Translation of Electric Vehicle Research into Education

Abstract

Electric vehicles (EVs) are one of the most important technological innovations that can save the environment. Over the years, there has been substantial EV research, which has been successfully transformed into EV products, leading to the recent commercialization and popularization of EVs. Nevertheless, the translation of EV research into EV education is lagging behind the technology transfer from EV research to EV products and is quite ad hoc in nature. In this paper, an overview of translating EV research into EV education is presented, which is systematically categorized into individual EV education, classroom EV education and professional EV education. Then, relevant surveys are conducted and discussed. Finally, some findings and suggestions are given to enhance the translation of EV research into EV education.

1. Introduction

Unlike internal combustion engine vehicles (ICEVs), electric vehicles (EVs) are equipped with an electric motor for propulsion. They are classified as pure or battery EV (BEV), hybrid EV (HEV) and fuel cell EV (FCEV) types based on their energy sources and propulsion devices [1]. In essence, the BEV is purely fed from a battery source while the propulsion is solely driven by the electric motor; the HEV is sourced from both a battery and petrol/diesel, while the propulsion involves both the electric motor and engine; and the FCEV is directly or indirectly sourced from hydrogen while the propulsion is solely driven by the electric motor. Moreover, in order to distinguish the means of refuelling, HEVs can be further categorized into conventional HEVs and plug-in HEVs (PHEV). The conventional HEV is solely refuelled with petrol/diesel in filling stations, whereas the PHEV can be recharged by electricity via charging ports. Based on the hybridization level and the operation features between the electric motor and engine, conventional HEVs can be further split into micro HEVs, mild HEVs and full HEVs. In recent years, new-energy vehicles (NEVs) have been defined, encompassing the BEV, PHEV and FCEV [2] types, which have been widely adopted in China [3].

Global EV sales, mainly composed of BEVs and PHEVs, are steadily increasing, reaching 14 million EVs in 2023, leading to about 40 million EVs operating on roads [4]. By the end of 2024, global EV sales increased by 25.6% to a record high. Some metropolises, such as Hong Kong, are experiencing exponential growth in EVs [5]. For instance, the percentage of EVs sold in Hong Kong in 2023 was over 60%. EVs illustrate the success of technology transfer from EV research to EV products. However, the translation of EV research into EV education is lagging behind the corresponding technology transfer [6]. Although there are some translations into EV education, the work is still fragmented and limited. Curiel-Ramirez et al. present a two-year programme aimed only at graduate education [7], excluding undergraduate and professional tracks. Ravi et al. describe building a single demonstration vehicle as a useful example [8], yet building one car is too narrow for the entirety of EV education. Saleet et al. have examined the education needs in Jordan [9], but their conclusions depend on local rules and jobs, which limit wider applications.

As research advancements in EVs are not fully or promptly reflected in current educational activities, a gap exists between EV research and EV education. The purpose of this paper is to give an overview of translating EV research into EV education by analyzing the current status of this translation and offering outlooks and suggestions for future improvements in bridging the gap.

The pathway for the translation of EV research into education can be described as moving from research to learning materials development and then to education activity design and implementation. Research creates new knowledge or technologies related to EVs. Learning materials development turns these findings into accessible resources, such as textbooks. With these materials, the stage of education activity design and implementation involves creating and delivering projects, seminars, courses or programmes.

The translation of EV research into education is categorized into individual EV education, classroom EV education and professional EV education. The categorization is based on the type of learners, such as students and engineers, as well as the type of education providers, such as academic institutions, professional institutions and training companies (including in-house training units). Students and universities are mainly engaged in individual and classroom EV education, whereas engineers, professional institutions and training companies are mainly involved in professional EV education. Under this framework, the current status of the translation of EV research into education will be evaluated through a series of targeted surveys, including the analysis of course offerings, programme offerings, and professional training opportunities at leading universities and institutions. Statistical information, including the prevalence of EV-focused educational offerings and descriptive examples, such as the evolution of the content of the EV course, will be examined to validate that the translation process is currently insufficient. Based on these findings, targeted suggestions will be proposed to enhance the integration of EV research into educational practice.

