum

(Miles) time power Space cost (USD)
(Cubic
Feet)
Tesla 303 3.5 384 HP 76 Tesla Auto pilot, HEPA $51,490.00
Model Y Seconds air filtration, premium
audio
Ford 230 5.8 266 HP 29.7 Ford Co-pilot 360, $20,500.00
Mustang Seconds Premium audio,
Mach E 360degree camera
Hyundai 190 9.8 134 HP 11.72 Hyundai smart sense, $54,500.00
Kone Seconds fast charging
Kia Niro 239 9.5 201 HP 18.5 Kia drive wise driver $24,690.00
Seconds assist, premium audio
VW ID4 260 7.6 201 HP 30.3 IQ drive, Discover Pro $39,995.00
Seconds navigation
Table 1b – Comparison of the ID.4 against its main competitors

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4 TECHNOLOGIES IN GENERAL TERMS
Automobile chassis
The lightweight of automotive chassis plays an important role in the performance of the
whole vehicle and affects the operation stability and comfort of the vehicle. In the future,
the fuel consumption regulations for cars will be more and more strict, so great efforts
should be made to make the chassis lighter [1].

Lightweight method of automobile chassis

(1) Application of high strength steel
Because the parts of the chassis directly bear the impact of the ground, the stress of some
parts will be greater, so the materials must be increased to reduce the stress. If high-
strength steel is used, only Ф 20mm rods stress can reach 408Mpa, and the chassis weight
can be reduced to 1.21kg. It can be seen that the weight reduction effect of high-strength
steel on chassis parts is quite obvious.

Figure 1 – High Strength Steel

(2) Application of high strength spring steel

High strength spring steel has great potential in spring design. The spring in chassis
suspension is both a safety part and a performance part, so it needs to meet both stiffness
requirements and durability requirements. But stiffness and durability are a contradiction.
This problem can be well solved with high-strength spring steel. The high-strength steel
spring is not only durable, but also meets the requirements of stiffness, and the mass is
0.86kg lighter than the traditional spring. The number of turns of the spring is less, the
weight is lighter, and the comfort of the whole vehicle is better.

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 Figure 2 – High Strength Spring Steel
(3) Adopt advanced technology for chassis parts
The use of advanced technology can reduce stress concentration and material waste. For
example, the torsion beam of a car was originally formed by ordinary stamping. In order to
meet the durability requirements of parts, a large amount of steel must be used, so that the
mass of parts is relatively large and the weight reaches 25kg. However, if the hydraulic
forming technology of pipes is adopted, the weight of parts can be only 21kg when meeting
the design requirements [2].

(4) Make full use of CAE optimization technology

Using CAE optimization technology can change the backward method of structural design
based on experience in the past. Using CAE Technology in structural design can know the
force transmission path of parts faster, better and more intuitively, and know which places
need to be strengthened and which places need to be reduced, so as to design better
products. For example, the modal frequency of the subframe design of a vehicle model is
196.8 Hz. Using topology optimization technology, it can reach 224.96 Hz without
increasing the weight of parts, which can significantly improve the mode of auxiliary
carriage without increasing the weight of parts.

(5) Increase the application range of magnesium aluminum alloy

The density of aluminum alloy is 1 / 3 of that of iron. Under the condition of ensuring the
stiffness and strength of parts, a large number of magnesium aluminum alloys can be used,
which can greatly reduce the quality of parts.

Exterior components:
Recent studies show that external body weight is significantly reduced by 30-40% when the
most common material Steel is replaced by lightweight materials like Aluminum,
Magnesium and carbon fiber.

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The VW ID 4 Model body parts that is the door, bonnet, roof, windshields and other
exterior parts are primarily made up of Steel which contributes to one of the main weights
of the car. In order to reduce the weight to increase the mileage we can replace this Steel
body with lightweight materials which provide high density and strength when compared
to the original material used in the ID4 Model. In our study we have considered three
lightweight materials in order to reduce the external weight of the VW ID4. Some of the
materials which can be used in order to replace Steel are:
• Magnesium Alloy – the lightest structural material
• Composite Material – Carbon Fiber Reinforced Polymer
• Aluminum Alloy

