Modeling and Simulation of Electric Vehicles - The Effect of Different Li-Ion Battery Technologies

Limited range is one of the main drawbacks of battery electric vehicles. Especially at low temperatures the range is reduced due to low battery capacity and power as well as additional energy demand for auxiliaries. In order to compare different battery technologies regarding their in-vehicle performance, a model based approach is chosen. Several battery technologies are modeled and implemented into a simulation environment for vehicle systems. In addition, varying test cases are defined to analyze the battery characteristics and impact on the vehicle performance. For example, simulation results show that the energy demand of the power train rises significantly in urban surroundings and low ambient temperature conditions. This is due to the fact that recuperation of brake energy is limited by the reduced battery power capability. Furthermore, the efficiency of the battery and the power train is analyzed regarding varying temperatures, battery sizes and driving cycles. Eventually, the electrical range taking into account different driving cycles, temperatures, and auxiliary loads is studied.