Energy Recovery and Energy Harvesting in Electric and Fuel Cell Vehicles, a Review of Recent Advances

This review article examines the crucial role of energy harvesting and energy recovery in the design of battery electric vehicles (BEVs) and fuel cell hybrid electric vehicles (FCHEVs) as these vehicles have limited onboard power sources. Harvesting energy and recovering energy from onboard systems can significantly improve energy efficiency, increase range, and reduce fuel consumption. The latest advances in vehicular energy recovery and harvesting, including regenerative braking, regenerative suspension, solar and wind energy harvesting, and other recovery methods are studied and the impact of the energy storage system and powertrain architecture on energy harvesting is investigated. Regenerative brake control strategies and driver behaviour’s effect on energy recovery are reviewed, and the potential of energy harvesting in electric vehicles is discussed, including experimental and low-power harvesting methods. The importance of using perception and navigation technologies in autonomous vehicles to enhance energy efficiency is highlighted. The article identifies critical research gaps, challenges, and future directions for research in this field. This review stands out from previous papers by covering overlooked subjects such as driver behaviour and deceleration planning in autonomous vehicles, low-power harvesting methods, and experimental techniques applicable to electric vehicles.