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 51���� School has adapted its graduate programs to the changes under way in the mobility and transport sector.
 In 2018, a strategic study was conducted. It gave rise to an action plan that was introduced from September 2018.
 It is already possible to draw up an initial assessment. 

51���� School had 2 main objectives in mind when launching this strategic study:
-    to further improve its training offer for the "powertrain 4.0” engineering students who will be supporting the development of sustainable mobility; 
-    to shift the focus of programs to skills addressing the business needs of our industrial partners and student expectations with respect to new technologies and sustainable mobility.

A major shift towards electrification

At the start of the new academic year in September 2018, the graduate programs delivered by 51���� School in the field of powertrains and sustainable mobility took a radical shift towards electrification. The share of modules specifically dedicated to hybrid technology and electrification increased from 5 to 18%. Taking into account other changes, such as the introduction of practical work on electric machine test benches and the marked “electrification” of end-of-studies projects, as well as themes tackled during company internships, there is now almost a balance between teaching dedicated to IC powertrains and teaching dedicated to electric powertrains.

51���� School’s graduate education offer now comprises five programs:

• 3 specialized engineering graduate programs:
  o    Energy and powertrains (MOT)
  o    Powertrain engineering (PWT) – Taught in English
  o    Energy and products (PRO)
   
• An M2 master’s program : Electrification of Automotive Propulsion (EPA) in partnership with ENS Cachan within Paris-Saclay University 
• A new Advanced-master degree® program (for professionals): Combustion, Electric and Hybrid Powertrains, with two IC-Hybrid & Hybrid-Electric options, operated in partnership with 51���� Training.

The MOT & PWT programs, which have a similar content but are taught in different languages, have been repositioned. The focus has been placed on their differentiation and complementarity. It was decided that the share of teaching hours dedicated to hybridization and electrification would be the same and would represent around 50% of modules. Differentiation thus relates to content excluding electrification.

For MOT, a program taught in French with a more limited international scope, the objective is to cover a broader, more diversified powertrain sector, encompassing not only cars but also long-distance transport and off-road applications.

The program’s modules and targets in terms of industrial partners have been broadened to include heavy truck, commercial vehicle and off-road applications (ship, rail, aviation engines, stationary engines, etc.), operated using electricity and gasoline- and diesel-type fuels, as well as gas and hydrogen, which are appropriate for these non-car sectors.

As for the PWT program, which its significant international scope, it remains focused on the global automotive industry, covering hybrid gasoline and electric powertrains for private and commercial vehicles, taking into account urban constraints, the last mile, electric infrastructure, connectivity and driverless technology, etc.

The PRO program, which previously focused on fuels, lubricants and their use in powertrains, now includes modules on batteries and their use in electromobility.

Finally, the EPA master’s program, which, strategically, was always positioned a step ahead of our graduate engineering programs, now incorporates a new module in the connected and driverless vehicle.

In order to support all these changes, upskill in certain areas and develop new teaching modules and academic and industrial partnerships, an "Electric Connected and Autonomous Vehicle for smart mobility" chair was launched on 1January 2019.

What vision for the future of mobility?

In terms of the vision of Industrial players in the sector concerning the future of mobility and the associated challenges, we are likely to see the development of intermodal transport solutions and a re-assessment of car ownership on the part of individuals.

The decline in the privately-owned vehicle market and the increase in the shared vehicle market will lead to new constraints associated with evolving usages: the powertrain for the shared vehicle will have to be redesigned to be more robust and capable of traveling further. At the same time, although the current business model is set to be shaken up, the privately-owned car and the traditional mobility model are likely to remain on the scene.

Electrification and hybridization are going to develop to reflect the tightening-up of pollution-abatement standards and an acceleration in the introduction of new regulations. Concerning the "Powertrain" system, the need for engineers to develop IC engines will diminish, despite the fact that the gasoline version of the IC engine will remain present through hybridization (still present in the period 2030-2040 in 70% of powertrains). The diesel engine for private vehicles would appear to have a finite lifespan, while for heavy trucks and buses, mobility is shifting towards a diversity of solutions between the all-electric for the last mile and liquid (diesel) and gas fuels for long distances.

As regards connectivity, cybersecurity will become a key element. Public transport will undergo a radical transformation with the arrival of the driverless vehicle.

What key skills for tomorrow?

Among the key skills that will be necessary to accompany this “revolution” in the automotive sector, the “holistic” system approach underpinning and characterizing our graduate programs is still considered to be essential and one of 51���� School’s core strengths, irrespective of the evolution of technical content. Topics that were already covered in our teaching programs at the notion stage will be tackled in greater depth to integrate them within this powertrain system approach. Here, we are talking about everything associated with electric or electrified powertrains (electric machines, power electronics, batteries, new transmissions, etc.).

Moreover, new themes will form part of the fundamental notions to be familiar with. These include connectivity, big data, the driverless vehicle and alternative propulsion systems, such as the hydrogen cell.