IEEE VTS Motor Vehicles Challenge 2023: A Multi-physical Benchmark Problem for Next Generation Energy Management Algorithms

This article presents a benchmark problem that researchers can use to evaluate the performance of energy management algorithms for multi-energy source and multimotor electric vehicles. The model makes use of Modelica, an open source, a-causal, object-oriented language for modeling cyber-physical systems in multi-domains (e.g. electrical, mechanical, thermal) of the vehicle components. The model also includes the aspect of three-dimensional mechanics, which enables completely new degrees of freedom in the controller design in comparison to one-dimensional approaches. To support interoperability among multiple design tools, the Modelica vehicle model is provided as a Functional Mockup Unit, an industry standard for exchange of simulation models. A set of standardized input-output interfaces and key performance metrics is also provided in the benchmarking problem, enabling the systematic ranking of multiple energy management strategies.