Model predictive control-based control strategy to reduce driving-mode switching times for parallel hybrid electric vehicle

Multi-power sources are included in hybrid electrical vehicles, which leads to multi-driving modes co-existing when driving the vehicle. However, the frequent driving mode switching (DMS) will probably need the engine to be started frequently, which can result in extra fuel consumption. So, avoiding unnecessary DMS should be fully considered when designing the control strategy. For solving this problem, a model predictive control (MPC) strategy integrating Markov chain driving intention identification is put forward. First, the component models of the powertrain system are established. Second, according to the real driving cycle data, a driving intention model based on the Markov chain is designed according to the real driving cycle data. Then the MPC-based control strategy aiming at reducing DMS times is proposed by integrating the cost of DMS. Finally, the proposed control strategy is contrasted with three other control strategies to verify its validity in reducing the mode switching times and improving the fuel economy.