Title: Smart accelerating and braking achieving higher energy efficiencies in electric vehicles

Authors: Guido Wäger; Jonathan Whale; Thomas Bräunl

Addresses: 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 Electrical, Electronic and Computer Engineering, The University of Western Australia, 35 Stirling Highway, Perth, Western Australia 6009, Australia

Abstract: Efficient operation of EVs is critical to optimise the usage of their relative small energy storage. Although each motor controller has a unique range of motor rotational speeds (rpm) and loads for optimal efficiency, EVs lack variable gearboxes that can match vehicle speed and motor rpm to efficient controller regions. EVs thus rely on the driver to actively influence the load by changing acceleration or deceleration rates for a more efficient operation. Despite this, most EV efficiency studies use speed profiles with small changes in acceleration and deceleration rates. This study investigates the impact of various high load variations in accelerations and decelerations on energy consumption. The results show significant improvements in efficiency and reduced energy consumption by applying high loads at low vehicle speeds and strong deceleration rates. However, the increased losses under certain high acceleration rates outweighed the benefits of loading an EV.

Keywords: electric vehicle efficiency; motor controller efficiency; smart acceleration; smart deceleration.

DOI: 10.1504/IJEHV.2018.098089

International Journal of Electric and Hybrid Vehicles, 2018 Vol.10 No.4, pp.283 - 298

Received: 15 Sep 2017
Accepted: 13 Oct 2017
Published online: 04 Mar 2019 *

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