Electric Powertrains

MIT Electric Vehicle Team, April 2008 An electric vehicle (EV) is a vehicle that is powered, at least in part, by electricity EV con!i"#rations incl#de battery electric vehicles ($EVs) which are powered by %00& electric ener"y, vario#s hybrid'electric vehicles ((EVs), and pl#"'in hybrid electric vehicles ()(EVs) This s#mmary presents the di!!erences between these basic EV con!i"#rations

Battery Electric Vehicles

A battery electric vehicle ($EV) is a vehicle that is powered entirely on electric ener"y, typically a lar"e electric motor and a lar"e battery pac* $ased on the type o! transmission+ the #se o! a cl#tch, "earbo,, di!!erential, and !i,ed "earin"+ and the n#mber o! battery pac*s and motors there are many variations on the $EV desi"n (owever, a basic $EV system is shown in -i"#re %

Battery

Motor/ Generator

Figure 1: .chematic o! a battery electric vehicle ($EV) powertrain

Mild Hybrid Electric Vehicles

/nli*e a $EV, a hybrid electric vehicle ((EV) relies on two ener"y so#rces, #s#ally an internal comb#stion en"ine and an electric battery and motor0"enerator A Mild (ybrid is the least electri!ied type o! (EV A Mild (ybrid is a conventional internal comb#stion en"ine (I1E) vehicle with an oversi2ed starter motor that can also be #sed as a "enerator, #s#ally called an inte"rated starter'"enerator (I.3) or a belted alternator starter ($A.), and an oversi2ed battery that powers and is rechar"ed by the motor A simple Mild (ybrid system is shown in -i"#re 2 In a Mild (ybrid, the en"ine m#st always be on while the vehicle is movin" (owever, the motor0"enerator can be #sed to enable idle stop in which the en"ine is t#rned o!! while the vehicle is at idle The motor0"enerator can be #sed at hi"h loads to assist the en"ine and increase vehicle per!ormance At low loads, it increases load on the en"ine and rechar"es the electric battery

Transmission

Engine

Battery

Motor/ Generator

Figure 2: .chematic o! a Mild (ybrid powertrain

Series Hybrid Electric Vehicles

In a .eries (ybrid there is a sin"le path to power the wheels o! the vehicle, b#t two ener"y so#rces As shown in !i"#re 4, the !#el tan* !eeds an en"ine which is co#pled to a "enerator to char"e the battery which provides electrical ener"y to a motor0"enerator to power the wheels thro#"h a transmission altho#"h a direct co#plin" can also be #sed The motor0"enerator is also #sed to rechar"e the battery d#rin" deceleration and bra*in"

Engine Generator Battery

Figure 3: .chematic o! a .eries (ybrid powertrain The .eries (ybrid can operate in the !ollowin" seven modes5 En"ine only traction Electric only traction (ybrid traction En"ine Traction and $attery 1har"in" $attery 1har"in" and 6o Traction 7e"enerative $ra*in" (ybrid $attery 1han"in"

Transmission

Liquid Fuel

Motor/ Generator

Transmission

Liquid Fuel

Altho#"h most .eries (ybrids #se an I1E, it is also possible to desi"n a .eries (ybrid #sin" a -#el 1ell powered by hydro"en, creatin" a -#el 1ell Electric Vehicle (-1EV)

Parallel Hybrid Electric Vehicles

In a )arallel (ybrid, there are two parallel paths to power the wheels o! the vehicle5 an en"ine path and an electrical path, as shown in !i"#re 8 The transmission co#ples the motor0"enerator and the en"ine, allowin" either, or both, to power the wheels 1ontrol o! a )arallel (ybrid is m#ch more comple, that !or a .eries (ybrid beca#se o! the need to e!!iciently co#ple the motor0"enerator and en"ine in a way that maintains driveability and per!ormance

Engine

Battery

Motor/ Generator

Figure 4: .chematic o! a parallel hybrid powertrain The )arallel (ybrid can operate in the !ollowin" !ive modes5 En"ine only traction Electric only traction (ybrid traction 7e"enerative $ra*in" $attery char"in" !rom the en"ine

Series-Parallel Hybrid Electric Vehicles

A .eries')arallel (EV has both .eries and )arallel ener"y paths As shown in !i"#re 9, a system o! motors and0or "enerators that sometimes incl#des a "earin" or power split device co#ples allows the en"ine to rechar"e the battery Variations on this con!i"#ration can be very comple, or simple, dependin" on the n#mber o! motors0"enerators and how they are #sed These con!i"#rations can be classi!ied as 1omple, hybrids (s#ch as the Toyota )ri#s and -ord Escape (ybrids), .plit')arallel hybrids, or )ower'.plit hybrids

Transmission

Liquid Fuel

Engine

Battery

Motors/ Generators

Figure 5: .chematic o! a series'parallel hybrid powertrain

Plug-in Hybrid Electric Vehicles

A pl#"'in hybrid electric vehicle ()(EV) is an (EV that can be pl#""ed'in or rechar"ed !rom wall electricity )(EVs are distin"#ished by m#ch lar"er battery pac*s when compared to other (EVs The si2e o! the battery de!ines the vehicle:s All Electric 7an"e (AE7), which is "enerally in the ran"e o! 40 to 90 miles )(EVs can be o! any hybrid con!i"#ration Altho#"h no )(EVs are available on the mar*et today, a n#mber o! companies have be"#n to sell conversion *its and services to convert a standard (EV into a )(EV by addin" additional battery capacity and modi!yin" the vehicle controller and ener"y mana"ement system

Transmission

Liquid Fuel