PACCAR

Battery – Truck Plant Model (Simulation)

The E-Truck Challenge began in late 2023 through a partnership with PACCAR to retrofit a Class 7 Peterbilt truck into an all-electric vehicle over four years. The effort grew to include a broader UW student engagement through a Registered Student Organization (RSO) focused on giving participants hands-on experience with industry components, software, and engineering practices while advancing cleaner transportation. The Battery Truck Plant Model project is focused on developing a system-level MATLAB/Simulink model of a battery electric truck. The model integrates major subsystems, including the high-voltage battery, motor drive unit, vehicle dynamics, controller, and thermal monitoring. Using CAN test data from the actual truck, the team will calibrate and validate the simulation to study energy use, acceleration, braking, range, and subsystem interactions. The final deliverable is a modular, documented plant model that supports performance analysis and future electric truck development.