DEMOBASE · Project

Cutting EV Battery Development Time in Half While Boosting Efficiency by 20%

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Right now, designing batteries for electric vehicles is painfully slow — you build the cell first, then figure out how to put it in a car, one step at a time. DEMOBASE flipped that by running both steps at the same time using advanced computer simulations, like designing the engine and the car body in parallel instead of waiting for one to finish. They built an actual demo electric vehicle with a lightweight chassis and tested it on a track. The result: development that used to take years can now happen twice as fast, with batteries that work 20% more efficiently.

By the numbers

Reduction in e-drivetrain development and testing effort

20%

Improvement in e-drivetrain efficiency

EUR 7,451,520

Total EU funding for the project

European partners in the consortium

Countries represented (DE, FR, IT, SE)

6 months

Duration of the second-loop demonstration run

The business problem

What needed solving

Developing electric vehicle batteries today is a slow, sequential process — you design the cell, then build the pack around it, then integrate into the vehicle. Each stage waits for the previous one, dragging timelines out and inflating costs. For automakers racing to launch competitive EVs, every month of delay means lost market share and revenue.

The solution

What was built

The project delivered a co-simulation software platform (FMIx) described as mature enough for public commercialization, enabling parallel design of cells, battery systems, and vehicle integration. They also built and track-tested an urban demo electric vehicle with a lightweight chassis, advanced battery pack, and low rolling resistance wheel-tire systems.

Audience

Who needs this

EV manufacturers looking to accelerate battery development cyclesBattery pack integrators needing better simulation tools for cell-to-pack designFleet operators evaluating safer and more efficient urban electric vehiclesAutomotive tier-1 suppliers developing e-drivetrain componentsBattery management system (BMS) developers seeking integrated design workflows

Business applications

Who can put this to work

Electric vehicle manufacturing

enterprise

Target: EV manufacturers and e-drivetrain developers

If you are an EV manufacturer struggling with long battery development cycles — this project developed a co-simulation software platform (FMIx) that lets you design cells and battery systems in parallel instead of sequentially. The consortium demonstrated this can cut development and testing efforts by a factor of 2 while improving drivetrain efficiency by 20%. The software was built by 11 European partners including SAFT, one of Europe's leading battery makers.

Battery system engineering

mid-size

Target: Battery pack integrators and BMS developers

If you are a battery system integrator dealing with slow design iteration between cell suppliers and pack engineering — this project created digital models that include safety features at the cell level, enabling battery management system design to happen simultaneously with cell development. The platform was validated on real hardware with an urban demo vehicle tested on tracks. With 7 industrial partners in the consortium, the tools are built for real-world engineering workflows.

Fleet and urban mobility

any

Target: Fleet operators and urban mobility companies

If you are a fleet operator looking for safer, more efficient electric vehicles for urban use — this project developed and demonstrated a lightweight urban EV with an advanced battery pack and low rolling resistance tire systems. The vehicle was built and evaluated on test tracks, proving a 20% efficiency improvement. New safety concepts were specifically developed for fleet applications, addressing one of the biggest concerns for commercial EV deployment.

Frequently asked

Quick answers

What would it cost to license or access the co-simulation software?

The FMIx co-simulation software was described as 'mature enough for public commercialization' in the project deliverables. Specific licensing costs are not published in CORDIS data. Contact the coordinator SAFT to discuss commercial terms and access options.

Can this work at industrial scale for mass-market EV programs?

The consortium included 7 industrial partners (64% industry ratio) led by SAFT, a major battery manufacturer. The tools were designed to replace sequential cell-then-pack development with parallelized workflows, specifically targeting production-scale e-drivetrain programs. The demo vehicle was built and tested on tracks, validating the approach beyond simulation.

Who owns the IP and how is it licensed?

The project was funded as an RIA (Research and Innovation Action) with EUR 7,451,520 in EU contribution across 11 partners. IP is typically shared among consortium members under Horizon 2020 rules. SAFT as coordinator would be the first point of contact for licensing discussions around the FMIx platform.

How does this compare to existing battery simulation tools?

DEMOBASE's key differentiator is the closed-loop approach — running cell design, battery management, and vehicle integration simultaneously rather than sequentially. The project claims this cuts development effort by a factor of 2. The FMIx platform was specifically built for co-simulation across multiple engineering disciplines.

What safety improvements were achieved?

The project developed enhanced cell models that include safety features directly in the design phase, rather than adding safety as an afterthought. New safety concepts were specifically created for fleet applications. Based on available project data, specific safety test metrics are not detailed in the public objective.

What is the project timeline and current status?

DEMOBASE ran from October 2017 to November 2020 and is now closed. The final release of the FMIx co-simulation software was delivered and described as ready for public commercialization. Any further development would depend on the consortium partners' individual roadmaps.

Consortium

Who built it

DEMOBASE has a strong industry-heavy consortium with 7 out of 11 partners from industry (64%), which is well above average for EU research projects. Led by SAFT, a major French battery manufacturer, the consortium spans 4 countries (Germany, France, Italy, Sweden) — all key players in European automotive and battery supply chains. Four SMEs participated, bringing agility alongside the larger industrial players. With 4 research organizations providing scientific backing and zero universities, this is clearly an applied engineering effort aimed at near-market results rather than basic research. The EUR 7.45 million budget was distributed across activities from cell design to vehicle demonstration and recycling.

SAFTCoordinator · FR
INTERACTIVE FULLY ELECTRICAL VEHICLES SRLparticipant · IT
FORSCHUNGSZENTRUM JULICH GMBHparticipant · DE
INSTITUT NATIONAL DE L ENVIRONNEMENT INDUSTRIEL ET DES RISQUES - INERISparticipant · FR
K & S GMBH PROJEKTMANAGEMENTparticipant · DE
INFINEON TECHNOLOGIES AGparticipant · DE
ACCUREC-RECYCLING GMBHparticipant · DE
MA SRLparticipant · IT
MODELON ABparticipant · SE
IFP Energies nouvellesparticipant · FR

How to reach the team

SAFT (France) — a leading European battery manufacturer. Use SciTransfer's coordinator lookup service to get the right contact.

Order a report on this consortium See SAFT profile →

Next steps

Talk to the team behind this work.

Want an introduction to the DEMOBASE team? SciTransfer can connect you with the right person at SAFT or any consortium partner. We handle the matchmaking so you can focus on evaluating the technology.

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