The main challenging issues of vehicles with electric propulsion are on the limited energy source due to relatively low battery capacity and low excitation of power traction. They can be tackled down by designing lightweight structures for frameworks and bodies of the vehicles. Composite materials which have a high strength to weight ratio are the best choice for designing and manufacturing the lightweight structures. A review of recent progress in utilization of the composite materials for electric vehicle structures is presented. It focuses on how the structures can support the electric vehicles to compete with internal combustion engine vehicles regarding their performance on the road. The utilization of composite material for structures of railway vehicles is also summarized. Furthermore, discussions are extended to the key technologies required for applying the composite materials in Indonesia such as composite–metal joint technology, fiber and matrix production technology, and numerical analysis competency for modeling the composite.

With the increasing global concern on negative environmental effect from the transportation sector, conventional automobile technologies will not be viable for much longer. Countries like the EU and China have introduced emission related regulations which are stricter than ever. This has compelled automotive manufacturer to turn to Electric Vehicles (EV) as the most effective solution to this issue. There are mainly two types of EV, namely Battery Electric Vehicle (BEV) and Hybrid Electric Vehicle (HEV). Both has its own strength and shortcomings, BEV with zero emission but limited range while HEV has better range at the expense of higher emission. Extended Range Electric Vehicle (EREV) provides a midpoint between these options. This option provides the best of both worlds by allowing users to switch between both systems depending on the vehicle’s operating condition. This paper aims to presents a variety of Range Extender (RE) configurations based on its working principle and type of fuel used. Internal combustion engine, fuel cell, and microturbine are what RE is commonly powered by. The advantages and disadvantages are evaluated and compared to determine the optimal option. It was concluded that depending on fuel availability, space, and efficiency requirement, each configuration has its own merit.

Cellular structures can be classified into foams, honeycombs, and lattice structures. Each type of structure has its characteristics. Various applications of cellular structures can be found in aviation, bioengineering, automotive, and other fields. In the automotive sector, cellular structures have been used for structural applications and impact- absorbing modules, for example, for protecting the electric vehicle battery pack against impact loading. The challenges that limit the application of cellular structures today include systematically designing pseudo-random cellular structures, assessing which cellular patterns are most suitable for a particular application, and mastery of manufacturing technology for efficient mass production of cellular structures. In this paper, the authors examine the state-of-the-art technology in geometry, applications, and manufacturing of various cellular structures carried out by researchers to obtain an overview of the current conditions for further development of these cellular structures. Limited manufacturing capabilities encourage researchers to design an optimal cellular structure to be applied to a particular function but have high manufacturability. The development of additive manufacturing technology has provided opportunities for researchers to produce an optimal cellular structure commercially soon.