Improve performance and energy efficiency of plug-in fuel cell vehicles using connected cars with V2V communication

Abstract

The proliferation of intelligent systems within the transportation sector has presented a favorable prospect for expediting the advancement of novel eco-friendly modes of transportation. Fuel cell vehicles offer a notable environmental benefit through reduced emissions. When combined with vehicle-to-vehicle (V2V) communication, a key driver in the realm of autonomous vehicles, they demonstrate potential for energy conservation. This study aims to investigate the performance of such vehicles. The performance of fuel cells (FCs) has been examined in relation to driving conditions. Research has demonstrated that as speed increases, the proportion of FC usage also increases. Additionally, plug-in vehicles exhibit a similar trend, contingent upon the utilization of an appropriate algorithm, in accordance with the driving conditions. The efficacy of navigation is compromised and the consumption of battery power is diminished. The study demonstrated that reduced stopping and acceleration instances during driving cycles result in decreased energy consumption for vehicles. Additionally, the V2V communication system revealed that traffic control parameters, specifically the safety time (ts) between two cars, significantly affect vehicle performance and fuel consumption. In the FTP-72 cycle, an increase in ts led to an increase in the car's travel range and a decrease in battery usage. Conversely, in other driving cycles, an increase in ts resulted in decreased travel range and increased energy consumption.