Title: Enhanced EV and ICE vehicle energy efficiency through drive cycle synchronisation of deferred auxiliary loads

Authors: Guido Wäger; Thomas Bräunl; Jonathan Whale; Mark P. McHenry

Addresses: School of Electrical, Electronic and Computer Engineering, The University of Western Australia, 35 Stirling Highway, Perth, Western Australia 6009, Australia ' School of Electrical, Electronic and Computer Engineering, The University of Western Australia, 35 Stirling Highway, Perth, Western Australia 6009, Australia ' School of Engineering and Information Technology, Murdoch University, 90 South Street, Murdoch, Western Australia 6150, Australia ' School of Engineering and Information Technology, Murdoch University, 90 South Street, Murdoch, Western Australia 6150, Australia

Abstract: This research investigates energy efficiency improvements by synchronising auxiliary air-conditioning (AC) with the vehicle drive train on a real road driving cycle pattern. The research findings are applicable to electric vehicles (EVs), internal combustion engine (ICE) vehicles, and hybrids. An EV-converted Ford Focus was configured to operate the AC compressor solely from kinetic energy recovered from the drive train when coasting or slowing down. Test drives with the Ford Focus with standard AC operation increased the energy consumption by 11.6% compared to AC off, yet when the vehicle was synchronised with the drive train the energy consumption increased by only 5.8% compared to AC off, an energy saving of 8.1 Wh km⁻¹. The configuration maintained comfortable cabin conditions (temperature and humidity) similar to driving with a standard AC system configuration. In vehicles with an interconnected automatic AC and engine management system data-bus, this efficiency improvement may require a software update only.

Keywords: energy efficiency; EVs; HEVs; hybrid electric vehicles; hybrid vehicles; energy recovery; recuperation; air conditioning; internal combustion engines; ICE; drive cycle synchronisation; deferred auxiliary loads; vehicle drive train; kinetic energy; vehicle coasting; vehicle slowing down; energy consumption; cabin temperature; cabin humidity.

DOI: 10.1504/IJEHV.2014.065725

International Journal of Electric and Hybrid Vehicles, 2014 Vol.6 No.3, pp.179 - 194

Received: 22 Feb 2014
Accepted: 31 May 2014
Published online: 11 Nov 2014 *

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