The relationship between research and education in the field of EVs is cyclical and mutually reinforcing. In essence, EV research drives the development of new EV curricula and training programs, while EV education produces the skilled workforce and academic foundation necessary to advance EV research.

2. Individual EV Education

Individual EV education generally refers to EV-related training projects for individual students at different levels, namely research postgraduate (RPG) degrees, including the Doctor of Philosophy (PhD) and Master of Philosophy (MPhil) degrees, the taught postgraduate (TPG) degrees, including the Master of Science (MSc), Master of Engineering (MEng) and Master of Technology (MTech) degrees, and undergraduate (UG) degrees, including the Bachelor of Engineering (BEng) and Bachelor of Technology (BTech) degrees. Training projects focusing on EVs are usually developed by first creating learning materials, such as project topics and experimental platforms, from the research project. Then, the projects are coordinated, including the assignment of supervisors for guidance, facilitation of project progress, and comprehensive evaluation of students’ work.

RPG students have to carry out an individual project with an outcome that makes a contribution to the field of EVs. Usually, this involves addressing unresolved academic issues in cutting-edge research topics concerning EVs, such as advanced power electronics, modern motor drives, and intelligent energy management. For the PhD degree, which has a nominal period of study of three or four years, PhD students have a high degree of freedom to identify a problem in this field and solve the problem independently. Thus, PhD students are trained to have the capabilities of self-initiative, problem identification and independent problem-solving for EVs. In the MPhil degree programme, which typically requires two years to complete, students are trained based on the same approach as that of PhD students, but with a smaller task and more guidance for solving problems.

For TPG students, it is either compulsory or optional to conduct a project, which nominally lasts for one to two years. Some projects can be devised with cutting-edge topics relating to EV research. Because these projects are at the forefront of academic research, they can help students grasp the latest research advancements and allow them to make their own contributions, often in areas similar to those explored by RPG students. The TPG students can work with RPG students, learning how to critically read technical papers and independently solve complex problems. Such research experience enables them to have a solid foundation for their future pursuit of an MPhil or PhD degree.

UG students are normally required to complete a final-year project before graduation. Some BEng projects can be deduced from EV research projects, typically aiming to provide hands-on experience in hardware design and construction [10]. These projects will be specifically designed to suit UG students and will be based on the knowledge taught at the UG level, such as power electronics and electric machines. Also, by working with RPG students and TPG students in the same area, though at different levels, UG students can gain invaluable research experience for their future development [11].

For example, an EV research project, “Development of Novel Dual-Rotor Stator-Permanent-Magnet Motor Drives for Electric Vehicles with Electronic Differential,” can generate a PhD project, “Design, Analysis and Application of Stator-Permanent-Magnet Motors for Electric Vehicles with Magnetic Differential,” an MSc project, “Electromagnetic Analysis of Stator-Permanent-Magnet Motors for Electric Vehicles,” and a BEng project, “Design and Construction of a Full-Bridge Inverter for an EV Stator-Permanent-Magnet Motor.”

Although there is no available database of UG project reports in the EV field, the relevant information on the theses and dissertations in the field for RPG and TPG degrees can be seen in the Open Access Theses and Dissertations (OATD) database [12], which is a resource for providing open access postgraduate (PG) project theses and dissertations around the world. Figure 1 summarizes the number of EV project theses and dissertations over the past two decades. It indicates a trend of increasing attention to individual education in the EV field, particularly in the last decade, which aligns well with the social awareness of such individuals and the popularization of EVs in recent years.

3. Classroom EV Education

Compared with the aforementioned individual EV education based on EV research projects, classroom EV education is much more comprehensive, from courses to programmes, and involves many more students, from optional to compulsory. As derived from EV research projects, classroom EV education naturally starts with advanced PG courses, followed by fundamental UG courses, and then moves from higher-level PG programmes to basic-level UG programmes. Learning materials for such education, including textbooks and lecture notes, are often developed from research outputs, translating complex findings into teachable formats. Universities then design course syllabi and programme curricula to ensure the effective delivery of high-quality content derived from research.