Magnesium Alloys:
Magnesium is the lightest of all engineering metals with a density of 1.738g / cm3, which is
the fourth most common element on earth behind iron, silicon and oxygen, it is 36% lighter
than Aluminium (2.7g / cm3) and 75% lighter than Steel (7.86 g / cm3) and 78% lighter than
iron. When alloyed Mg has a very high Strength to Weight ratio compared to all structural
materials [3]. The corrosion resistance and damping resistance of modern high-purity
Magnesium alloys is better than that of Aluminium and Steel materials [3]. In automotive
applications, many components require good ductility which can provided by these alloys. In
particular, the energy absorbed in an accident is a very important issue and forged alloys
can optimize the energy absorption of the material. However, other components preferably
require higher strength than ductility. Therefore, alloy development in Magnesium follows a
variety of requirements and can identify specific alloy groups to provide specific properties
for an automotive structure. Though the yield strength of Mg alloy is approximately the
same, compared to Aluminium. Magnesium generally has lower tensile strength, fatigue
strength, and yield strength. But the Mg alloy has high tensile strength, fatigue and yield
strength which clearly shows that Mg alloy has a clear advantage over Steel and Aluminium
[3]. These include better manufacturability, longer tool life, and faster solidification due to
lower latent heat. This means that more castings can be produced per unit of time
compared to Aluminium. The Magnesium alloy components have better machinability which
can be manufactured with improved dimensional accuracy and high surface quality finish, as
well as small accurate angles compared to that of Steel and Aluminium [4].
Advantages of Magnesium:
• High ductility (the ability to stretch longer before it breaks)
• Magnesium is easier to work on.
• Light Weight
• High Strength to Weight Ratio.
• Great Damping

CFRP and Plastics (Carbon Fibre Reinforced Polymer)

CFRP has a great advantage over Steel in the automotive industry. CFRP are designed to
make vehicles lighter, safer and more fuel efficient. Carbon fiber reinforced polymers are
incorporated in passenger cell, roof, pillars, hood, front and rear bumpers, fenders etc. [5].
Due to their light weight, plastics are increasingly used in body structures and engines in
automobile construction. One of its main uses is it increases the strength of the bumper and

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other materials which it is reinforced on, it can also improve with the aerodynamics of the
car. It is also used to create rear and side mirror covers to improve visibility of the
surrounding area while driving and also decrease some weight of it. In modern automobiles,
composites are being used to create navigation displays and lenses for reversing cameras, so
that the driver can have a better view. A composite material consists of a high-performance
fiber such as carbon or glass infused in epoxy polymer, which in combination offers
improved properties compared to individual materials alone. CFRP weigh about a fifth of
Steel, but are just as good or even better than Steel in terms of stiffness and strength. These
CFRP never rust or corrode like Steel or Aluminum [5]. With respect to Oak Ridge National
Laboratory (ORNL), CFRP could significantly reduce vehicle fuel consumption by decreasing
the weight of the vehicle weight by up to 60 percent and having a high stiffness ratio. It has
an excellent energy absorption ratio by mass [6]. Composite materials are used in all fields,
such as automotive, construction, aerospace etc. They can be designed in such a way that it
absorbs more energy in the event of a crash. Use of these materials in the automotive
industry has been very limited, in part due to costs associated with materials and
manufacturing [5].

Properties of CFRP:
• Rigid and have a high strength-to-weight ratio
• Good Resistance to electricity
• High chemical resistance
• High Weather Resistance
• Good Rigidity
• High Resistance to Corrosion

CFRP in Automotive Engineering

• To improve fuel efficiency by reducing vehicle mass
• To improve safety and crash safety
• To improve part design and consolidation
• To provide aerodynamic design

Aluminium and AI matrix:

The consumption of Aluminium in automotive applications has increased by more than 80%
in recent years. The engine block material, which is one of the heaviest parts, is being
changed from cast iron to Aluminium. Therefore, aluminium as an external component is
considered to increase to at least 40% of all cars. [7]. There are different grades of
Aluminium alloys which are more common in areas where loading conditions are more
extreme and where higher mechanical properties are required. Looking at the interior
sections forged Aluminium is also used in pistons, suspensions, airbag outer
reinforcements, oil pan, seat frames etc. The possible uses of Aluminium in the drive train,
in the chassis and in the bodywork of automobiles are diverse. The use of Aluminium alloy
considerably reduces the weight of a car's body [7]. In today's Steel construction, the
vehicle consists of spot-welded body panels (bodywork) to which the perforated Steel
fenders, doors, hood and trunk lid are bolted. Multi-material Aluminium alloy solutions
brings forth the concept of technological challenges associated with material joining,

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designing of structures and prevention of corrosion. The aluminium industry has long
targeted the automotive industry for prospects and future growth.

