HERCET
Development and Validation of a Cost Effective Hybrid Electric Drive Solution for Small Two Wheelers for Reducing CO2 emission
Project description
Achieving the CO2 targets requires reduced fuel consumption through the use of advanced hybrid engine technologies, which must also have the advantage of good vehicle range. To achieve this goal, it is necessary to think beyond the automotive sector. Predictions have shown that even with two-wheelers, the significant reduction of CO2 emissions is possible through the use of hybrid technologies. For example, fuel savings were demonstrated in a prototype of a plug-in hybrid two-wheeler, where a wheel hub motor was used on the front wheel, while the rear wheel was driven by an internal combustion engine. Although hybrid technology is already mature for four-wheelers, the two-wheeler segment is still relatively new due to the high costs and complexity involved.
Objective
Development and validation of a cost-efficient hybrid powertrain topology for a two-wheeler to meet the requirements for low CO2 emissions, reduced fuel consumption and good drivability with the following sub-goals:
- Development of a generic electric drive-, engine- and vehicle-co-simulation model for two-wheelers to evaluate different hybrid drive train configurations
- Comparison and evaluation of different hybrid topologies (serial, parallel or power-split) with regard to multidimensional optimization criteria for a two-wheel application
- Development of a two-wheel hybrid ECU and its integration with simulation software to predict performance as with real vehicle components
- Development of hybrid functions and control calibration for vehicle performance
- Development of hybrid drive hardware and vehicle integration
- Laboratory evaluation of the hybrid drive in terms of functionality, emissions and performance under simulated load conditions
- Development of the two hybrid two-wheeler prototypes
- Validation of the prototype and quantification of the benefits in terms of CO2 reduction.
Collaboration
The proposed project requires different competences ranging from theoretical modelling of the engine and the electric drive systems, controller development to integration and validation at system level in the laboratory and in the field. Such work requires the cooperative commitment of groups that have the necessary expertise and can join forces to achieve an overall goal. This is one of the main reasons for the consortium partners to come together for this project. Both research groups work extensively with automotive companies in their respective countries and have successfully completed several projects of practical relevance. They have collaborated with the industrial partners TVS Motor and VEMAC in their respective countries, which has led to fruitful results. Both TVS Motors and VEMAC each have extensive experience in the development and production of two-wheelers and in the development of vehicle control systems. Thus, the cooperation aims to achieve the overall objectives of low CO2 emissions and good driving characteristics through cost-effective hybrid electric drive solutions for two-wheelers by combining the partners' capabilities in their respective fields of expertise.