As one of the earliest translations of EV research to education, a master’s degree course, “Electric Vehicles,” was developed by the Hong Kong Polytechnic University in 1994, which was an elective course in the MSc degree program in Electrical Engineering. In that era, there were no comprehensive or suitable EV textbooks for this MSc course, so the teaching material was mainly sourced from EV conference proceedings, particularly the International Electric Vehicle Symposium and Exposition (EVS), which was an annual or biennial event for EV researchers and makers to keep abreast of the latest developments involving EVs. Over the years, EV textbooks have become available, some of which are comprehensive [13,14], and some of which are related to specific EV topics, such as EV batteries [15] and EV motors [16]. Nevertheless, there are still many challenges in classroom EV education, such as the pace of EV technological change, limited resources for curriculum updates, gaps between EV researchers and educators, and the lack of standardized accreditation for EV programmes.

Because of the ever-increasing need to serve the EV community, various universities around the world have developed EV-related courses. A survey was conducted to investigate what kinds of general TPG degree programmes offer which kinds of EV-related courses. Since there are many universities and a large number of general TPG programmes involved around the world, the survey was limited to the top 200 universities in the QS World University Rankings 2025 [17] and restricted to general TPG programmes with English as a medium of instruction.

Table 1. EV-related TPG courses offered by major universities (QS top 200).

University	Country	Courses
Imperial College London	UK	Electric Vehicle Technologies
University of Hong Kong	China	Advanced Electric Vehicle Technology
University of Toronto	Canada	Electric Vehicle Systems and Energy Management
Technical University of Munich	Germany	Power Electronics and Drives for Electric Vehicles
University of Michigan-Ann Arbor	USA	Modeling, Analysis and Control of Hybrid Electric Vehicles
Shanghai Jiao Tong University	China	Electric and Hybrid Electric Vehicles
Zhejiang University	China	Electric and Hybrid Vehicle Propulsion Systems
Delft University of Technology	Netherlands	Electric Vehicle and Charging Technology
KAIST	South Korea	Introduction to Electric Vehicles
Hong Kong Polytechnic University	China	Advanced Electric Vehicle Technology; Electric Energy Storage and New Energy Sources for Elec. Veh.; Electric Vehicles; Tomorrow’s Leader in Electric Vehicles
KU Leuven	Belgium	Electromobility
KTH Royal Institute of Technology	Sweden	Hybrid Vehicle Drives
Lund University	Sweden	Electric and Electric Hybrid Vehicle Technology
Purdue University	USA	Hybrid Electric Vehicles
Uppsala University	Sweden	Electric Vehicles
Polytechnic University of Milan	Italy	Automation and Control in Electric and Hybrid Vehicles; Electric and Hybrid Vehicles Engineering; Hybrid and Electric Vehicle
IIT Bombay	India	EV Powertrains
University of California, Davis	USA	Hybrid Electric Vehicle System Theory and Design
Chalmers University of Technology	Sweden	Electric and Hybrid Vehicles
IIT Delhi	India	Electric Vehicles
Texas A&M University	USA	Electric and Hybrid Vehicles
McMaster University	Canada	Electric Drive Vehicles; Modeling, Control and Design of Electrified Vehicles
University of York	UK	Electric Vehicle Technologies
Arizona State University	USA	Batteries and Electric Vehicle Technologies

summarizes those EV-related TPG courses offered by major universities. The courses were identified by searching the curricula and course lists available on the target universities’ websites, using keywords (e.g., electric vehicle, hybrid vehicle, and e-mobility) in the course titles to ensure their direct relevance to electric vehicles. It can be observed that there are only 24 universities, namely 12% of the QS top 200 universities, offering relevant TPG courses, which are far from enough to train sufficient human resources for the fast-growing EV industry. Specifically, 10 of these universities are located in Europe, seven in Asia, and seven in North America, indicating a geographically balanced distribution and the global need for relevant courses. Nevertheless, these universities are spread over different regions, including Asia, Europe and America, indicating that there is a global need for relevant courses. Also, it can be seen that Chinese universities play an active, though insufficient, role in offering TPG courses focused on EVs, which is consistent with the fact that China is a major EV player in terms of investment, manufacturing and penetration.

