Look Ahead Information-Based Optimal Control of Traction Electric Machine for Energy-Efficient Operations

Operating the traction electric machine (EM) with maximum efficiency is critical in the electrified powertrain. Because the EM's efficiency directly contributes to the electric vehicle's (EV) overall efficiency, extending driving range, and minimizing environmental impact. In the effort to operate EM with maximum efficiency, this research paper introduces a novel approach by integrating the lookahead information with EM drive control to minimize power wastage. The EM drive controller knows the upcoming operating points with the help of lookahead information and it manages to operate the EM in the highest possible efficiency region, which leads to minimized power wastage. The design of the proposed controller includes the optimal control problem formulation with certain constraints on EM torque, speed, and battery's state of charge (SOC). The efficacy of the proposed controller is tested and compared with the conventional PI-based control using a high-fidelity heavy-duty class 8 electric truck powertrain simulator. The results show that the the proposed controller reduces the power wastage by 19.04% with 5% improvement in battery state of charge (SOC).