Course syllabus - Battery Performance Modelling

Objectives

The aim of this course is to provide a comprehensive understanding of battery performance, ageing, and modelling techniques to evaluate, optimize, and enhance efficiency, reliability, and lifespan. The course objectives are to equip students with knowledge and tools to analyze battery operation from a whole-system perspective, covering its role in electric vehicles, charging infrastructure, and energy grids, and to apply both physics-based and data-driven modelling approaches at cell, module, and pack levels. By the end of the course, students will be able to assess battery health, model degradation, and evaluate second-life applications from technical and economic perspectives.

Learning outcomes

After completion of the course the student should be able to:

1. Explain the principles of battery operation and degradation mechanisms.
2. Develop battery performance models using both physics-based and data-driven approaches.
3. Apply methods for State of Health (SOH) estimation and Remaining Useful Life (RUL) prediction.
4. Analyze key factors influencing battery lifespan economics in different applications.
5. Evaluate battery second-life potential and identify suitable applications.

Course content

The course combines self-paced lectures, interactive forum discussions, and a practical project. Through online lectures, students learn about battery fundamentals, degradation mechanisms, and modeling techniques. Forum discussions promote reflection and exchange of ideas on battery monitoring, diagnostics, and operational strategies. In the final project, students create a scenario-based battery performance model, document their analysis in a technical report, and participate in peer review by providing feedback on two reports from fellow students.

Specific requirements

75 credits in mechanical engineering, production engineering, product and process development, industrial engineering and management, computer science, physics or equivalent or 40 credits in engineering/technology and at least 2 years' experience in full-time employment in a relevant area within industry. In addition Swedish course 3 or Swedish level 3 and English course 6 or English level 2 are required. For courses given entirely in English exemption is made from the requirement in Swedish course 3 or Swedish level 3.

Examination

INL1, Assignment, 0,5 credit, examines learning outcomes 1-2, marks Fail (U) or Pass (G) 
PRO1, Project work, 2,0 credits, examines learning outcomes 3–5, marks Fail (U) or Pass (G)

A student who has a certificate from MDU regarding disability study support, can request adaptions for the examination. It is the examiner who takes decisions on any adaptions, based on the certificate and other conditions.

Grade

Two-grade scale