After the introduction of an MSc degree course, “Electric Vehicles,” in 1994, a UG degree course, “Electric Vehicle Technology,” was developed by the Department of Electrical and Electronic Engineering, University of Hong Kong, as an elective course for BEng in Electrical Energy Systems Engineering and BEng in Electrical and Electronic Engineering, in 1996, which should be the first UG level course dedicated to EV technology [18]. Consequently, various universities around the world have developed courses on EVs for their UG programmes.

Table 2. EV-related UG courses offered by major universities (QS top 200).

University	Country	Courses
Imperial College London	UK	Electric Vehicle Technology
National University of Singapore	Singapore	Driving Towards the Future: Battery Electric Vehicles; Electric Vehicles and Their Grid Integration
Cornell University	USA	Fundamentals of Electric-Drive Vehicle Engineering
University of Hong Kong	China	Electric Vehicle Technology
University of Toronto	Canada	Introduction to Electric Vehicle Design
Monash University	Australia	Introduction to Electric Vehicle Technology
Hong Kong Univ. of Sci. and Tech.	China	Electric Vehicle: Technology and Expectations in the Auto. Age
Hong Kong Polytechnic University	China	Electric Vehicles
University of Warwick	UK	Vehicle Electrification Fundamentals
Purdue University	USA	Electrical Vehicle Integration and Fabrication; Introduction to Electric Vehicle Systems
Uppsala University	Sweden	Batteries for Electromobility
Georgia Institute of Technology	USA	Hybrid Vehicle Powertrains
University of California, Davis	USA	Introduction to Electric Vehicles
Eindhoven Univ. of Technology	Netherlands	Electric and Hybrid Vehicle Powertrains
Chalmers University of Technology	Sweden	Electric and Hybrid Vehicles
IIT Delhi	India	Electric Vehicles
University of Barcelona	Spain	Automotive Electronics and Electric Cars
McMaster University	Canada	Conceptual Design of Electric and Hybrid Vehicles; Electric and Hybrid Vehicles
University of York	UK	Electric Vehicle Technology
Cardiff University	UK	Electric Vehicle Design

summarises those UG courses related to EV technologies with English as a medium of instruction offered by the top 200 universities within the QS World University Rankings 2025, identified using the same criteria as those of the TPG courses. It can be observed that there are only 20 universities, or 10% of the QS top 200 universities, offering relevant UG courses. Compared with Table 1, it can be seen in Table 2 that there are many universities simultaneously offering EV-related UG and TPG courses but with different levels and topics. EV-related courses at the UG level employ structured pedagogy through introductory coursework to help students build comprehensive knowledge foundations. In contrast, TPG-level courses utilize specialized advanced pedagogy for more in-depth discussions of EV technologies to expose students to cutting-edge research. One illustrative case is the University of Toronto, where the UG course “Introduction to Electric Vehicle Design” offers a multidisciplinary foundation in EV design, while the PG course “Electric Vehicle Systems and Energy Management” provides coverage of propulsion, charging, battery systems, and energy modeling. This illustrates the distinction in both depth and focus between UG and TPG EV courses. Both the UG-level and TPG-level courses may be delivered in-person, online, or in hybrid formats. In-person classes allow direct interaction and discussion, online courses such as MOOCs hosted by Coursera, edX and other learning platforms can improve accessibility and flexibility, and hybrid formats combine the advantages of both approaches. Another benefit of online delivery is its potential to democratize EV education by reaching learners in developing regions and underrepresented groups. Therefore, even when in-person instruction is possible, it is recommended that course materials and recorded lectures be made openly available online to extend access beyond well-resourced institutions. Similar to the TPG case, UG EV courses also show a broad international distribution. Among the 20 universities offering such courses, eight are located in Europe, six in Asia, and six in North America, indicating a global recognition of the need for EV education at the UG level. While Chinese universities are comparatively active in providing UG courses on EVs, their efforts remain insufficient.

