Design of the control strategy for a range extended hybrid vehicle by means of dynamic programming optimization

Electric vehicles (EVs) are attractive to reduce the pollution levels of urban areas thanks to their zero tail pipe emissions and to the possibility to rely on renewable energies for the electricity production. However, the market penetration of such vehicles is restricted by their limited range capabilities and by the lack of fast charging infrastructures. The Range Extended (R-EX) hybrid technology represents a valuable option to address these issues, since it offers the benefits of an EV, such as the electric driving for medium distances, while still maintaining the internal combustion engine, which can be operated at its optimal efficiency to recharge the battery, thus eliminating the driver's range anxiety. This article illustrates the design of the Energy Management System (EMS) of an R-EX Ultra-Light Vehicle (ULV), applying a heuristic approach based on the results obtained from the Dynamic Programming (DP) optimization, maximising the overall powertrain efficiency as function of trip information.