Hybrid Electric Vehicle: A Sustainable Solution for the Future

Hybrid Electric Vehicle
Introduction
Machines, as the definition goes, are meant to make work easier. Therefore, cars, just like any
other machine, are supposed to conveniently move you from one location to another.
Manufacturers take into consideration cost, efficiency and environmental pollution caused by
emissions when designing and manufacturing cars. Sadly, most cars are fitted with fossil fuel
engines which for ages have been main component of pollution due to emissions. And pure
electric vehicles, despite being emission free, do not have ability to go over long distances and
cannot provide power to vehicles of internal combustion engines. (Pistoia, 2010)
So the invention of hybrid electric vehicle has been a great stride forward. HEV combines both
combustion engines and electric motor engines. This ensures that the HEV vehicle can drive as
far as you would want and at the same time emit just a fraction of harmful gases; just as ICE
powered vehicles emit. For instance for shorter trips such as running errands electric motors are
used, and while driving in highways over considerable distances one should opt for combustion
engines so as not to deplete batteries. (Liu, 2013)
The hybrid electric vehicle balances when to use either of the engines.
Analysis
The hybrid electric vehicle has been engineered in mainly two formats; mild and full. They have
similar basic features:
 Auto idle off
 Regenerative breaking that is energy is recovered through generator while decelerating
 Battery can provide additional power in times of high demand driving.
Average power can be found by the equation;
And the energy that is being dissipated when braking by deceleration can be calculated using the
formula;

The following graphs are for the NEDC vehicle driving cycle that I worked in part two of the
assignment.
The graph starts with the positive spike signaling the start of the ICE using stored energy
in the battery. And in addition the battery gives additional when the NEDC vehicle starts
accelerating.
And after around 100 seconds some battery power starts to be recovered from the running
engine so the power becomes negative. And this is shown by sharp spikes throughout the
whole cycle showing energies being recovered as the car brakes and stops. The ICE is
switched off and restarted and the cycles repeated.

The NEDC vehicle starts with a positive spike as the engine receives power and
accelerates. Negatives at 100, 250 and other points shows power recovered as the
vehicles brakes and decorates.
The cycles continue showing positive and negatives spikes for the whole cycle as the
processes are repeated.
The battery voltage of the NEDC vehicle starts at 375 volts. The voltages oscillates about
the equilibrium of 375 volts. This goes down showing some spikes which signals the start
of recharging the battery and cycles and spikes above equilibrium shows the voltage that
is being drawn from the battery.