In contrast with offering one or several EV-related courses in general TPG programmes, it is much more challenging to offer a TPG programme related to EV technologies. Namely, it needs to be composed of various EV courses, including system design, operation and management of EVs [14], as well as specific EV topics, such as EV batteries [15], EV motors [16], EV energy management [19] and EV infrastructure [20]. Thus, a survey on TPG programmes focused on EV technologies is conducted. Because of the challenge and limitation of offering such TPG programmes, the survey is extended to cover the top 400 universities within the QS World University Rankings 2025.

Table 3. EV-related TPG programmes offered by major universities (QS top 400).

University	Country	Programme
Hong Kong Polytechnic University	China	MSc in Electric Vehicles
University of Warwick	UK	MSc in Sustainable Automotive Electrification
Uppsala University	Sweden	MSc in All-Electric Propulsion Systems
University of Bologna	Italy	Master’s in Electric Vehicle Engineering
IIT Delhi	India	MTech in Electric Mobility
University of Bath	UK	MSc in Automotive Eng. with Electric Propulsion
University of Erlangen-Nuremberg	Germany	MSc in Electromobility-ACES
IIT Madras	India	MTech in E-Mobility
IIT Kanpur	India	E-Master’s in Renewable Energy and E-Mobility
IIT Roorkee	India	MTech in Electric Vehicle Technology
Brunel University London	UK	MSc in Electric Vehicle Systems
IIT Guwahati	India	MSc in E-Mobility

summarises those programmes with English as a medium of instruction. The programmes were identified by reviewing the programme descriptions and curricula of the listed programmes on the target universities’ websites. It shows that there are only 12 universities, or 3%, of the QS top 400 universities offering EV-related TPG programmes. As a systematic means of providing EV classroom education, the TPG programmes have gained attention in both developed and developing countries. The stringent environmental regulations and well-developed education systems of developed countries have directly driven the adoption of such programmes. Some populous developing countries have enacted supportive policies to develop their EV sector to alleviate environmental challenges in densely populated areas and to advance their automotive industries, hence indirectly enhancing the adoption of such programmes.

Among those universities in Asia, only one in China offers a TPG programme concerning EV technologies, namely the MSc in EVs by the Department of Electrical and Electronic Engineering, Hong Kong Polytechnic University [21], which is far below the expected number, reflecting the situation of China for being the major EV player. It is highly desirable to develop more such TPG programmes in response to the fast-growing penetration of EVs, especially in China. The content of the programme reflects the latest advancements in EV research. For example, the “Advanced Electric Vehicle Technology” course, whose lecturer is a wireless power transfer researcher, provides a comprehensive analysis of cutting-edge wireless EV charging technologies. On top of the carefully designed course content, a comprehensive analysis of this programme’s curriculum structure is presented in [21]. The programme also highlights the interdisciplinary nature of EV technologies by admitting students from different UG disciplines and providing interdisciplinary PG courses, such as “Autonomous Vehicles” and “Electric Energy Storage and New Energy Sources for Electric Vehicles.” Thus, the graduates from the programme should be well equipped with a broad spectrum of knowledge tailored to the EV industry.

Similar to TPG programmes in the field of EVs, it is very challenging to offer a UG programme in this field. In particular, a UG degree in EVs appears overly specialized, which might deter secondary school students from selecting it as their first degree unless there is a high demand for relevant jobs after graduation. Using the same evaluation criteria as for the TPG programmes, such UG programmes with English as a medium of instruction available at the QS top 400 universities are listed in

Table 4. EV-related UG programmes offered by major universities (QS top 400).

University	Country	Programme
Chulalongkorn University	Thailand	BEng in Automotive Design and Manufacturing, and EV Eng.
University of Sussex	UK	BEng in Sustainable Automotive Engineering

. Notably, only two universities, accounting for 0.5% of these universities, offer such programmes at the UG level. The result reveals that many universities have reservations about offering this programme.

