EE-400 : Electric Vehicles
Lecture-8
By : Dr. Shahbaz Khan
Electrical Engineering Department
AU A&AC Kamra.
Now we will learn
What are the EV Subsystems?
Define what is Drive-train and its components
• Determine how the performance of some of key sub-systems,
especially motor and controller and battery impact the
performance of the Electric Vehicle.
• What are the vehicle specifications which impact drive-train
specifications?
What are subsystems other than the Drive-train
• Do they impact the design of the drive-train?
EV Sub-Systems
Instantaneous Power + Energy Leaving aside, body, tyres,
suspension system, doors &
windows, Vipers, mirrors,
interiors etc.
We can define an EV as:
• EV Drive train
• EV Battery
• DC-DC Converters
• Auxiliary and Control Unit
Including control units, lights, head-lights,
power-brakes, power-steering, air-
conditioners & heaters, other motors
(wiper, window-glass etc.) and sensors.
EV Drive-train
Motors, Controllers and Battery plus Gears
• The elements which drive the performance of the vehicle.
Vehicle Performance is characterized by Vehicle Torque, Speed
and Power
• Nominal (continuous) + peak (for a short time — need not be in
thermal equilibrium).
Torque (Nm) = Force * rtyre: would come from Motor — nominal
torque and peak torque (for a short-time of ten seconds or so)
To overcome rolling resistance, aerodynamic resistance and
provide acceleration (pick-up).
To overcome Gradient Resistance.
Vehicle performance parameters
Vehicle Speed (kmph): cruising speed and peak speed (short-time
of ten seconds or so)
• Defined by motor revolutions per minute (rpm).
• Speed (m/sec) = speed (kmph) / 3.6 = rpm * tyre radius in
meters * (2𝜋/60) = rpm * rtyre / 9.55
• or speed (kmph) = 3.6 * rpm * rtyre / 9.55
Power in Watts (nominal power and peak power for about 10 sec)
= Force (N) * velocity (m/s) = (Torque/ rtyre) * (rpm*
rtyre/9.55)
= (Torque * rpm) / 9.55
Assignment
Assume a vehicle has rwheel of 0.3 m. Covert speeds of
a) 1000 rpm into kmph and m/sec
b) 2 m/sec into kmph and rpm
c) 80 kmph into m/sec and rpm
Gears multiplies Torque
A IC engine typically gives less torque than a vehicle requires
• A gear is used to multiply engine torque by n: Vehicle Torque =
n * engine torque
• At the expense of rpm: Vehicle rpm is reduced by n or Vehicle
rpm = engine rpm / n
• Vehicle power is same as engine power
Similarly in a EV
• Vehicle is connected to a motor using a gear of ratio of n:1
• Vehicle Torque = n * Motor Torque and
• Vehicle rpm = Motor rpm / n
• Thus Motor Torque can be multiplied at the expense of Motor
rpm
Do we use multi-gear or
Changeable Gear
Multi-gear or changeable gear can change gear-ratio to different values
• Gears changed using a clutch which temporarily disengage gear from
motor
• Common in all ICE vehicles
But EV motors are usually designed to work efficiently with a large
range of speeds and torques
• It normally uses a single FIXED gear
• That would be the preference, as long as one can meet all vehicle
requirement with the
motor and a fixed gear
Specifications of Motors and Controllers
Will have to be derived for what the Vehicle drive requirements
• And the gear ratio (s) used
Motor Specifications to be derived
• Torque - Speed Curve: Nominal Torque and Speed as well as Peak
Torque and Peak Speed
• Power: Nominal Power (heat removed so that temperature
settles) as well as Peak power (for some 10 to 15 seconds) =
(Torque *Speed) / 9.55
• Motor can be driven to higher power as long as heating does not
become a problem
Thermal: some components including magnets impacted by high
temperature
Mechanical: Vibrations, Size, weight
Battery Power and Range Required
Electric Power is continuously used by motor
• Energy used is integration of Power over a time or a drive-range
• 𝐸𝑛𝑒𝑟𝑔𝑦 = 𝑠𝑑𝑃 𝑟𝑜 𝑡𝑑𝑃 where latter is energy used over a
drive-range
• Gradients may result into higher power/ energy usage
• Inefficiencies in Motors and Controller add to the power / energy
consumed
• Losses due to inefficiencies may be between 10% 'to 20%
• Energy Efficiency at lower speeds may be lower
• Auxiliary Power Usage need to be taken into account
𝑃𝑜𝑤𝑒𝑟 𝑈𝑠𝑒𝑑 = 𝑃𝑇 = 𝑃𝑚𝑜𝑡𝑜𝑟 + 𝑃𝑚−𝑖𝑛𝑒𝑓𝑓 + 𝑃𝑐𝑜𝑛𝑡−𝑖𝑛𝑒𝑓𝑓 + 𝑃𝑎𝑢𝑥
Battery to be designed to provide Energy over a range as well as
Peak Power
Battery Energy (Capacity)
Battery designed for certain Energy (C) in kWh = V * Ah /1000
• Comes from cell capacity defined in Ampere-hour (Ah)
• Defined in terms of nominal voltage (V) and (current * hours) or
Ah rating
For long-life of rechargeable battery, it is never fully emptied or fully
charged
• Leaving certain energy at the bottom during discharging and at
the keeping it empty at top
• Useably energy each charge-discharge cycle is typically x % (may
be 85 %) of total capacity.
