• Definition of requirements and specifications, including a review of RES technology;
• Definition of the optimisation approach and requirements for models and data inputs;
• In accordance with the project approach, the axle electrification options were explored;
• In accordance with the project approach, the architecture and topology of the vehicle has been defined;
• The exploitation plan has been developed and will further be updated as the project progresses;
• The project website was developed, several newsletters have been sent and dissemination activities have taken place;
• The back-office and the online reporting and monitoring platform has been set-up and maintained;
• The establishment of the End User Group and Advisory Board have been defined and done;
• Definition of the optimization framework for powertrain sizing and control strategies;
• Design and build up of the demonstrator vehicles (truck with e-axle and bus with integrated hybrid transmission) is on-going.
• During this period, the project achieved significant steps in terms of defining the optimisation framework, including dissemination activities in various papers to disseminate the work. The optimisation framework forms the core systems approach to the co-design of the heavy duty hybrids and will be reviewed and re-visited during the validation and verification phases and in the later tasks of Work Package 5.
Additionally, during this period, a core technology was developed in the form of the modular energy management tool. This method is important since it provides an automated way to define an optimal control method during the optimisation process. The tool has the following attributes:
• Based on state-of-the-art ECMS within an Open Framework. The tool generates the energy management scheme through the user defining the topology, and providing component models, and the transport assignment.
• Compatible with open or proprietary model libraries (e.g. HDH HILS). This is seen as important in providing an open methodology which can be made compatible with OEM or TIERs models. It also has potential benefits in simulation tools being developed by the EC, such as VECTO.
• Automatically generating optimal control solution significantly improves development costs. Since the development of the energy management method is a significant proportion of the engineering time, this is expected to reduce the R&D costs, particularly for products consisting of a large number of variants, or product updates.
• Enables potential for customer-based optimization service; such as providing in-field adaption of the energy management for a given customer towards the measured usable profiles.
• Important for co-design process to fully explore hardware potential. Since the optimisation method may evaluate thousands of potential product variants; automating the process is mandatory, as well as ensuring that the optimisation result is not limited by a poor (highly sub-optimal) control method.
The energy management approach is useful in all stages of the V-Cycle, including (but not limited to), the design study, implementation of the controller, HIL testing, and find assessment. During the project, these different benefits are being explored. The method has been published in the literature in peer-reviewed format, as a means to ensure that the key project results are widely communicated early.
