A novel approach for electric powertrain optimization considering vehicle power performance, energy consumption and ride comfort

Abstract This paper discussed the approach for designing an electric powertrain in saving energy while maintaining vehicle power performance and ride comfort. Usually, energy consumption can be improved by motor efficiency optimization. As an innovative layout, electric vehicle with in-wheel motor may suffer additional vibration due to the increase of unsprung weight. Thus, vehicle ride comfort, together with power performance and energy consumption, are considered in the powertrain design. The work is done on two levels. First, requirements for power performance, energy consumption and ride comfort are generated on the vehicle level. Second, the generated requirements are applied onto the in-wheel motor system, which is described by the motor torque, efficiency and weight models. Torque outputs, motor efficiency and lightweight are the corresponding requirements on the subsystem level. Then multi-objective global optimization is carried out on the subsystem level. The Pareto front indicates that lightweight and high efficiency are two conflicting objectives that cannot be compromised on the subsystem level. A constrained energy approach is proposed to determining the final optimal on the vehicle level with the goal of improving vehicle performance and energy consumption. The final solution has a lightweight ratio of 93.5% and motor efficiency of 92%.

[1]  Z. Zhu,et al.  Instantaneous magnetic field distribution in brushless permanent magnet DC motors. I. Open-circuit field , 1993 .

[2]  Nong Zhang,et al.  Vibration effect and control of In-Wheel Switched Reluctance Motor for electric vehicle , 2015 .

[3]  Jianqiu Li,et al.  Optimization for a hybrid energy storage system in electric vehicles using dynamic programing approach , 2015 .

[4]  Krzysztof Urbaniec,et al.  Numerical simulation and experimental verification of heat transfer from a finned housing of an electric motor , 2016 .

[5]  Liangfei Xu,et al.  Multi-objective component sizing based on optimal energy management strategy of fuel cell electric vehicles , 2015 .

[6]  Srikrishna Subramanian,et al.  On-site efficiency evaluation of three-phase induction motor based on particle swarm optimization , 2011 .

[7]  Enrico Bocci,et al.  Preliminary experimental evaluation of a four wheel motors, batteries plus ultracapacitors and series hybrid powertrain , 2011 .

[8]  Lotfi Krichen,et al.  An improved energy management strategy for FC/UC hybrid electric vehicles propelled by motor-wheels , 2014 .

[9]  Nady Boules.  Prediction of No-Load Flux Density Distribution in Permanent Magnet Machines , 1985, IEEE Transactions on Industry Applications.

[10]  Frédéric Messine,et al.  Optimal design of electromechanical actuators: a new method based on global optimization , 1998 .

[11]  Stephane Brisset,et al.  Analytical model for the optimal design of a brushless DC wheel motor , 2005 .

[12]  Fazel Naghdy,et al.  Reliable fuzzy H∞ control for active suspension of in-wheel motor driven electric vehicles with dynamic damping , 2017 .

[13]  Xiaoping Xie,et al.  Comprehensive global optimization of an implicit constrained multi-physics system for electric vehicles with in-wheel motors , 2017 .

[14]  Mingsheng Liu,et al.  A novel method to determine the motor efficiency under variable speed operations and partial load conditions , 2015 .

[15]  Junmin Wang,et al.  Development and performance characterization of an electric ground vehicle with independently actuated in-wheel motors , 2011 .

[16]  Z. Zhu,et al.  Improved analytical model for predicting the magnetic field distribution in brushless permanent-magnet machines , 2002 .

[17]  Yi-Hsuan Hung,et al.  A combined optimal sizing and energy management approach for hybrid in-wheel motors of EVs , 2015 .

[18]  Xiaoping Xie,et al.  Optimization of an implicit constrained multi-physics system for motor wheels of electric vehicle , 2016 .

[19]  Duan Haibin,et al.  Multi-objective pigeon-inspired optimization for brushless direct current motor parameter design , 2015 .

[20]  Yutao Luo,et al.  Lightweight design of an in-wheel motor using the hybrid optimization method , 2013 .

[21]  Yee-Pien Yang,et al.  Hybrid fuel cell powertrain for a powered wheelchair driven by rim motors , 2012 .

[22]  Frederic Gillon,et al.  Optimal design of electric vehicles drive train , 2005 .

[23]  Shuo Zhang,et al.  An optimal structure selection and parameter design approach for a dual-motor-driven system used in an electric bus , 2016 .

[24]  T. C. Bora,et al.  Bat-Inspired Optimization Approach for the Brushless DC Wheel Motor Problem , 2012, IEEE Transactions on Magnetics.

[25]  Jianqiu Li,et al.  Optimal sizing of plug-in fuel cell electric vehicles using models of vehicle performance and system cost , 2013 .

[26]  Yih-Ping Luh,et al.  Design and control of axial-flux brushless DC wheel motors for electric Vehicles-part I: multiobjective optimal design and analysis , 2004 .