Curriculum

The Green DRIVE Joint Master’s Degree in Sustainable Automotive Engineering is a 2-year course of 120 credits. Our objective: train engineers in the skills and knowledge they need to work in the automotive industry of the future.

You will study the first year of the Master’s degree in 2 out of the 4 participating universities; that is, in 2 different countries. This rich multi-cultural background will help to develop your ability to adapt quickly and to work in different international environments.

During the second year of the Joint Master you will work during the first semester either in industry or in a research laboratory. Our associated partners are leaders in the automotive field and you will be part of innovative and exciting projects. After this period of work placement, you will have the second semester to work on your Master’s Thesis in either one of the participating universities or in another approved institution or organisation.

All classes will be taught in English. Classes in the language of each country where you study will be available.

Course content

This innovative programme will cover a variety of aspects of future vehicle design, technology and management.

Topics include: electric and hybrid electric powertrains, combustion engines, emission standards, fuel cell technology, energy storage in batteries, super capacitors and flywheels as well as the smart grid.

Innovative technology will be taught at component and at system levels. You will use simulation tools to solve advanced engineering problems. There will be courses on control and calibration, vehicle modelling, vehicle dynamics, lightweight structures, new sustainable materials and recycling, electro-mobility and intelligent transportation systems.

Course outline

The GREEN DRIVE Joint Master’s Degree in Sustainable Automotive Engineering is a 2-year course of 120 credits.

First year:

The first trimester, the students will take 15 ECTS of core Automotive courses / 6 ECTS of entrepreneurship and communication courses at the University of Antwerp.

The second trimester students stay in Antwerp and will follow the lectures given by the lecturers of Loughborough University. This represents another  21 ECTS of the Automotive core programme.

The third semester students will specialize for 18 ECTS either at:

  • the University of Deusto in Bilbao, Spain in the areas of CIT technologies, human comfort and lightweight structures,
  • or at the University of Bordeaux in France on electric and  hybrid vehicles and transport organisation.

Second year:

During the second year of the Joint Master you will work during the first semester either in industry or in a research laboratory. Our associated partners are leaders in the automotive field and you will be part of innovative and exciting projects. After this period of work placement, you will have the second semester to work on your thesis in either one of the participating universities or in another approved institution or organisation.

Year 1: Term 1

September – December
University of Antwerp

21 credits of automotive core courses

  • Engine Technologies & Green Fuels
  • Vehicle Dynamics
  • Electric Power Systems in EV and HEV
  • Communication and Entrepreneurships

Year 1: Term 2

January – March
University of Antwerp

The courses are given at University of Antwerp by lecturers of Loughborough University.

21 credits of automotive core courses

  • Calibration optimization
  • Sustainable Vehicle Powertrains

Year 1: Term 3

April – July
University of Deusto

18 credits specialisation in ICT, human comfort and lightweight materials

  • In-vehicle Intelligent Transportation Systems
  • Vibroacoustic Comfort in Electric Vehicles
  • Lightweight Structures and Materials

Year 1: Term 3

April – July
University of Bordeaux

18 credits specialisation in electric and hybrid vehicles and transport systems

  • Design of EV/HEV Powertrain
  • Technical system analysis and modelling
  • Electro-mobility

Year 2: Semester 1

September – January

Industrial internship

Year 2: Semester 2

February – June

Master’s Thesis

Term 1

University of Antwerp

Module 1

Engine Technologies & Green Fuels (6 EC)

  • Principles of operation of modern engines and combustion in Otto and diesel engines
  • Thermodynamic and gas dynamic study of piston engines
  • Friction, lubrication and mechanical efficiency
  • Fuels: their properties and the criteria for assessing fuels
  • Biodiesel and fuels in liquid form, hydrogen and fuel cells, LPG, CNG, LNG
  • Second generation biofuels, effect on diesel engines, effect of ethanol on the ICE
  • Mechanisms of origin of exhaust components
  • New technologies and exhaust gas treatment systems for gasoline and diesel engines
  • Trends in engine technologies: downsizing, turbo charging, HCCI
Module details

Module 2

Vehicle Dynamics (3 EC)

  • General introduction to the vehicle dynamics
  • Behavior of tires: existing theory and charts
  • Coordinates used for the modeling of a vehicle
  • Vehicle stability in both steady-state and dynamic states
  • Forces and moments that act on a vehicle
  • Geometry of different types of suspension and steering systems
  • Analysis of the forces acting on the tires
Module details

Module 3

Electric Power Systems in EV and HEV (6 EC)

  • Power electronic components
  • Switching inductive loads and automotive switching applications
  • Power electronic converter circuits
  • Why electric power trains?
  • Electric machines in vehicles
  • Energy storage
  • Dynamic motion control
  • Drivetrains in electric and hybrid electric vehicles
  • Auxiliary systems
Module details

Module 4

Communication and Entrepreneurships (6 EC)

  • Idea generation
  • Product design
  • Business Case
  • Management and intercultural aspects
Module details

Term 2

University of Antwerp

Lectures are given at the University of Antwerp by lecturers of Loughborough University.

Module 5

Powertrain Calibration Optimization (11 EC)

  • Engine development
  • Engine calibration
  • Design of experiments
  • Optimisation
Module details
Module 6

Sustainable Vehicle Powertrains (10 EC)

  • Introduction to internal combustion engines and alternative powertrain technologies
  • Renewable alternative fuels
  • Advanced combustion engines
  • Introduction to battery technology
  • Hybrid vehicular powertrain integration
  • Driveline performance
Module details

Term 3

University of Deusto

Specialisation in ICT, human comfort and lightweight components

Module 7

In-vehicle Intelligent Transportation Systems (6 EC)

  • Intelligent transportation systems (ITS)
  • Vehicular cooperative systems
  • Advanced driver assistance systems (ADAS)
  • In-vehicle human machine interfaces (HMI) & user experience
Module details
Module 8

Vibro-Acoustic Comfort in Electric Vehicles (6 EC)

  • Human comfort
  • Vibroacoustic comfort in human transportation systems
  • Permanent magnet synchronous motor modeling
  • Viscoelastic structural systems modeling
Module details
Module 9

Lightweight Structures (6 EC)

  • Light-weight automotive materials
  • Theory and computation of advanced materials
  • Functional analysis of automotive materials
  • Manufacturing procedures and assembly
Module details

Term 3

University of Bordeaux

Specialisation in EV & HV, and transport systems

This trimester aims at developing competences relevant for engineering offices, design departments and research and development departments. In particular it focuses on analysis and modelling skills for complex integrated systems. The specific fields considered are on one hand the electric and hybrid vehicles and on the other hand city transport organisation.

Module 10

Design of EV/HEV Powertrain (6 EC)

  • HEV and EV components.
  • Hybrid electric powertrains in the different types of vehicles
  • Plugin electric powertrains in the different types of vehicles
  • Pure Electric powertrains in the different types of vehicles
  • Charging modes
  • Experimentation of vehicles
  • Modelling power trains
Module details
Module 11

Technical System Analysis and Modelling (6 EC)

  • Complex systems analysis
  • Multi-criteria optimization and goal programming
  • Energetic systems modeling
  • Multi physics modeling of components
  • Energy flow architecture of electric and hybrid vehicles
  • Practice of a standard modeling tool for vehicles
  • Project: for a well-defined application
Module details
Module 14

Electro-Mobility (6 EC)

  • Electro-mobility at large
  • Organizations and specific utilizations
  • Integration in society
  • Future and trends
  • Actual implementations
  • Study cases/projects
Module details