Also, Battery Capacity reduces with each charge-discharge cycle
• When battery capacity remaining is y % (typically 80%) of initial
capacity, the range gets proportionately reduced: battery life for
EV is OVER and it needs replacement.
So at end of its cycle life, useable capacity = x*y*C = 0.85*0.8*C =
0.68C
Battery Power
Even when batteries have sufficient energy, rate at which Power can be
taken out of battery (discharge rate) is limited
• Higher rate discharge impact the life-cycles of the battery
• Same is true about charging behaviour: higher charging rate
impacts life
Higher rate charging discharging also heats up the battery
• Battery has to be designed to have peak-power capability that the
vehicle requires
• Rate dependent on size of the battery as well as the nature of cells
• To be discussed further in Battery Design Chapter
Assignment
1. A vehicle needs to run continuously at 60 kmph and should
have a peak torque of 150 Nm. A motor gives peak torque of
25 NM at 3000 rpm. What should be the gear ratio and
minimum tyre radius for the motor to be used by the vehicle?
2. A EV battery has a capacity of 15 kWh. Assuming 0.9 DoD and
75% end of life, what is the range that the vehicle (using 80
Wh/km) can support, when the battery is new. What range will
it support at the end of life? Assume, Auxiliary power used is
500 W continuously, speed is 40 kmph and the efficiency of
motor and controller is 85%.
EV Auxiliary: lights and auxiliary motors
Vehicle Control Unit
Head-lights, tail-lights, flash-lights, vehicle-interior lights
Motors for wipers, windows
Entertainment and Guidance
Other Electronics, Communications, Sensors, Rear-view projection
All use Low-voltage Power: from Battery through DC-DC converter(s)
Vehicle Control Unit (or MCU)
Communicates with Battery and with Controller
• Typically over CAN
• May have external wireless Interface
• May also have other interfaces / sensors: GPS, Load-sensors,
inclination sensors etc.
Manage Motor and Controller
• Collects Data during drive
• Possible to download certain parameters on to motors / batteries
• Like Limiting temperatures for operation, limiting Speeds
EV Auxiliary: Traditionally they were
hydraulics driven
Power-brakes
Power-steering
Air-conditioning
• They have to be redesigned to work with electric Power
• Hydraulic pump may have 60 to 70% efficiency
• Drive-train providing power to hydraulic pump through belt and
shaft: 80%
EV Auxiliary: Air-conditioners / Heaters
Are dominant power consumer
• May increase total ENERGY requirement by 25% to 30%
• Can decrease vehicle range by 25% to 30%
• Impact of Air Conditioners in EVs much worse than in petrol
vehicles
• as range is not seriously an issue in ICE vehicles: is only
additional costs of petrol
• In EV it impacts RANGE
To Sum Up
Motors with their Controllers plus Battery will determine the
performance of the Vehicle
• They have to be designed carefully
• Also take into account energy losses, auxiliary energy usage and
life-time deterioration
We need to now get into designs of each subsystems
• We will get into designs of batteries and Motors in parallel
END
