On the path to decarbonizing road transport, battery electric commercial vehicles will play a significant role. An important aspect in the development of long-haul trucks is the battery life and for that, accurate prediction of the battery state of health is essential.

In the present study, a modular vehicle simulation model for a battery electric heavy-duty truck was developed. The battery system model consists of three interlinked sub-models. An equivalent circuit model represents the electric behavior of the battery, a lumped mass model represents the battery’s thermal behavior, and a semi-empirical aging model calculates the battery’s state of health for the capacity and the resistance. Battery measurement data of an NMC Li-Ion cell served as a basis for the sub-model calibration. For the aging model, cells were cycled and aged under various conditions for more than two years.

The vehicle system model will be exercised over the Eisenhower Pass drive cycle. The results will be analyzed regarding battery temperature and the resulting battery aging. Conclusions will be drawn regarding the usability and cost-effectiveness of battery electric commercial vehicles based on the underlying use case.