Search Results

The Hybrid Electric Vehicle Team (HEVT) of Virginia Tech is currently going through several modeling and testing stages to develop models that represent the P3 PHEV powertrain the team is building as part the EcoCAR 3 competition. The model development process consists of several major steps. First, Model-in-the-Loop (MIL) testing is conducted to validate a conventional vehicle model, down-select a desired powertrain configuration, and generate initial vehicle technical specifications. HEVT is pursuing a performance powertrain that balances high performance with minimal energy consumption. Initial MIL modeling results yield an IVM-60 mph time of 4.9 seconds and an overall UF-weighted 4-cycle energy consumption of 560 Wh/km. MIL modeling provides an initial reference to compare subsequent vehicle modeling. Following the MIL process, Software-in-the-Loop (SIL) is used to develop a vehicle model from the ground-up that facilitates the transition to Hardware-in-the-Loop (HIL) testing.

Rapid adoption of battery electric vehicles means improving the energy consumption and energy efficiency of these new vehicles is a top priority. One method of accomplishing this is regenerative braking, which converts kinetic energy to electrical energy stored in the battery pack while the vehicle is decelerating. Coasting is an alternative strategy that minimizes energy consumption by decelerating the vehicle using only road load. A battery electric vehicle model is refined to assess regenerative braking, coasting, and other deceleration strategies. A road load model based on public test data calculates tractive effort requirements based on speed and acceleration. Bidirectional Willans lines are the basis of a powertrain model simulating battery energy consumption. Vehicle tractive and powertrain power are modeled backward from prescribed linear velocity curves, and the coasting trajectory is forward modeled given zero tractive power.

The influence of driver modeling and drive cycle target speed trace modification on vehicle dynamics within energy consumption simulations is studied. EPA dynamometer speed error criteria and the SAE J2951 Drive Quality Evaluation for Chassis Dynamometer Testing standard are applied to simulation outputs as proposed components of simulation validation, providing guidelines for acceptable vehicle speed outputs and allowing comparison of simulation results to reported EPA dynamometer test statistics. The combined effect of driver model tuning and drive cycle interpolation methods is investigated for the UDDS, HwFET and US06 drive cycles, with EPA-specified linearly interpolated speed trace and a PI controller driver as a baseline result.

Procedures are in place for testing emissions and fuel economy for virtually every type of light-duty vehicle with a single-axle chassis dynamometer, which is why nearly all emissions test facilities use single-axle dynamometers. However, hybrid electric vehicles (HEVs) employ regenerative braking. Thus, the braking split between the driven and non-driven axles may interact with the calculation of overall efficiency of the vehicle. This paper investigates the regenerative braking systems of a few production HEVs and provides an analysis of their differences in single-axle (2WD) and double-axle (4WD) dynamometer drive modes. The fuel economy results from 2WD and 4WD operation are shown for varied cycles for the 2000 Honda Insight, 2001 Toyota Prius, and the 2004 Toyota Prius. The paper shows that there is no evidence that a bias in testing an HEV exists because of the difference in operating the same hybrid vehicle in the 2WD and 4WD modes.

The Hybrid Electric Vehicle Team of Virginia Tech (HEVT) is currently modeling and bench testing powertrain components for a parallel plug-in hybrid electric vehicle (PHEV). The custom powertrain is being implemented in a 2016 Chevrolet Camaro for the EcoCAR 3 competition. The engine, a General Motors (GM) L83 5.3L V8 with Active Fuel Management (AFM) from a 2014 Silverado, is of particular importance for vehicle integration and functionality. The engine is one of two torque producing components in the powertrain. AFM allows the engine to deactivate four of the eight cylinders which is essential to meet competition goals to reduce petroleum energy use and greenhouse gas emissions. In-vehicle testing is performed with a 2014 Silverado on a closed course to understand the criteria to activate AFM. Parameters required for AFM activation are monitored by recording vehicle CAN bus traffic.

A new and unique electric vehicle powertrain model based on bidirectional power flow for propel and regenerative brake power capture is developed and applied to production battery electric vehicles. The model is based on a Willans line model to relate power input from the battery and power output to tractive effort, with one set of parameters (marginal efficiency and an offset loss) for the bidirectional power flow through the powertrain. An electric accessory load is included for the propel, brake and idle phases of vehicle operation. In addition, regenerative brake energy capture is limited with a regen fraction (where the balance goes to friction braking), a power limit, and a low-speed cutoff limit. The purpose of the model is to predict energy consumption and range using only tractive effort based on EPA published road load and test mass (test car list data) and vehicle powertrain parameters derived from EPA reported unadjusted UDDS and HWFET energy consumption.