Investigation of performance and technical assessments of hybrid source electric vehicles under different locations and driving conditions

Abstract

Sustainable transportation is a significant concept followed by nations implementing Nationally Determined Contributions (NDCs) that reduce emissions and adapt to climate change impacts. Electric vehicle (EV) adoption has accelerated; however, a trade-off exists between EV adoption and EV batteries-Battery charging from the grid (conventional energy sources) and e-wastes from retired batteries deposited in landfills. Thus, EVs associated with renewable energy sources (RES) are an alternate solution. This paper proposes a hybrid source electric vehicle (HSEV) with a high energy-dense supercapacitor (SC) as the primary source and PV energy as the secondary source. An energy management algorithm (EMA) with a modified controller is implemented in a Matlab/Simulink environment. Analysis of HSEV under varying locations (Australia, India, and Scotland), driving profiles (WLTP class-1, IDC, and ECE), and driving times (daytime, nighttime) highlights the importance of the proposed EMA. Grid charging instants are reduced to 3 times per month in Australia under WLTP class-1 cycle employing PV energy. Moreover, SC degradation is least compared to the lithium-ion battery in a BEV (Battery Electric Vehicle), hence avoiding the chances of maintenance and replacements. The proposed HSEV exhibits improved performance compared to BEVs of a similar type under different locations, driving, and environmental conditions. © 2023 Taylor & Francis Group, LLC.