Title: Optimal design and implementation of a drivetrain for an ultra-light electric vehicle

Authors: Isabelle Hofman; Peter Sergeant; Alex Van Den Bossche; Selim Koroglu; Selami Kesler

Addresses: Department of Electrical Energy, Systems and Automation, Ghent University, Ghent, B-9000, Belgium; Flanders Make, The Strategic Research Centre for the Manufacturing Industry, Belgium ' Department of Electrical Energy, Systems and Automation, Ghent University, Ghent, B-9000, Belgium; Flanders Make, The Strategic Research Centre for the Manufacturing Industry, Belgium ' Department of Electrical Energy, Systems and Automation, Ghent University, Ghent, B-9000, Belgium; Flanders Make, The Strategic Research Centre for the Manufacturing Industry, Belgium ' Department of Electrical and Electronics Engineering, Pamukkale University, Denizli, 20070, Turkey ' Department of Electrical and Electronics Engineering, Pamukkale University, Denizli, 20070, Turkey

Abstract: This paper presents an integrated design of a drivetrain for a single-person ultra-light electric vehicle (ULEV). To calculate losses and efficiency of the inverter, the permanent magnet synchronous machines (PMSMs) and the gearbox, parameterised analytical models are used. For the gearbox - which has a single gear ratio - the studied parameters are the gear ratio, the number of stages, the number of teeth and the module of each spur gear combination. The novelty of the paper is that it learns how the total average efficiency and the total mass of the drivetrain depend on the gear ratio, on the number of stages in the gearbox, on the motor parameters and on the chosen several driving cycles including the new European driving cycle (NEDC). On the basis of the presented results, it is possible to choose the right configuration of power electronics, PMSM and gearbox in order to have a good trade-off between high efficiency and low mass.

Keywords: electric vehicles; driving cycles; gearbox; optimal design; permanent magnet synchronous machines; PMSM; drivetrain design; ultra-light vehicles; lighweight vehicles; gear ratio; gear teeth; spur gear combinations; power electronics.

DOI: 10.1504/IJVD.2016.080592

International Journal of Vehicle Design, 2016 Vol.72 No.3, pp.262 - 283

Received: 17 Oct 2015
Accepted: 09 Sep 2016

Published online: 30 Nov 2016 *

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