The modeling, simulation and hardware implementation of a Li-ion battery powered electric vehicle are presented in this thesis. The results obtained from simulation and experiments were analyzed to develop the control algorithm for the vehicle. An existing electric vehicle was reengineered with a new Li-ion battery pack and an advanced control strategy. The implementation platform is a Solectria E-10 electric vehicle which was originally powered with a Lead acid battery pack.
A simulation model of the Solectria E-10 electric vehicle was first developed for vehicle simulation using various standard drive cycles. The supervisory control strategy was first developed and tested in simulation before it was implemented on actual hardware. A Power Save feature was developed to limit the vehicle power demand upon the driver request to increase the zero emissions vehicle range of the electric vehicle. Simulations were used to demonstrate the effectiveness of Power Save feature and it was shown that the range of the electric vehicle can be extended.
The feasibility for plug-in hybrid vehicle conversion of the developed electric vehicle to extend the range of the electric vehicle beyond its zero emissions driving range was studied through simulation. A control algorithm for plug-in hybrid vehicle was developed and simulated.