Testing energy efficiency and driving range of electric vehicles in relation to gear selection

Abstract

Electric vehicles (EVs) have the potential to be operated using a clean, renewable energy source. However, a major limitation is their relatively short vehicle driving range and the associated driver 'range anxiety'. This research investigates the effect of gearing on energy consumption and driving range efficiency on an EV-converted Ford Focus using a chassis dynamometer in a controlled test environment in accordance with international standards.Two designs of the Ford Focus were used in the tests; one with an automatic gear drive, and the other with a manual gear drive. The electricity consumption of the two cars driving under different gearing configurations was measured under identical drive cycles. The vehicle range tests showed that measuring energy consumption on just two consecutive drive cycles on a calibrated chassis dynamometer will lead to a small overestimation of the energy consumption due to a 'cold' drive train. The results also suggest greater attention needs to be paid to EV battery charger efficiency, particularly in terms of standby energy consumption, which can increase the total energy required for EV owners markedly.

A Data-Driven Method for Energy Consumption Prediction and Energy-Efficient Routing of Electric Vehicles in Real-World Conditions

“…As reported in [16], energy estimation models are generally created for the purpose of EV drivetrain design and optimization [17,18], assessment of the influences on the energy consumption [10,19,20], global energy consumption or grid impact due to the introduction of EVs or hybrid vehicles [14,15], or (all-electric) range prediction [21]. Energy estimation for the purpose of range prediction either relies on vehicle simulations where drivetrains and vehicle behavior are being simulated [13,22], sometimes down to the component level, or statistical models.…”

Energy Consumption Prediction for Electric Vehicles Based on Real-World Data

“…EV energy consumption studies can generally be divided according to their purpose and model calculation methodology. Studies report the development of energy models for the purpose of EV drivetrain design and optimization [2,3], assessment of the influences on the energy consumption [4][5][6], and global energy consumption or grid impact due to the introduction of EV or hybrid vehicles [7,8]. In some cases the energy model is used for an (all-electric) range prediction [9].…”

“…In some cases the energy model is used for an (all-electric) range prediction [9]. The methodology for the calculation of energy consumption either consists of creating a vehicle model that simulates electrical parameters based on kinematic and dynamic requirements (backwards simulation) [3,[5][6][7] or by means of statistical models based on measurements of the EV consumption, either from real-world data [4,9] or test cycles [2]. Using real-world measurements has the advantage of predicting more realistic values for energy consumption, but relies on available data and statistical modeling and is often uncoupled from the vehicle dynamics and drivetrain behavior.…”

Microgrid economic operation considering plug-in hybrid electric vehicles integration

“…With recent concerns about environmental protection and energy conservation, the development of electric vehicle (EV) technology has been accelerated to fulfill these needs [1][2][3].…”