Performance Analysis of Hybrid and Full Electrical Vehicles Equipped with Continuously Variable Transmissions

The main aim of this paper is to study the potential impacts in hybrid and full electrical vehicles performance by utilising continuously variable transmissions. This is achieved by two stages. First, for Electrical Vehicles (EVs), modelling and analysing the powertrain of a generic electric vehicle is developed using Matlab/Simulink-QSS Toolkit, with and without a transmission system of varying levels of complexity. Predicted results are compared for a typical electrical vehicle in three cases: without a gearbox, with a Continuously Variable Transmission (CVT), and with a conventional stepped gearbox. Second, for Hybrid Electrical Vehicles (HEVs), a twin epicyclic power split transmission model is used. Computer programmes for the analysis of epicyclic transmission based on a matrix method are developed and used. Two vehicle models are built-up; namely: traditional ICE vehicle, and HEV with a twin epicyclic gearbox. Predictions for both stages are made over the New European Driving Cycle (NEDC).The simulations show that the twin epicyclic offers substantial improvements of reduction in energy consumption in HEVs. The results also show that it is possible to improve overall performance and energy consumption levels using a continuously variable ratio gearbox in EVs.