The electric vehicle revolution promises a sustainable future, but a growing concern centers on the complexity and planned obsolescence built into many EV designs. What if electric vehicles were designed not just for efficiency, but for longevity and owner repair? That’s the question driving a team of students at Eindhoven University of Technology in the Netherlands, who have unveiled the Aria EV – a prototype challenging the conventional automotive industry with its focus on repairability and modularity.
The Aria project, initiated in 2024, operates much like a startup within the university’s Ecomotive team structure. Roughly 20 students apply, are selected and dedicate a year to developing a vehicle, mirroring industry practices. The core goal, according to team spokesperson Sarp Gurel, is to create a car that is “as accessible and repairable as possible.” Gurel, who graduated with a bachelor’s degree in industrial engineering last July and is currently pursuing a master’s degree at Eindhoven, emphasizes that the Aria EV is currently a proof-of-concept, not road legal, designed to demonstrate the feasibility of repairability-focused EV architecture.
The team’s primary focus was tackling the most expensive and challenging component of any EV: the battery. Instead of a single, large battery pack – common in vehicles like the Chevrolet Bolt EV, the Hyundai Ioniq 5, and the Tesla Model 3 – Aria utilizes a modular design, dividing its total 13 kilowatt-hour capacity into six smaller modules, each weighing approximately 12 kilograms. This approach, as highlighted by IEEE Spectrum, makes battery replacement significantly easier, potentially allowing a single person to manage the process.
These modules are secured within reinforced compartments under the vehicle floor using a bottom-latch system. When the vehicle is powered down, the latches release, and integrated interlocks isolate the high-voltage connection, ensuring safe and straightforward component-level replacement. This “repairability by design” is further enhanced by a dedicated diagnostic app, accessible via a USB-C port. When connected to a smartphone, the app provides a 3D visualization of the vehicle, pinpointing faults, identifying necessary tools, and offering step-by-step repair instructions, with the tools themselves stored within the car.
The Challenges of Modular Battery Design
Even as Aria champions modularity, the broader automotive industry generally favors integrated systems for streamlined manufacturing and cost reduction. Joe Borgerson, a laboratory research operations coordinator at Ohio State University’s Center for Automotive Research, notes a key complication: mixing new and aged battery modules can present challenges. Borgerson, who is involved in the U.S. Department of Energy’s Battery Workforce Challenge, explains that integrating a student-designed pack into a Stellantis vehicle platform has provided him with deep insight into both automaker design philosophies and high-voltage EV architecture.
Dividing systems into removable units introduces more interfaces – mechanical fasteners, electrical connectors, seals, and safety interlocks – each requiring robust design to withstand vibration, temperature fluctuations, and potential crash forces. These additional interfaces can increase mass and complexity, potentially reducing space available for energy storage. Matilde D’Arpino, an assistant professor of mechanical and aerospace engineering at Ohio State, points out that while EV batteries are already modular internally, making modules externally replaceable introduces new validation requirements for high-voltage isolation, thermal performance, and crash integrity.
Right to Repair and the Future of EV Maintenance
The Aria project arrives at a time when “right to repair” legislation is gaining momentum in both Europe and the United States. Such legislation could compel automakers to reconsider sealed battery architectures and other components, potentially creating economic incentives for fleet operators and long-term owners who could benefit from replacing only a fraction of a battery system rather than the entire pack. However, widespread adoption would necessitate changes across supply chains, certification processes, and service models.
As TU Eindhoven reports, the Aria prototype isn’t intended to compete directly with production EVs. Instead, it serves as a demonstration of viable concepts for repairability. Consumer preferences for longer driving range and lower prices also play a significant role, as these factors currently dominate the EV market.
the success of a repair-focused approach like Aria’s hinges not solely on engineering feasibility, but on whether regulators, manufacturers, and consumers prioritize repair as a core design requirement. The Aria EV demonstrates that a different path is possible, one where vehicle ownership extends beyond simply driving and includes the ability to maintain and extend the life of the vehicle itself.
What comes next for the Aria concept remains to be seen, but it undoubtedly injects a crucial conversation into the evolving landscape of electric vehicle design and sustainability. Share your thoughts on the future of EV repairability in the comments below.