Motor/Generator Applications in Electrified Vehicle Chassis—A Survey

Electrifying the ground vehicles is a promising approach to alleviating the energy and climate issues. The adoption of an electric vehicle (EV) and a hybrid EV (HEV) has introduced significant impacts on various aspects of vehicle design, especially on the chassis systems. When vehicles tend to be lighter, smarter, and autonomous, more electroactuators with a wide-bandwidth control and an energy-regeneration capability are deployed instead of traditional hydraulic ones to improve the vehicle dynamic and energy performance. In this article, an overview of the chassis electrification technologies regarding different configurations of electric/hybrid powertrains, active suspension, and steering systems, along with a comprehensive review of key research fields on the design and control of the discussed systems, is presented. For related technologies, the comparative discussions and design considerations serve as a reference for practical research and development. Although the electric solutions in different subsystems show great potential to further benefit the essential chassis functions, a fully electrified chassis still has a long way to go considering the technical maturity and the cost-performance tradeoff. This article also highlights the technical gaps and supplies future directions for the chassis electrification.