Designing parallel hybrid electric vehicles using V-ELPH 2.01

The complexity and cost involved in the design and development of new vehicles such as energy and price efficient hybrid electric and electric vehicles is high. Computer modeling and simulation can be used to reduce the expense and length of the design cycle of these vehicles by testing configurations and energy management strategies before prototype construction begins. The HEV research group in Texas A&M University has developed a computer simulation tool, V-ELPH, to facilitate the design and analysis of electric and hybrid vehicles. This paper presents various features of this package and demonstrates its capabilities while describing the design methodology in developing a parallel hybrid. In this paper a design example for a parallel hybrid family sedan is discussed in detail, from design specifications to complete design, using V-ELPH 2.01 with supporting illustrative graphs.