The EFFEREST project, supported by the European Union, is focused on improving the efficiency of electric vehicles by optimising the interaction between cabin comfort systems and powertrain performance.
Led by Virtual Vehicle Research GmbH, the initiative seeks to deliver significant enhancements in both interior comfort and drivetrain efficiency by the end of 2026, ensuring technical solutions meet user needs while maintaining performance and affordability.
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The three-year project, which began in early 2024, has a total budget of €4.9 million and involves eleven partners from six countries. Alongside Virtual Vehicle, consortium participants include Vrije Universiteit Brussel, Politecnico di Torino, UZAY Tech, Silk Road Clean Energy Storage Technologies, Magna Powertrain Engineering Center Steyr, Automotive Technology Center of Galicia, the European Association of Automotive Suppliers, Bosch, and Togg. The project emphasizes a holistic approach, integrating system improvements rather than treating components in isolation to enhance overall vehicle efficiency.
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EFFEREST focuses on four main pillars: developing user-oriented solutions to increase affordability, energy efficiency, comfort, and safety; using AI-driven system design through adaptive digital twins to optimise energy and thermal management; implementing a Hierarchical User-Centric Control (HUC) system that coordinates powertrain and cabin systems using predictive and model-based controls; and conducting application-oriented demonstrations in modified production vehicles under real-world driving conditions.
By combining these approaches, EFFEREST aims to advance Europe’s competitiveness in electric vehicle technology and establish a framework for creating energy-efficient, user-friendly EVs suitable for the global market.
Source: Electrive
