Systematic Improvement of Powertrain Efficiency in Battery Electric Vehicles

Date: 24/09/2026
Time: 9:00 am
Presenter: Shafigh Nategh
Abstract: (This webinar is sponsored by PELS TC 3) This study explores high-efficiency design methods for NEV electric drive systems. Unlike traditional component-focused approaches, we optimize performance from user value and full-vehicle operating scenarios. Range anxiety and scenario-dependent performance are major consumer concerns. Since electric drive efficiency directly affects real-world range, improving multi-scenario efficiency is critical to user experience. We adopt a system-level solution covering electric machine, power electronics, semiconductors, materials, processes, and software algorithms. By modeling vehicle operating conditions and key component losses, we significantly optimize electric drive efficiency. In this presentation, you will learn: How to develop high-efficiency NEV electric drive products from a user-centric perspective? How does multi-scenario operating efficiency directly solve range anxiety for consumers? How to apply a systematic engineering approach across electric machine power electronics, materials, and software algorithms? How to optimize component losses to achieve breakthroughs in electric drive efficiency?
Shafigh Nategh received his Ph.D. degree in electric power engineering from KTH Royal Institute of Technology, Stockholm, Sweden. He was a Visiting Scholar with the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign, Urbana, IL, USA, from 2012 to 2013. From 2013 to 2015, he was a Lead Designer of PM machines for marine segment with the Rolls-Royce Group, Trondheim, Norway. He continued his career as a Designer of traction motors for railway applications with Bombardier Transportation, Västerås, Sweden, from 2015 to 2018. He was an R&D Senior Engineer with E-mobility Department, ABB AB, Västerås, Sweden, in 2018–2020, and Principal Engineer with Volvo Cars, Göteborg, Sweden, in 2020-2022. During this period, he held a position as Adjunct Associate Professor at Chalmers University of Technology. He was a Senior Principal Engineer and also Manager of Electric Drive Unit CAE and Electromagnetic Design with Polestar, Göteborg, Sweden. He is currently a Principal Expert in Electric Machine at Li Auto. Dr. Nategh is a Chair of IEEE IES Electrical Machines Technical Committee, Associate Editor of IEEE Transaction on Industrial Electronics, and technical Chair/Co-chair of several electrical machine conferences. His research interests include different aspects of electrical machine design in consumer electronics, e-mobility, marine, aerospace and railway applications.