Analysis of current hybrid-electric automobile drivetrains and proposal of an alternative powertrain

Andrew Ahn, Thomas S. Welles, Benjamin Akih-Kumgeh

Research output: Chapter in Book/Entry/PoemConference contribution

Abstract

Byproducts of fossil fuel combustion contribute to negative changes in the global climate. Specifically, emissions from automobiles are a major source of greenhouse gas pollution. Efforts to minimize these harmful emissions have led to the development and sustained improvement of hybrid drivetrains in automobiles. Despite many advancements, however, hybrid systems still face substantial challenges which bear on their practicality, performance, and competitive disadvantage in view of the low cost of today's traditional internal combustion engines. These imperfections notwithstanding, hybrid electric vehicles have the potential to play significant roles in the future as cleaner transportation solutions. Actualization of this potential will depend on the ability of hybrid-electric vehicles to minimize their disadvantages while increasing their positive features relative to traditional combustion engines. This research investigates current hybrid electric architectures in automobiles with the aim of suggesting an alternative, more efficient hybrid configuration that utilizes current technology. This is completed by utilizing an iterative design process to compare how various components of existing hybrids can be combined and/or improved to develop a single, efficient and cohesive system that performs comparably to or surpasses existing ones in fuel efficiency and low emissions in all driving conditions. A critical and comparative analysis is provided based on current hybridelectric vehicle architectures as well as a plausible alternative.

Original languageEnglish (US)
Title of host publicationASME 2020 Power Conference, POWER 2020, collocated with the 2020 International Conference on Nuclear Engineering
PublisherAmerican Society of Mechanical Engineers (ASME)
ISBN (Electronic)9780791883747
DOIs
StatePublished - 2020
Event2019 Canadian Society for Civil Engineering Annual Conference, CSCE 2019 - Laval, Canada
Duration: Jun 12 2019Jun 15 2019

Publication series

NameAmerican Society of Mechanical Engineers, Power Division (Publication) POWER
Volume2020-August

Conference

Conference2019 Canadian Society for Civil Engineering Annual Conference, CSCE 2019
Country/TerritoryCanada
CityLaval
Period6/12/196/15/19

Keywords

  • Flywheel energy storage
  • Hybrid electric drivetrains
  • Sustainable automobiles

ASJC Scopus subject areas

  • Mechanical Engineering
  • Energy Engineering and Power Technology

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