PhD Studentship: Symbiotic Intelligent Electrified Vehicle Systems for Sustainable Transport
University of Birmingham – Department of Mechanical Engineering
Qualification Type: PhD
Location: Birmingham
Funding for: UK Students, EU Students, International Students
Funding amount: UKRI stipend
Hours: Full Time
Placed On: 19th November 2025
Closes: 31st December 2025
Project Description
This EPSRC-funded PhD project will investigate how next‑generation electric and autonomous vehicles can operate as symbiotic agents within the urban ecosystem—intelligently adapting their energy use, control strategies, and collective behaviours to enhance sustainability. The research aims to design AI‑driven control and energy management frameworks that enable self‑organising, cooperative operation among connected electrified vehicles such as airport trailers, delivery pods, or urban mobility fleets.
Using multi‑agent systems, reinforcement learning, and digital‑twin technologies, the project will develop algorithms for ecological sensing, adaptive motion planning, and energy optimisation under real‑world constraints. Scaled experiments and high‑fidelity simulations will validate system performance and demonstrate measurable reductions in energy consumption and emissions.
The successful candidate will join the Birmingham CASE Automotive Research Group—one of the UK’s leading centres in vehicle dynamics, control, and electrification—benefiting from industrial collaborations, advanced testing facilities, and a strong interdisciplinary environment.
Candidate Requirements
Applicants should hold a First‑class (or equivalent) degree in Mechanical, Automotive, Powertrain, or Control Engineering, or a closely related discipline. Strong academic performance and research potential are essential.
The selection will follow EPSRC criteria, with academic qualifications and potential (70%) and research proposal quality (30%) as the main weighting factors, while considering Equality, Diversity and Inclusion (ED&I) and alternative routes into research.
Desirable skills include experience in modelling and simulation (MATLAB/Simulink, Python), energy systems, and intelligent control methods. Applicants should demonstrate good communication, teamwork, and motivation for high‑impact, interdisciplinary research aligned with the EPSRC remit.
Funding notes
The project is supported by the EPSRC Doctoral Training Programme (DTP), offering one home and one overseas 3.5‑year studentship covering full tuition fees and a standard UKRI stipend.
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