A computational efficient, multi-domain numerical framework for modelling fuel cell–battery powered powertrains

The global drive to decarbonize the transportation sector has intensified the adoption of emission-free powertrains, increasing the demand for high-fidelity yet computationally efficient modelling tools to support propulsion design, control development, and virtual testing. In this context, this paper presents a physics-based, system-level model of a fully electric propulsion system integrating a Proton Exchange Membrane fuel cell (PEMFC) and a lithium-ion battery pack. The proposed framework adopts a multi-domain 0D formulation, in which the fuel cell system, battery, power electronics and electric motor are consistently coupled through mechanistic governing equations, capturing the dominant electrochemical, gas, thermal, electrical, mechanical, and control interactions. Numerical comparison against a commercially available MATLAB-Simscape benchmark under real-world maritime load cycles demonstrates an overall accuracy of 98.87% across key variables, while reducing the average simulation time to about one-fortieth of the benchmark computation time. The proposed model provides a reliable platform to support Digital Twin development, control design, and powertrain optimization. To advance sustainable transportation research, the model has been made open source and is accessible via a dedicated GitHub repository.