19EEE444: HYBRID ELECTRIC

VEHICLES

HYBRID
Department of Electrical, Electronics and
Communication Engineering
GITAM deemed to be University
GITAM School of Technology

ELECTRIC
DRIVE-TRAINS
UNIT 1I (Part 1I)
 A hybrid vehicle is one that is powered by at least two sources. An electric motor provides
one source of power in a hybrid-electric vehicle. Another form of motive power can be derived
from a variety of technologies, but is commonly given by an internal combustion engine that
runs on either gasoline or diesel fuel. According to the International Electro Technical
Commission's Technical Committee (Electric Road Vehicles), a HEV is a vehicle in which
propulsion energy is accessible from two or more types of energy sources, at least one of which
may supply electrical energy.

Based on this broad description, there are several forms of HEVs, including:
• Gasoline ICE and battery
• Diesel ICE and battery
• Battery and FC
• Battery and capacitor
• Battery and flywheel
• Battery and battery hybrids.

The propelling force of a HEV is typically provided by a combination of an electric motor and
an ICE. The electric motor is utilised to increase energy economy (fuel consumption) and
vehicle emissions, while the ICE gives longer range capacity.

Hybrid drivetrain and possible energy flow route

• power train 1 alone delivers power

• power train 2 alone delivers power
• both power train 1 and 2 deliver power to load at the same time
• power train 2 obtains power from load (regenerative braking)
• power train 2 obtains power from power train1
• power train 2 obtains power from power train 1 and load at the same time
• power train 1 delivers power simultaneously to load and to power train2
• power train 1 delivers power to power train 2 and power train 2 delivers power at on
load
• power train 1 delivers power to load and load delivers power to power train 2.
In actual operation, the load power of a vehicle changes arbitrarily owing to rapid acceleration,
deceleration, and going up and down gradients. Figure depicts the power requirements for a
typical driving situation.

The load power may be divided into two components:

• steady power, i.e. the power with a constant value
• dynamic power, i.e. the power whose average value is zero

One powertrain in a HEV, such as an ICE or fuel cell, prefers steady-state operation. The
dynamic power is supplied by the HEV's other powerplant. Throughout the driving cycle, the
dynamic powertrain's overall energy production will be zero. Electric motors are commonly
employed to address dynamic power demands.

Different Configurations of HEV:

This hybrid drivetrain concept can be applied in the following ways:
• Series configuration
• Parallel configuration
• Series-parallel configuration
• Complex configuration
Series Hybrid System:

In case of series hybrid system the mechanical output is first converted into electricity using a
generator. The converted electricity either charges the battery or can bypass the battery to
propel the wheels via the motor and mechanical transmission.

Conceptually, it is an ICE assisted Electric Vehicle (EV). The advantages of series hybrid drive
trains are:
• mechanical decoupling between the ICE and driven wheels allows the IC engine
operating at its very narrow optimal region
• nearly ideal torque-speed characteristics of electric motor make multi-gear transmission
unnecessary.

However, a series hybrid drivetrain has the following disadvantages:

• the energy is converted twice (mechanical to electrical and then to mechanical) and this
reduces the overall efficiency.
• Two electric machines are needed and a big traction motor is required because it is the
only torque source of the driven wheels.

The series hybrid drivetrain is used in heavy commercial vehicles, military vehicles and buses.
The reason is that large vehicles have enough space for the bulky engine/generator system.

Parallel Hybrid System:

The parallel HEV allows both ICE and electric motor (EM) to deliver power to drive the
wheels. Since both the ICE and EM are coupled to the drive shaft of the wheels via two
clutches, the propulsion power may be supplied by ICE alone, by EM only or by both ICE and
EM. The EM can be used as a generator to charge the battery by regenerative braking or
absorbing power from the ICE when its output is greater than that required to drive the wheels.
The advantages of the parallel hybrid drive train are:

• both engine and electric motor directly supply torques to the driven wheels and no
energy form conversion occurs, hence energy loss is less
• compactness due to no need of the generator and smaller traction motor.

The drawbacks of parallel hybrid drive trains are:

• mechanical coupling between the engines and the driven wheels, thus the engine
operating points cannot be fixed in a narrow speed region.
• The mechanical configuration and the control strategy are complex compared to series
hybrid drive train.

Due to its compact characteristics, small vehicles use parallel configuration. Most passenger
cars employ this configuration.

Series-Parallel System:

In the series-parallel hybrid, the configuration incorporates the features of both the series and
parallel HEVs. However, this configuration needs an additional electric machine and a
planetary gear unit making the control complex.

Complex Hybrid System:

The complex hybrid system involves a complex configuration which cannot be classified into
the above three kinds. The complex hybrid is similar to the series-parallel hybrid since the
generator and electric motor is both electric machines. However, the key difference is due to
the bi-directional power flow of the electric motor in complex hybrid and the unidirectional
power flow of the generator in the series-parallel hybrid. The major disadvantage of complex
hybrid is higher complexity.

