Joaquim Guitart Corominas

At Applus IDIADA, I served as a Thermal Management Module Leader, delivering high-impact results across multiple electrification and innovation programs for OEMs, Tier 1 suppliers, and other R&D initiatives. My role combined technical leadership, 1D simulation expertise, and system integration skills in thermal management and HVAC. I was responsible for leading and executing advanced development programs in electric commercial vehicles, battery pack cooling, and climate control optimization, contributing to both series production and early-phase innovation projects.

Most relevant projects:

- Thermal Performance Engineer – IVECO e-Daily (EV van – series production)

- Cooling System Leader – Modular Battery Pack (public R&D project)

- 1D/3D Cabin Comfort Simulation – Premium SUV (Tier 1 project for Denso)

- Climate Controls Technical Leader – FIAT 500e (efficiency-focused R&D)

- 1D Refrigerant Cycle Simulation – NIO ES8 (China-based development)

Currently leading the development of advanced thermal management and cabin comfort systems for two upcoming electric vehicle platforms: a pickup truck and an N1-class electric van. Managing a team of three engineers, with responsibilities across thermal architecture design, system simulation, control strategy definition, and supplier coordination.

Key responsibilities and contributions:

- Conducted benchmarking of competitor vehicles with a focus on PWT thermal performance, energy efficiency, and thermal system layout.

- Performed mission analysis using real-world road network and meteorological data, processed via a custom Python-based tool, to evaluate thermal loads under realistic operating conditions.

- Defined system requirements by integrating SAE, ISO, and OEM specifications, homologation standards, and open-source benchmarks.

- Designed a modular thermal architecture built around an indirect heat pump system, combining legacy components and custom-developed Tier 1 parts to optimize cost-performance trade-offs.

- Managed RFIs for all thermal system components and led the technical assessment of supplier proposals.

- Directed the co-development of the coolant manifold and adapted a customized heat pump module to meet system integration and performance needs.

- Reverse-engineered CAN messages from a legacy HVAC ECU to enable new control strategy implementation in a proof-of-concept vehicle.

- Authored detailed control logic specifications for the thermal management controller, including system states, transitions, fail-safe logic, and energy optimization modes.

- Developed a 1D thermal system model that included new customized components from Tier 1 suppliers, replacing earlier 0D modeling approaches. This 1D model is now used for system performance assessment and for the definition and validation of control strategies that will be implemented in the thermal management controller.

Led the complete development of the HVAC system for a new tractor cabin, from concept to full vehicle validation. Oversaw the design process from requirements definition to bench testing, vehicle-level testing, and supplier coordination. To reduce risk and testing costs, I successfully introduced 1D simulation tools (GT‑SUITE) into the development process—marking a shift from purely test-driven to simulation-supported engineering.

In parallel, I was responsible for the thermal systems of the current medium tractor product, where I led cost-reduction initiatives and resolved customer complaints by tracing issues to root causes and implementing corrective actions jointly with suppliers.

Key responsibilities and contributions:

- Defined system requirements based on vehicle use cases, regulations, and performance targets.

- Measured cabin heat loads—including solar radiation, ambient influence, and engine intrusion—using thermocouples and an infrared camera to establish a reliable baseline for HVAC design.

- Proposed and implemented 1D simulations (GT‑SUITE) to evaluate HVAC performance early in the process, reducing development cycles and limiting costly physical iterations.

- Managed the integration of the HVAC unit into the cabin, working with cross-functional teams to achieve the best compromise between thermal performance and packaging constraints.

- Created the product specification card, prepared technical documentation for supplier selection, and assessed vendor proposals during the RFQ phase.

- Participated in DFMEA workshops, identifying potential failure modes and assigning P (Probability), S (Severity), and D (Detection) scores to prioritize design robustness.

- Conducted on-site assessments at the manufacturing plant, analyzing how design decisions impacted assembly feasibility and proposing adjustments to improve manufacturability.