2026 IEEE VTS Motor Vehicles Challenge
Powertrain Design and Energy Management Strategy for a Refrigerated Lorry
The IEEE VTS Motor Vehicles Challenge (MVC), supported by VTS, is an annual activity to find an appropriate energy management strategy to improve electric vehicles' performance. The competition is open to everyone (students, academics, and industry).
For the first time in its history, the Challenge focuses not only on the propulsion system, but also on smart planning of the charging schedule. This year's vehicle is a refrigerated lorry.
Challenge Summary
The refrigerated lorry follows a predefined delivery route shaped by speed profiles, cargo weight, road slope, and wind conditions. Along the way, it can rely on high- and low-power charging stations, as well as an innovative wireless charging system, to keep its battery powered. And for complete peace of mind, an emergency charging option is always available.
MVC 2026 participants must design a powertrain for a dual-motor refrigerated lorry, and develop both the energy management strategy and the charging schedule, while minimizing a given cost function.
Challenge participants will be provided with a free-to-use model of the studied vehicle on MATLAB/Simulink, which is then used as a common platform to evaluate submitted solutions fairly. The whole studied vehicle model is implemented in MATLAB/Simulink R2023b using the Simscape toolbox.
Prizes
Teams that develop the best solution will receive an award consisting of a certificate, an invitation to write and present a paper at IEEE VPPC 2026, and a grant that supports the expenses related to participation and attendance at IEEE VPPC 2026.
- First prize: Up to a limit of USD 3500.
- Second prize: Up to a limit of USD 1500.
Only VTS members are eligible to receive the grant. Click here to join VTS!
Download
All relevant materials are available on the GitHub repository of MVC 2026
Registration
Register to participate by 31 January 2025: MVC 2026 registration form
Important Dates
- Register by: 31 January 2026
- Submit solutions by: 1 March 2026
- Results: 31 March 2026
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