Advantages of Aluminium:
• Light Weight
• Increased Dent Resistance
• Thicker body panels whilst reducing weight
• Good Corrosion Resistance
• Improved Safety and Durability

Material Density (kg/m^3) Yield Strength (MPa) Comments

Steel 8000 1115 Dense and High Yield Strength
Mg Alloy 1800 400 Low Density and Low Yield
Strength
CFRP 1700 1050 Low Density and High Yield
Strength
Al Alloy 2700 500 Low Density and Low Yield
Strength
Table 2. Strength vs. density chart [8]

Material Relative Cost/unit Energy Content Comments

volume (MJ/m^3)
Steel 7 10^5.6 Expensive and Low Energy content
Mg Alloy 2 10^5.8 Cheap and High Energy content
CFRP 25 10^5.8 Very Expensive and High Energy
Al Alloy 1 10^5.6 Cheap and Low Energy content
Table 3. Relative cost vs Energy Content [8]

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Replacement of Exterior Components:

Figure 3 – Replacement of components breakdown

Summary of the Materials that are Being replaced:

• Carbon Fiber Reinforce Polymer:
 Rooftop part of the VW ID4
 Side Mirror Covers
 Bumper Front and Lower Spoiler Bumper
• Multilayered Aluminum Alloy:
 Bonnet of VW ID4
 Door part • Magnesium Alloy:
 Fender part of VW ID4 Front and Back Section
 Pillar Section which holds the Windshield, Rooftop and Rear Trunk
Glass

Regenerative suspension
The suspension of a vehicle is a vital system which enables the vehicle to isolate the vehicle
chassis and dampen the road disturbances so that the roads will grip on to the road surface
better. Traditional damper absorbs the vibrations transmitted to the vehicle from the road
and dissipate it in the form of heat energy which is wasted to the atmosphere. Regenerative
suspension technology has been in research for decades exploring various feasible ways to
extract the energy that is normally wasted in the form of heat energy in traditional dampers.
Energy captured and stored can be used to tune the damping force of the damper or to
recharge or power vehicle batteries and electronic components.

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The Volkswagen ID4 advertised as a mid-range SUV will have good potential in adopting
regenerative dampers for the suspension which will not provide the end user to improve
and control the firmness of the ride but will also help harvest electricity while driving
specially on rough roads thus extending the range of the vehicle.

Out of all the different types of regenerative shock absorbers available in the market and in
research, electromechanical rotary dampers show promising potential if adopted for the
ID4. This technology is developed and refined by Audi which is owned by Volkswagen and is
called eROT. It uses an electromechanical rotary damper which is connected to the wheel
support which will absorb and convert the vertical displacement of the wheel into a
spinning motion. This motion then can be converted to electricity using a generator. The
amount of energy generated will depend on the condition of the surface of the road.
According to Audi, the system has the potential of generating up to 612 Watts of power on
bumpy road conditions however will generate less power on smooth road surfaces [8].

Figure 4 - Audi eROT system [8]

There are some additional advantages in using this technology for the ID4 apart from
power regeneration as well. The most important advantage is the ability to control
damping forces of the car according to the drivers need. The system uses a set of ohmic
resistors to increase or decrease the resistance which will create a firmer or softer ride
which can be useful for the ID4 as well as performance vehicles VW plans on developing in
the future. The rebound and compression rates for each damper can be set independent
of each other enabling the car to adopt easily to different road conditions. The second
advantage is the weight and space requirement. The electromechanical suspension system
weighs on average 10kg less than a conventional hydraulic suspension system and requires
less space to install. This will indirectly affect the range of the ID4 as well. The horizontal
orientation of the suspension system will enable the ID4 to have more cargo space at the
back as it will not intrude the cabin or the cargo area of the car when a traditional
suspension system is used.

