Hybrid EV Mode Control for Passenger Boarding and Drop-Off
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Solution Overview
Problem
Hybrid electric vehicles (HEVs) used in applications like school buses, which experience frequent passenger boarding and exiting, require specialized control strategies to optimize fuel efficiency and safety, as existing control methods do not adequately account for the unique driving conditions of such vehicles.
Innovation Solution
An HEV system that includes a controller determining the boarding or leaving state of passengers based on location and internal vehicle information, allowing the vehicle to switch between pick-up and drop-off driving modes, and controlling the vehicle's powertrain accordingly to optimize energy usage and safety.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Adaptability or versatility
If a conventional control strategy is used for HEVs, then the vehicle can operate in EV mode and HEV mode with basic mode switching, but it cannot optimize fuel efficiency and safety for specific repetitive passenger scenarios like school buses
Solution Approach 1:
The control strategy dynamically adjusts operating modes based on real-time detection of boarding and leaving states. The system transitions between EV mode, HEV mode, and engine-off state depending on whether passengers are boarding or leaving, making the control adaptable to repetitive passenger scenarios without requiring a fixed complex structure
Solution Approach 2:
The system uses feedback from vehicle sensors to detect boarding and leaving states, then adjusts the operating mode accordingly. This feedback mechanism enables the control strategy to adapt to repetitive passenger scenarios automatically, improving versatility without proportionally increasing complexity
2Use of energy by moving object
If the vehicle operates in EV mode to improve fuel efficiency, then energy consumption is reduced, but the battery state of charge may become insufficient for repeated acceleration during pick-up and drop-off operations
Solution Approach 1:
The control strategy implements periodic charging cycles during stopping periods when passengers are boarding or leaving. The engine operates periodically to charge the battery during these idle periods, ensuring sufficient state of charge is maintained for the next acceleration cycle while still allowing EV mode operation during driving to maintain fuel efficiency
Solution Approach 2:
The system performs preliminary charging of the battery during stopping periods before the next acceleration is needed. By charging the battery in advance during idle time when passengers are boarding or leaving, the system ensures sufficient energy is available for the next pick-up or drop-off operation without compromising overall fuel efficiency
3Object-generated harmful factors
If the engine is stopped to reduce emissions and noise during passenger boarding and exiting, then environmental impact is reduced, but the vehicle may not respond quickly enough when sudden acceleration is needed
Solution Approach 1:
The system performs preliminary engine startup during stopping periods when passengers are boarding or leaving. By starting the engine in advance during these idle periods, the vehicle is prepared for quick acceleration when needed, while still maintaining low emissions and noise during the actual passenger boarding and exiting operations
4Use of energy by moving object
If mode switching is performed frequently to optimize energy usage during pick-up and drop-off operations, then fuel efficiency is improved, but the control system complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The control system dynamically switches between EV mode, HEV mode, and engine-off state based on real-time detection of boarding and leaving states. This dynamic approach optimizes energy usage by selecting the most efficient mode for each operational phase without requiring a permanently complex control structure, as the complexity is only activated when needed
Data Source
AI summary
A hybrid electric vehicle includes an engine, a drive motor, and a controller configured to determine a boarding state or a leaving state of a passenger, to allow a vehicle to enter a first mode for pick-up driving or a second mode for drop-off driving, and to control the vehicle based on the entered mode and the boarding or leaving state after the entering, and a method of controlling the same.