The ZEV-UP project has established the technical requirements for a Digital Twin framework for zero-emission urban vehicles. Led by our partner Beemobs, with the contribution of Ford Otosan, University of Surrey, E-Mobility Europe, and Elaphe, the results are presented in a deliverable (D2.3) that defines how real-time vehicle data will be collected, transmitted, processes, and transformed into a virtual representation of the electric vehicle.
A Digital Twin is a virtual representation of a physical vehicle that mirrors its real-world performance in real time. By collecting and processing data from the actual vehicle, the Digital Twin allows to monitor performance, optimise energy use, and predict maintenance needs throughout the vehicle’s lifecycle.
ZEV-UP established a robust foundation for data-driven decision-making in electric vehicle development and operation. The project partners have defined a comprehensive data acquisition framework covering more than 20 key parameters related to the vehicle, battery, powertrain, and user-related parameters. A scalable data architecture has been designed to integrate onboard IoT systems, 4G/5G communication networks, and cloud-based storage solutions. The work also identifies semantic relationships between different data streams, allowing the system to support predictive maintenance, energy efficiency analysis, and driver behaviour assessment. The functional Digital Twin model combines physical models, behavioural learning, and data fusion techniques to create a comprehensive virtual representation. In addition, important implementation challenges have been addressed, including cybersecurity, data integrity, synchronisation, and regulatory compliance to enable the development of the Digital Twin.
The requirements for the Digital Twin will enable other work packages to validate vehicle design choices, assess real-world performance, and develop optimisation strategies for energy efficiency and maintenance. The Digital Twin framework will directly support testing and validation activities planned for later stages of the project, while also providing valuable insights for business models and future projections.
The Digital Twin requirements will now move from concept to reality through implementation and validation during real-world vehicle testing in Ankara, Istanbul, and Thessaloniki. The collected data from these demonstrations will feed into subsequent analysis activities and optimisation studies, as well as performance assessment and long-term impact analysis.
With this deliverable, ZEV-UP lays the groundwork for developing smarter, more efficient ultra-compact Battery Electric Vehicles (BEVs), which can benefit from real-world performance data throughout their entire lifecycle.