4. Professional EV Education

Continuing professional development (CPD) is becoming a core component of any engineering career, which enables professional engineers to keep up to date through continuous learning and improving their knowledge and skills. For instance, as professional members of the Institution of Engineering and Technology (IET), they are required to undertake at least 30 h of CPD per year under the IET’s Rules of Conduct [22]. Similarly, corporate members of the Hong Kong Institution of Engineers (HKIE) need to take a minimum of 30 h of CPD per year, including at least five hours for discipline-specific professional matters, five hours for general professional matters, and three hours for health and safety matters [23]. Learning materials in CPD activities are typically derived from applied research findings in the form of technical manuals or training modules. The training providers develop and organize tailored training programmes to equip professionals with up-to-date skills.

CPD can generally be categorized into formal and informal types. Formal CPD usually involves participating in organised or structured activities where attendance can be verified. Examples of formal CPD activities include courses, workshops, conferences, seminars and meetings, which can be conducted via face-to-face or online delivery or achieved through distance learning. On the other hand, informal CPD usually involves engaging in individual or unstructured activities that suffer from difficulty in providing proof or evidence. Examples of informal CPD activities include personal studying, reading and researching. The CPD requirements generally accept both formal and informal CPD activities but with the majority belonging to the formal CPD that can be verified.

Since EVs have become popular in recent years and the classroom EV education is significantly lagging behind, most of the existing professional engineers lack sufficient knowledge and skills to deal with EVs. Thus, CPD activities themed around EVs are the key to professional EV education.

Formal CPD activities are generally organized by academic institutions, professional institutions, and training companies (including in-house training units). As there are numerous formal CPD activities in the field of EVs, not to mention informal ones, it is hardly possible to conduct a comprehensive survey. Therefore, a targeted search was conducted using search engines, and the titles and descriptions of the CPD activities were reviewed. Ten typical CPD courses on EVs that can be verified are picked from countries with a high gross domestic product (GDP). As listed in

Table 5. Typical EV-related formal CPD courses.

Country	Organizer	Type	Course	Hours
Australia	Centre for U	Training company	Electric Vehicle Charging Infrastructure	12
Brazil	SENAI	Academic institution	Safe Work in High Voltage Electric Vehicles	100
Canada	British Columbia Institute of Technology	Academic institution	Electric Vehicle Technology and Service	36
China	Hong Kong Institute of Vocational Education	Academic institution	Electric Vehicle Charging Facility Technologies Training Course	21
Germany	RWTH Aachen University	Academic institution	Battery Electrified Vehicle	150
India	MITCON Skills	Training company	Electric Vehicle Technician	100
Italy	Florence School of Regulation	Academic institution	Electric Vehicles—Mobility Meets the Power System	16
Netherlands	Delft University of Technology	Academic institution	Electric Cars: Technology	23
UK	Institution of Engineering and Technology	Professional institution	Electric Vehicle Charging Equipment Installation	25
USA	Institute of Electrical and Electronics Engineers	Professional institution	Transportation Electrification	24

, they are usually a collection of some practical EV topics with a common theme, accounting for 12–150 CPD hours. In general, academic institutions have the ability to offer more comprehensive formal CPD courses, whereas professional institutions and training companies prefer to offer relatively specific or urgently needed CPD courses. On the other hand, 10 typical formal EV CPD seminars are picked from countries with a high GDP, as listed in

Table 6. Typical EV-related formal CPD seminars.

Country	Organizer	Type	Seminar	Hours
Australia	Engineers Australia	Professional institution	Making the Shift to Battery Electric Vehicles before 2050	1
Canada	Megger	Training company	Electric Vehicle Charger Checker	1
China	Hong Kong Institution of Engineers	Professional institution	EV Bus Garage Fire Safety	1
France	NextMove	Professional institution	Electric Vehicles and Charging Stations	1.5
Germany	Munich Re	Training company	Electric Vehicles: The Way Ahead	1
India	Society of Automotive Engineers INDIA	Professional institution	Design Aspects of Electric Vehicles	1.5
Netherlands	Synergy BV	Training company	Simplifying the EV Electron Journey	1
Spain	Marbel Project	Academic institution	Driving Sustainability: Circular Economy and Ecodesign in Electric Vehicles’ Batteries	1.5
UK	European Centre of Technology	Professional institution	Electric Vehicles: Context, Technologies and Policies	1
USA	Institute of Electrical and Electronics Engineers	Professional institution	Energy Storage and Electric Vehicle Technology	1

, which are essentially small practical EV topics accounting for 1–1.5 CPD hours. In general, professional institutions and training companies are the major providers offering formal CPD seminars relating to various EV technologies.