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Sustainability
Electromechanical rotary dampers capture and convert the kinetic energy of a vehicle’s
suspension. eROT technology is smaller and lighter in weight compared to traditional
hydraulic dampers. The main components of the system are universal enabling companies
to keep the manufacturing cost relatively low.

Availability and manufacturing process

Audi's eROT suspension technology is ready to be introduced in production vehicles. Audi
originally introduced the technology of using electric shock absorbers for electric vehicles in
2010. Volkswagen should be able to easily share the technology with Audi and introduce it
into the ID4 without major complications.

5 PERFORMANCE ANALYSIS
Audi eROT
Audi eROT system generates peak power of 613W on rough road conditions. Vehicle can be
programmed to generate maximum amount of power on different surfaces. System helps
alter the stiffness of the damper enabling the user to adjust the comfort level. This is a huge
advantage particularly in sports/performance vehicles.

Weight Reduction
The use of Magnesium and Aluminium alloys to replace several exterior components of the
ID4 has proved to be an effective solution to reduce the overall weight of the car resulting in
extended range of the car on a single charge. The material cost per tonne of magnesium and
aluminium alloy is slightly higher than of steel but the use of the alloys will reduce the
overall weight of the components by xx% and therefore, the overall difference of material
cost for the components will be marginal. Furthermore, in the long run, the manufacturing
cost of components such as fenders and doors out of aluminium and magnesium alloys will
be less than that of steel as they are more ductile than steel and the energy content of
Aluminium and Magnesium alloys are similar to that of steel. Therefore, replacing steel
components with exterior body parts made out of aluminium and magnesium alloys will not
impact the overall cost of production of the vehicle which makes it a cost-effective solution
to extend the range of the vehicle.

The use of CFRP to replace exterior body components like sidemirror covers and the roof of
the car will enable VW to reduce the overall weight of the car substantially but the initial
implementation cost to manufacture components out of carbon fibre reinforced polymer is
quite high. CFRP has unique and important material characteristics, but material cost and
manufacturing cost is quite high and does not justify its use in the ID4. However, the
competitive recycled carbon fibre market has the potential to bring down the cost of
materials substantially while it was also seen that the manufacturing cost of CFRP
components tend to reduce exponentially with the increase of the number of units
produced. Therefore, even though the use of CFRP is not a financially viable option as of

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now, with increased number of ID4 units produced and reduced recycled carbon fibre cost,
the use of CFRP can be an effective technology for Volkswagen to pursue.

Regenerative suspension
The eROT technology is relatively new and the cost of production is not known as of now.
Audi has developed this technology since 2015 and due to the simplicity of the basic
technology, the suspension components can be used on most vehicles with minor
modifications making the product universal for most types of vehicles with a 48-volt
electrical sub system [8]. Furthermore, due to the size of the entire suspension system, less
materials will be used in production enabling the manufacturers to reduce the cost of
production. The main advantage for Volkswagen with the eROT technology is that Audi is
owned by the Volkswagen group and hence, the technology can be easily implemented in
the ID4 without severe financial impact.

Solar Panels
`The use of solar panels to regenerate electricity is an innovative idea but during initial
research, it was found that with the current solar panel technology that is available, the
use of panels will not be as effective as the other two options investigated. Installation of
solar panels on different surfaces of the car will require panels to be custom made and the
initial implementation cost can be substantial. Given that the potential output of the
technology is minimal, the high implementation cost is not justifiable.

6 COST ANALYSIS
Weight Reduction
Magnesium and Aluminium alloys show great potential as the production cost is low where
as CFRP can be cost effective for large scale production as it requires a high implementation
cost. This technology has the potential to decrease the overall weight by 10%-15% which
would significantly improve the performance of the vehicle with a 5% increase in production
costs in terms of material purchase and assembly.
Regenerative suspension
This is an effective technology increasing the range depending on the road conditions with a
relatively low cost and a universal application usage. The eROT technology developed by
Audi is owned by the VW group, hence its implementation costs would be minimal.
Solar panels
These have a high implementation cost and a relatively low effectiveness due to limited
surface area on the ID4. However, it can be a potential solution in the future with advanced
solar panel technologies.

