ELECTRIC POWERTRAIN CONTROL: AN ADAPTABLE SIMULINK MODEL OF TORQUE PATH AND VALIDATION BY MODEL IN THE LOOP

In this thesis, the main features of a powertrain’s control for a Battery Electric Vehicle have been studied with a focus on the Torque’s Management. About the computation of the set-points of torques for the electric machines, a model of a control algorithm for the longitudinal drive has been proposed and tested by ‘Model in the Loop’. This model can be adapted to different powertrain configurations since we can set the number of electric motors and their size. In order to test the algorithm a basic model of vehicle has been implemented by Simulink as well as simplified models for foundation brakes and electric motors. The first chapter begins with an overview of Battery Electric Vehicle’s powertrain and a description of pure electric driving features. The main aspects of Torque’s Management have been discussed with a focus on the role of the ‘Torque Path’ among the systems which interact with the Vehicle Control Unit in the powertrain’s control. Following some important issues about software modelling have been mentioned. In the second chapter the main functional requirements of a control algorithm for a longitudinal drive have been analysed considering the issues related to the safety; therefore, the corresponding solutions have been described and illustrated in a qualitative manner. The requirements have been verified in the chapter three by testing the proposed model with certain inputs generated in a separate section of the Simulink model; various driver request’s pattern have been simulated and the results of the simulation have been shown. Finally, some considerations about further developments and ‘Software in the Loop’ phase have been made.