Informal CPD activities related to EVs are difficult to quantify. They include personal study, reading, and research. For example, one might study “Introduction to Electric Vehicles” on YouTube [24], read the technical article “50 by 20: Wireless EV Charging Hits Key Benchmark” in IEEE Spectrum [25], or research the “Penetration of Electric Vehicles in Hong Kong” through internet searches. Each activity is typically less than one CPD hour and cannot be verified.

The CPD courses and seminars enable trainees to gain exposure to the most recent developments in the industry. For example, the CPD course “Electric Vehicle Charging Facility Technologies Training Course,” offered by the Hong Kong Institute of Vocational Education, covers the working principles of AC and DC charging, as well as the installation and maintenance of the EV charging infrastructure. Taking part in this 21 h in-person course, the participants will be equipped with up-to-date knowledge of EV research outcomes for application in the EV industry.

Professional education should be tailored according to different professions to ensure that technicians possess the latest knowledge of the most recent research outcomes applied in the industry. For example, electrical engineers should receive training on new technologies in power converters, and mechanical engineers should be trained on the latest advancements in vehicle chassis design and lightweight materials. The format of the courses should prioritize convenience for participants. Therefore, online training or in-house training sessions are preferred options. The effectiveness of such CPD activities can be evaluated using metrics such as post-training skill assessments and feedback from employers. Post-training assessments can evaluate whether participants have successfully acquired the knowledge. Feedback from employers can help determine whether the training has addressed actual workplace needs. Barriers to participation, such as time constraints, limited employer support, or lack of awareness, can be addressed by offering modular content, financial incentives, and certification systems that formally recognize completed CPD efforts.

5. Evaluation and Suggestion

As mentioned earlier, EV education is categorized into three layers of educational roles: individual EV education trains specialists for EV development, classroom EV education trains future manpower for the future EV community, and professional EV education trains existing manpower for the existing EV community.

Individual EV education can help solve the problems and overcome the challenges of EV development. Although the growth of such education has been significantly improved in recent years, it should be further strengthened by increasing the funding and support for EV projects at different levels, namely EV-related RPG, TPG and UG projects.

Classroom EV education serves to provide core manpower for the EV community. The current situation is far from enough to respond to the growth of EVs—only 12% and 10% of the QS top 200 universities offer EV-related TPG and UG courses, respectively, while only 3% and 0.5% of the QS top 400 universities offer EV-related TPG and UG programmes, respectively. In line with the target of 80% zero-emission new car sales in many countries by 2030, the number of universities offering EV-related courses should be significantly increased. Taking into account the timeline of curriculum development, doubling the existing percentages should be feasible—namely, at least 20% of the QS top 200 universities ought to offer both at least one upper-level UG course and one TPG course in EV technologies by 2030. In addition, these universities should incorporate EV-related topics into UG capstone projects and PG research projects, enabling students at different stages to gain practical experience with EV systems. Considering the difficulty and complexity in developing such programmes as compared with the courses, it is urged that at least 10% of the QS top 400 universities offer EV-related TPG programmes by 2030. To maximize resource efficiency and broaden student exposure, selected modules and project topics within these TPG programmes can also be made available as elective courses or capstone projects for senior UG students. Such efforts should be particularly promoted in those countries with high penetration of EVs. Nevertheless, there is no specific target for EV-related UG programmes as a UG degree in EVs appears too specific or narrow as a first degree. In terms of programme curriculum, EV education should adopt a multidisciplinary structure that keeps pace with rapid technological developments. Core areas should include EV systems, power electronics, control, networking, and transportation. It is also suggested that selected courses be offered by industry professionals focusing on practical experience and recent developments in the industry. Intended learning outcomes should cover technical competence, familiarity with emerging technologies, problem-solving, system integration, and analytical thinking. To ensure the timely incorporation of innovations, curriculum updates should be supported by advisory input from industry and research experts and flexible elective modules that can be revised or introduced without overhauling the core structure. To achieve the proposed targets of courses and programmes, universities should establish interdisciplinary teams to assess curriculum gaps and actively develop educational content. National education authorities can support this through incentives and faster course approval processes. Key barriers, such as limited faculty expertise and institutional inertia, can be addressed through faculty training, shared teaching materials, and targeted funding for course development.

