A consortium led by the University of Ljubljana, Faculty of Mechanical Engineering was successful in a call for proposals issued by the Slovenian Research and Innovation Agency (ARIS), securing the groundbreaking research and development project NEO-TWIN: Next generation methods, tools and products for innovative digital-twin based diagnostics and prognostics of electric vehicles.
The project is led by prof. dr. Tomaž Katrašnik, head of the Laboratory for Internal Combustion Engines and Electromobility (LICeM) at the Department of Energy Engineering (KES).
A total of EUR 4,993,819.13 of co-funding has been approved for the project, which is scheduled for completion in June 2029. The project’s total budget is EUR 7,432,280.88. In addition to the University of Ljubljana, Faculty of Mechanical Engineering, the consortium includes the following partners: Domel, d.o.o., Emsiso d.o.o., Hidria d.o.o., Jožef Stefan Institute, National Institute of Chemistry, Piktronik d.o.o., Smartis, d.o.o., University of Ljubljana, Faculty of Electrical Engineering, University of Maribor, Faculty of Electrical Engineering and Computer Science, and the Slovenian National Building and Civil Engineering Institute, while the SRIP ACS+ office also actively supported the preparation of the project proposal.
The NEO-TWIN project will leapfrog safety, durably and reliability functionalities in electric and electrified vehicles by developing and demonstrating an innovative NEO-TWIN SUITE, which incorporates multiple innovative technological solutions in the vehicle and in the cloud.
NEO-TWIN SUITE is an innovative cyber-physical system integrating next generation methods, tools and products for innovative digital-twin based diagnostics, prognostics and model enhanced control of key powertrain devices of electric and electrified vehicles focusing on batteries, electric machines, inverters and fuel cells.
During the evaluation process, the project received a high rating, with the evaluators highlighting its scientific excellence, clearly defined objectives and significant potential for transferring the results into industrial practice.
The project’s particular value lies in its interdisciplinary approach and close collaboration between research organisations and industrial partners. This enables groundbreaking research achievements to be effectively translated into concrete technological solutions. According to the reviewers, the project has significant potential to contribute to sustainable and digital mobility, as well as strengthening competitiveness on a global scale.
“Today, the condition of batteries and other components is often assessed in a manner comparable to a physician evaluating a patient’s health based solely on body temperature or blood pressure,” emphasizes Prof. Dr. Tomaž Katrašnik. “The NEO‑TWIN project therefore draws inspiration from modern medicine and introduces a novel paradigm: by combining digital twins with advanced virtual and physical sensing technologies, it enables direct insight into internal processes in batteries, electric machines, inverters and fuel cells —analogous to the use of ECG, X‑ray, or magnetic resonance imaging in human diagnostics. This approach allows for substantially more accurate condition assessment and supports a transition toward proactive management of component performance and service life.”
By coordinating a key research and development project in the field of mobility, the University of Ljubljana, Faculty of Mechanical Engineering is strengthening its position as a leading research centre in sustainable and safe mobility and energy. The project is also strengthening the link between science and industry.
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