Influence of the Final Ratio on the Consumption of an Electric Vehicle under Conditions of Standardized Driving Cycles

Abstract

Electric vehicles must improve their electric drive system efficiency and effectively use their limited energy to become a viable means of transportation. As such, these technologies have undergone substantial improvements from their initial conception. More efficient powertrains, together with improved storage technologies, have enabled more extended autonomy. However, from an engineering perspective, these systems are still a key area of research and optimization. This work presents a powertrain optimization methodology, developing energy savings and improving the performance of the electric vehicle by focusing on the differential. The proposed methodology includes a study of the dynamics of the electric vehicle and the generation of a mathematical model that represents it. By simulating the vehicle and varying the final ratio of the differential, a significant optimization for energy savings is obtained by developing a standardized driving cycle. In this case, NEDC, WLTC-2, and WLTC-3 test cycles are used. The results show that a short ratio improves performance, even if this implies a larger torque from the prime mover. Depending on the operating cycle used, an energy-saving between 3% and 8% was registered. An extended energy autonomy and an increment in the life-cycle of the batteries are expected in real driving scenarios.