Case Study: Fiat Research Center achieves 70% faster battery-pack design and improved thermal management with COMSOL Multiphysics

Fiat Research Center - Customer Case Study

Fiat Research Center in Orbassano engaged Comsol to solve the thermal‑management challenge for lithium‑ion battery packs used in electric and hybrid vehicles. The team needed to cool packs made from as many as 100 pouch cells (targeting ~350 V) while keeping maximum temperature differentials under 5 °C, minimizing pack size and weight, and avoiding safety risks such as thermal runaway — all within tight development timelines.

Using Comsol’s COMSOL Multiphysics, Fiat modeled surface heat distribution for convection air cooling, dividing each pouch into nine zones and validating the model to within 1 °C against thermocouples and infrared measurements. Comsol’s simulations revealed hot spots and informed design changes that allowed smaller channels, a lighter frame, and a less powerful fan, cutting design time by about 70% (from ~1,000 to ~300 hours) and delivering measurable accuracy, packaging, and cost benefits.

Fiat Research Center

Michele Gosso

Fiat Research Center