Title: Numerical analysis of the benefits achievable by after-market mild hybridisation of conventional cars

Authors: Gianfranco Rizzo; Marco Sorrentino; Ivan Arsie

Addresses: Department of Industrial Engineering, University of Salerno, Via Giovanni Paolo II, 132, Fisciano, Salerno, 84084, Italy ' Department of Industrial Engineering, University of Salerno, Via Giovanni Paolo II, 132, Fisciano, Salerno, 84084, Italy ' Department of Industrial Engineering, University of Salerno, Via Giovanni Paolo II, 132, Fisciano, Salerno, 84084, Italy

Abstract: It is recognised worldwide how hybrid electric vehicle (HEV) currently represents a key technology to reduce automotive fuel consumption and related emissions. Nevertheless, since HEV market share is still insufficient to produce a significant impact on global energy consumption, also due to the recent global financial crisis, a substantial replacement of conventional vehicles is unlikely to occur in a short time. Therefore, a solution is proposed in this paper, consisting of a kit for after-market mild solar hybridisation of conventional vehicles. The mild hybridisation is obtained by replacing original rear wheels by in-wheel motors, on one hand, and, on the other, by adding a photovoltaic (PV) panel, a second battery pack and a dedicated control unit. The substantial benefits obtainable in terms of fuel consumption are evaluated by running a numerical analysis on different kit designs and original conventional cars converted via the kit.

Keywords: solar energy; solar cells; solar power; hybrid electric vehicles; HEVs; hybrid vehicles; vehicle control; after-market hybridisation; conventional cars; energy consumption; mild solar hybridisation; in-wheel motors; photovoltaic panels; PV panels; second battery packs; dedicated control units; fuel consumption.

DOI: 10.1504/IJPT.2014.066432

International Journal of Powertrains, 2014 Vol.3 No.4, pp.420 - 435

Received: 20 Aug 2012
Accepted: 08 Nov 2013

Published online: 31 Dec 2014 *

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