PACCAR

Charging HW & SW

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 charge control unit (CCU) of an electric vehicle is an integral component, as it regulates the current flow between the charging station (EVSE) and the vehicle’s battery. As the truck is converted from a diesel-based system to an all-electric vehicle, the CCU must process an increased number of signals from other components, such as the vehicle control unit (VCU). This project involved developing software for the handshake sequence required to initiate charging using CAN bus signal messaging, the Raptor system, and the charging inlet. The software was then tested on physical hardware using hardware-in-the-loop testing with CANalyzer.