Model-Based Optimization of a Plug-In Hybrid Electric Powertrain with Multimode Transmission

Plug-in hybrid electric vehicles are developed in order to reduce the fuel consumption and the emission of carbon dioxide. Besides the series, parallel and power split configurations are commonly used for conventional hybrid electric vehicles, and multimode transmissions are used for plug-in hybrid electric vehicles, which are able to switch between different modes like parallel or series operation of the combustion engine and electric motor. Several concepts have already been discussed and presented. These concepts comprise novel structures and multi-speed operation for the combustion engine and the electric motor, respectively. For improving the fuel and energy consumption, model-based optimizations of multimode transmissions are performed. In the first step of the optimization, the optimal number of gears and transmission ratios, as well as the corresponding fuel and energy savings, are estimated. Based on these results, a new multimode transmission concept with two-speed transmissions for the combustion engine and the electric motor has been developed. The knowledge of the concrete concept enables the further optimizations of the transmission ratios and the transmission control. In order to prove the benefit of the new and optimized transmission concept, powertrain simulations have been carried out. The new powertrain concept is compared to a powertrain concept with single-speed transmissions for the internal combustion engine (ICE) and electric motor operation. The new transmission concept enables a significant improvement of the fuel consumption