An experimental investigation of resonance sources and vibration transmission for a pure electric bus

Abstract

Electric vehicles generally have a better noise, vibration, and harshness quality than traditional vehicles due to the relatively quiet electric motors. By contrast, the noise, vibration, and harshness issues of the driveline system become more outstanding and significant in the absence of the “masking effect” by the engine. The electrification of the powertrain has also brought many changes in the sources or transmission of vibration, which has led to some new noise, vibration, and harshness issues. Specifically, the intense vibration of the prototype bus appears when driving in third gear, which makes the passengers uncomfortable. This paper presents an efficient analytical strategy for identifying the resonance sources and vibration transmission for a pure electric bus. The strategy incorporates order analysis, operating deflection shape, and transfer path analysis. Order analysis shows that the resonance is primarily caused by the second-order excitation associated with the driveline, and the vibration sources are further identified using operating deflection shape analysis. Moreover, the vibration transfer paths from the driveline to the bus floor are quantitatively determined by the transfer path analysis method. The results show that the coupling vibration of the powertrain and the rear drive axle, which amplifies the resonance of the whole driveline, is transmitted to the bus floor primarily through powertrain mounts and V rods. Based on the results, the design and structure modifications of the driveline and transfer paths are recommended to handle this issue. The proposed identification strategy would be beneficial for accurate and efficient engineering troubleshooting on the vibration issues.