Hybrid electric vehicles technology and simulation: Literature review

Abstract

To meet increasing fuel economy and emissions legislation, the automotive industry will need to undergo drastic changes in vehicle and engine designs. Unlike conventional vehicles on the road today, hybrid electric vehicles (HEV) are designed with a smaller engine and an on-board energy storage system. The smaller engine allows the vehicle to achieve better fuel economy and fewer emissions. The efficiency benefits of diesel engines over gasoline engines make the diesel engine a strong contender for further improving fuel economy. The integration of diesel-engine technology into a hybrid electric vehicle configuration is one of the most promising ways to comply with fuel-economy and emissions legislation. There are many hybrid electric vehicle and diesel engine simulation software packages available for predicting emissions and fuel economy as well as studying the overall performance. Using simulation software, it is possible to quickly and easily optimise the engine and vehicle prior to investing time and money into testing components and building prototypes. The ability to integrate an advanced engine simulation software output and an HEV simulation for the prediction of engine alterations on overall vehicle performance is a critical tool for the success of meeting vehicle emissions and fuel economy goals. The following literature review combines current information on the HEV technology, engine technology, HEV simulation software, and engine simulation software available today.