Professional EV education can help alleviate the imminent manpower shortage of the EV community. Academic institutions and professional institutions should offer some bridging courses to enable existing professional engineers in the fields of electrical engineering, mechanical engineering and automotive engineering to work for the fast-growing EV industry. For a typical EV-related MSc programme [21], the number of contact hours is 273–390. Taking into account the common engineering background among different engineering fields, the number of CPD hours of relevant bridging courses should be about 50% of the number of contact hours of a specific MSc programme, namely, about 150 CPD hours.

To enhance the relevance and impact of EV education, it is essential to foster university–industry collaboration that bridges individual, classroom, and professional education. By jointly developing curricula, sharing resources, and engaging in real-world projects, both universities and industrial partners can benefit from each other’s strengths. Concrete mechanisms include co-developing EV-related courses with input from the industry, where companies help identify required competencies, provide real-world examples, and contribute to the design of teaching materials according to the industry’s best practices. Structured internship programmes, developed together with industry, give students the chance to work in real engineering environments and apply what they have learned from the university. Joint research or capstone projects, supervised by both university staff and industry engineers, allow students to solve real technical problems and gain hands-on experience. Conversely, universities can provide research support for enterprises, assisting them in solving technical challenges and advancing innovation. To institutionalize such collaboration, governments can offer targeted funding to support joint curriculum development and student placements. Additionally, accreditation bodies may include industry collaboration as part of programme evaluation, encouraging universities to embed it in their academic planning. This integrated approach ensures that education stays aligned with industry needs, supports continuous upskilling, and drives mutual progress in both academia and industry.

By achieving the above targets, the number of graduates with expertise in EVs will steadily increase, helping to alleviate the skills gap currently faced by the industry. This, in turn, will accelerate the integration of new technologies and best practices into the EV sector, foster innovation, and strengthen collaboration between academia and industry. Ultimately, the enhancement of EV education is expected to deliver substantial benefits for workforce development and play a key role in supporting the broader transition toward sustainable and low-carbon transportation systems.

6. Conclusions

In this paper, an overview of translating EV research into EV education has been presented, which is firstly categorized into individual EV education, classroom EV education and professional EV education. Individual EV education serves to solve the problems and overcome the challenges of EV development, which should be further strengthened by increasing the funding and support for EV projects. Classroom EV education serves to provide core manpower for the EV community, which should be significantly expanded, aiming to achieve 20% of the QS top 200 universities offering relevant TPG and UG courses, as well as 10% of the QS top 400 universities offering relevant TPG programmes by 2030. Professional EV education serves to instantly alleviate the EV manpower shortage, which should be enhanced by offering bridging courses with about 150 CPD hours for existing professional engineers to work in the EV industry. Progress towards the proposed targets may be monitored through regular tracking of curriculum offerings. In addition, institutional reports can provide valuable insights into the progress of the development of education activities. These data can provide a reference for educational policymakers. Further research could explore how investments in EV education influence long-term workforce development and industry competitiveness.

It should be noted that our analysis has relied on the OATD database and QS World University Rankings data source to conduct systematic surveys within the practical constraints of time and resources. Additional platforms such as Scopus, Coursera, ResearchGate, and IEEE Xplore, as well as data from industry reports, governmental policy documents, and international bodies, may be incorporated in future research to provide a more holistic analysis. Furthermore, surveys or expert interviews could be conducted to validate the proposed targets and strategies in a more practice-oriented context.