Title: Active suspension system in improving ride and handling performance of electric vehicle conversion

Authors: Saiful Anuar Abu Bakar; Ryosuke Masuda; Hiromu Hashimoto; Takeshi Inaba; Hishammuddin Jamaluddin; Roslan Abd. Rahman; Pakharuddin Mohd. Samin

Addresses: Department of Automotive Engineering, Faculty of Mechanical Engineering, Universiti Teknologi Malaysia, 81310, Skudai, Johor, Malaysia. ' Department of Applied Computer Engineering, School of Information Science and Technology, Tokai University, 1114 Kitakaname, Hiratsuka, Kanagawa, 259-1292, Japan. ' Department of Mechanical Engineering, School of Engineering, Tokai University, 1114 Kitakaname, Hiratsuka, Kanagawa, 259-1292, Japan. ' Department of Applied Computer Engineering, School of Information Science and Technology, Tokai University, 1114 Kitakaname, Hiratsuka, Kanagawa, 259-1292, Japan. ' Department of System Dynamics and Control, Faculty of Mechanical Engineering, Universiti Teknologi Malaysia, 81310, Skudai, Johor, Malaysia. ' Department of System Dynamics and Control, Faculty of Mechanical Engineering, Universiti Teknologi Malaysia, 81310, Skudai, Johor, Malaysia. ' Department of Automotive Engineering, Faculty of Mechanical Engineering, Universiti Teknologi Malaysia, Skudai, Johor 81310, Malaysia

Abstract: This paper presents an evaluation on passenger vehicle's ride and handling performance when converted into an electric vehicle (EV). The evaluations were done using a validated 14 degrees of freedom ride and handling model. The mathematical modelling of vehicle's ride and handling model as well as its validations are described. Two types of experiments were performed to validate the developed simulation model; the ride test and the handling test. The validated simulation model was used to evaluate the vehicle's ride and handling performance of the vehicle when converted into an electric vehicle. The evaluation involves two weight distribution ratios which are 60:40, for normal vehicle and 40:60 for EV conversion. The validated simulation model used active suspension system in order to improve the EV conversion's ride and handling performance. It is found that modification into EV affects vehicle's handling performance quite significant but not ride performance. The EV conversion's weight, which is distributed towards the rear of the vehicle, causes the vehicle to travel off from its original travelling path. The application of active suspension system is proposed to improve EV conversion's handling performance as well as its ride comfort performance.

Keywords: electric vehicle conversion; ride performance; handling performance; active suspension systems; electric vehicles; vehicle suspension; mathematical modelling; simulation; ride comfort; vehicle handling.

DOI: 10.1504/IJEHV.2012.047877

International Journal of Electric and Hybrid Vehicles, 2012 Vol.4 No.1, pp.24 - 53

Received: 13 Dec 2011
Accepted: 09 May 2012
Published online: 15 Apr 2015 *

Full-text access for editors Full-text access for subscribers Purchase this article Comment on this article