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 Material Relative Energy Content Comments
Cost/unit (MJ/m^3)
volume
Steel 7 10^5.6 Expensive and Low Energy
content
Mg Alloy 2 10^5.8 Cheap and High Energy content

CRPF 25 10^5.8 Very Expensive and High Energy

Al Alloy 1 10^5.6 Cheap and Low Energy content

Table 4 – Relative cost and energy content of materials

7 CONCLUSION

The current requirement for energy, resources has risen to the top of technological
development priorities. Efficiency is key in making the best use of available resources while
also ensuring reduced emissions. As a result, lightweight technology has to be the most
important technology in structural design of a vehicle for the foreseeable future. Thus, in
order to create a first-class energy-saving and environmentally friendly vehicle, new
material application technology, process technology, sophisticated CAE technology, and a
thorough understanding of the stress route of all parts must all be thoroughly examined and
efficient solutions must be utilized. To achieve such sustainable goals while meeting the
targets of this project, the implementation of weight reduction techniques is recommended
to increase the efficiency of the VW ID.4. Regenerative suspension and solar technology
have been considered; however, the use of lightweight materials is key in increasing the
range of the vehicle on a single charge so that it becomes a much more competitive option
for consumers in the current market of electric vehicles.
Technology Tesla Model Y ID4 Before ID4 after potential
improvements improvements

Weight Reduction 15-20% increase in range

Regenerative 2-10% increase in range

Suspension 326 Miles 260 Miles

Solar Panels 2-5% increase in range

Table 5 – Potential Improvements

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8 REFERENCES
[1] Shi Dongjie, Wang Lianbo, Liu Zhubin, Liu Hanzhi, "Automotive Chassis Lightweight
Materials and Technology", CNKI 2016, vol. 45，no. 433 (3)，pp.24-26
[2] Zhang Sicheng, "Analysis of Lightweight Materials and Process for Automobile Chassis",
Times Automobile 2019, vol.13, pp.96-97
[3] Materials in Automotive Application, State of the Art and Prospects, A research gate
publication by Elaheh Ghassemieh University of Sunderland. (October 22, 2021).
[4] Magnesium and its alloys applications in automotive industry Mustafa
Kemal Kulekci. (October 22, 2021)
[5] Plastics and Polymer Composites Technology Roadmap for Automotive Markets,
Plastics Division of the American Chemistry Council, 2014. Available at:
https://0x9.me/fju6A. (October 24, 2021).
[6] Plastics and Polymer Composites Technology Roadmap for Automotive Markets,
Plastics
Division of the American Chemistry Council, 2014. Available at:
https://plasticscar.com/Tomorrows-Automobiles/Plastics-and-Polymer-Composites-
Technolog yRoadmap/Plastics-and-Polymer-Composites-TechnologyRoadmap-for-
Automotive-MarketsFull-Report.pdf. (October 24, 2021).
[7] Michael F. Ashby, Materials selection in mechanical design fourth edition, Butterworth
Heinemann publication, October 2010. (October 25, 2021). [8] Will, B. 2016. Audi's
Regenerative Dampers. Evo, 17.

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9 APPENDICES
Appendix A: Work Breakdown Structure

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Appendix B: Gantt Chart

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Appendix C:

Responsibility Allocation Matrix (RAM)

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 Appendix D:
Risk Management Register
Risk event Causes Mitigation Contingency
plan

To intervene
Regular meetings and fix any
and the selection of
irresolvable
Inadequate an appropriate
issue, the
Miscommunication communication 7 10 70 communication 3 7 21
protocol project
medium are essential
for efficient coordinator
communication. needs to be
informed
Making an
Inadequate task
appropriate work Working extra
Incomplete task management 5 8 40 breakdown structure 2 6 12 hours to finish
planning
and assigning a task the project
to a certain person

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Appendix E:

ENGG980_FINAL_PROJECT_REPORT_GROUP_T6_SEA4
 Appendix F:
Belbin’s Team Roles
Members Role The Positives The Drawbacks

Implementer Creative  Prone to getting

Plant Easily adaptable impatient

Strong
Co-ordinator communicator  Tends to
Shaper Innovative and procrastinate
tenacious

Monitor Evaluator  Time

Focused
management
Specialist Collaborative
skills

Team-worker Team player

 Communication
Resource Open to skills
Investigator challenges

ENGG980_FINAL_PROJECT_REPORT_GROUP_T6_SEA4