Power Flow Control in hybrid drive-train topologies:

Due to the variations in HEV configurations, different power control strategies are necessary
to regulate the power flow to or from different components. All the control strategies aim
satisfy the following goals:

• maximum fuel efficiency

• minimum emissions
• minimum system costs
• good driving performance

The design of power control strategies for HEVs involves different considerations such as:

• Optimal ICE operating point: The optimal operating point on the torque- speed plane
of the ICE can be based on maximization of fuel economy, the minimization of
emissions or a compromise between fuel economy and emissions.
 • Optimal ICE operating line: In case the ICE needs to deliver different power
demands, the corresponding optimal operating points constitute an optimal operating
line.
• Safe battery voltage: The battery voltage may be significantly altered during
discharging, generator charging or regenerative charging. This battery voltage should
not exceed the maximum voltage limit nor should it fall below the minimum voltage
limit.

Power Flow Control in Series Hybrid:

In the series hybrid system there are four operating modes based on the power flow:

Mode 1: During start-up, normal driving or

acceleration of the series HEV, both the ICE and
battery deliver electric energy to the power converter
which then drives the electric motor and hence the
wheels via transmission.

Mode 2: At light load, the ICE output is greater than that

required to drive the wheels. Hence, a fraction of the
generated electrical energy is used to charge the battery.
The charging of the batter takes place till the battery
capacity reaches a proper level.

Mode 3: During braking or deceleration, the electric

motor acts as a generator, which converts the kinetic
energy of the wheels into electricity and this, is used to
charge the battery.

Mode 4: The battery can also be charged by the ICE via

the generator even when the vehicle comes to a complete
stop
Power Flow Control in Parallel Hybrid:

The parallel hybrid system has four modes of operation. These four modes of operation are

Mode 1: During start up or full throttle acceleration; both the ICE and the EM share the
required power to propel the vehicle. Typically, the relative distribution between the ICE and
electric motor is80-20%.

Mode 2: During normal driving, the required traction power is supplied by the ICE only and
the EM remains in off mode.

Mode 3: During braking or deceleration, the EM acts as a generator to charge the battery via
the power converter.
Mode 4: Under light load condition, the traction power is delivered by the ICE and the ICE
also charges the battery via the EM.

Power Flow Control in Series-Parallel Hybrid:

The series-parallel hybrid system involves the features of series and parallel hybrid systems.
Hence, a number of operation modes are feasible. Therefore, these hybrid systems are classified
into two categories: the ICE dominated and the EM dominated.

The various operating modes of ICE dominated system are:

Mode 1: At start-up, the battery solely provides the necessary power to propel the vehicle and
the ICE remains in off mode.

Mode 2: During full throttle acceleration, both the ICE and the EM share the required traction
power.
Mode 3: During normal driving, the required traction power is provided by the ICE only and
the EM remains in the off-state.

Mode 4: During normal braking or deceleration, the EM acts as a generator to charge the
battery.

Mode 5: To charge the battery during driving, the ICE delivers the required traction power and
also charges the battery. In this mode the EM acts as a generator.

Mode 6: When the vehicle is at standstill, the ICE can deliver power to charge the battery via
the EM.
The operating modes of EM dominated system are:

Mode 1: During start-up, the EM provides the traction power and the ICE remains in the off-
state.

Mode 2: During full throttle, both the ICE and EM provide the traction power.

Mode 3: During normal driving, both the ICE and EM provide the traction power.
Mode 4: During braking or deceleration, the EM acts as a generator to charge the battery.

Mode 5: To charge the battery during driving, the ICE delivers the required traction power and
also charges the battery. The EM acts as generator.

Mode 6: When the vehicle is at standstill, the ICE can deliver power to charge the battery via
the EM.
Power Flow Control Complex Hybrid Control

The complex hybrid vehicle configurations are of two types:

• Front hybrid rear electric

• Front electric and rear hybrid

Both the configurations have six modes of operation:

Mode 1: During start up, the required traction power is delivered by the EMs and the engine
is in off mode.

Mode 2: During full throttle acceleration, both the ICE and the front wheel EM deliver the
power to the front wheel and the second EM delivers power to the rear wheel.

Mode 3: During normal driving, the ICE delivers power to propel the front wheel and to drive
the first EM as a generator to charge the battery.

Mode 4: During driving at light load first EM delivers the required traction power to the front
wheel. The second EM and the ICE are is off state.

Mode 5: During braking or deceleration, both the front and rear wheel EMs act as generators
to simultaneously charge the battery.

Mode 6: A unique operating mode of complex hybrid system is axial balancing. In this mode
if the front wheel slips, the front EM works as a generator to absorb the change of ICE power.
Through the battery, this power difference is then used to drive the rear wheels to achieve the
axle balancing.