A Particle-Swarm-Optimization-Based Approach for the State-of-Charge Estimation of an Electric Vehicle When Driven Under Real Conditions

Abstract

Recent developments in lithium-ion (Li-ion) storage technology have enabled a revolution in the automotive industry. Fully electric vehicles (EVs) operate under the most diverse combination of driving and environmental conditions affecting the autonomy range. In other words, an equal state-of-charge (SOC) on two same model EV does not mean the same traveling distance since the conditions such as the state-of-health (SOH) of the battery, type of driver and even the type of route will influence the EV performance. Typically, SOC estimation algorithms are proposed and validated under controlled laboratory conditions. However, when real conditions are present, it is necessary to incorporate new tools capable of handling the diverse variability present in all the conditions. For instance, the topography of the route influences the current that the battery pack delivers, and the performance on the same route can be affected by the SOH. One of the main concerns for EV owners is that once a battery pack is installed, it becomes almost impossible to perform laboratory tests under controlled conditions. This paper proposes a novel approach to estimate the SOC by extending an existing SOC model (obtained in laboratory conditions) with the novelty of the assistance of Particle-Swarm-Optimization (PSO) to estimate the model parameters using real EV driving data. The data was obtained by a real-driving experiment, which consists on driving the EV in a complete discharge cycle on a highway. During this experiment, the initial SOC was at 100\%, and the idea was to discharge the battery pack driving through a highway where the driving conditions are almost uniform making it possible to characterize the SOC curve. Then, PSO is used to estimate the model parameters, and afterwards the model is validated in different types of routes. The obtained results show that the proposed approach can estimate the SOC satisfactorily. In this regard, this type of real-driving experiment can be performed by any driver, and by combining the particular results with the proposed approach, the users can personalize the SOC estimation model to their vehicles, and even more, create their own knowledge base of their EV performance through time. Therefore, the real-driving experiment can be replicated when needed to update the model parameters, thus allowing a better understanding of the actual SOH of the battery pack. Furthermore, by combining the obtained model with the elevation profile of a given route, the user can assess where to stop in case that a recharge is necessary.