Pegah Rahmani completed her Bachelor’s and Master’s degrees in Electrical Engineering in Iran. After two years of industry experience in electrical and instrumentation engineering, she joined the MOBI-EPOWERS research group at Vrije Universiteit Brussel (VUB) as a Ph.D. researcher. Within the NEXTBMS project, VUB is responsible for cell monitoring and balancing, BMS hardware prototype development, software integration, virtual upscaling of battery packs, and system-level performance validation.
What was your original motivation to become a researcher?
My original motivation was a strong interest in new technologies in my field and the drive to understand and apply them. I enjoy tackling challenging problems and having deep technical discussions. Becoming a researcher felt like the best way to explore innovation while turning ideas into real outcomes.
What is your (main) research area today?
Optimization and Enhancement of Battery Management Systems (BMS) for Electric vehicles.
What is the main focus of your team in NEXTBMS?
In this project, VUB has been developed the hardware prototype for the next generation battery management system (BMS), incorporating single-cell supervisors to provide more detailed internal information about the battery system, along with BMS software integration. In addition, we developed a sizing methodology for scaling from battery cell to pack level and performed system-level validation within the OVPP (Open Vehicle Powertrain Platform) for automotive and stationary applications.
Could you describe your favourite moment/satisfaction when working for the project and – more in general – for your organisation?
Bringing innovative, complex technologies together and making sure they integrate smoothly, so we achieve reliable results with real impact.
How do you expect NEXTBMS results will affect your organisation and the energy storage sector?
At EPOWERS, we’re excited to be part of the NEXTBMS project. It’s a unique opportunity to bring our expertise and state-of-the-art facilities to a strong consortium of partners, helping advance battery management systems and support a cleaner, more efficient future for electric mobility. We’re also planning to showcase our driver-in-the-loop virtual testbench for BMS validation and testing.
