Estimation of Energy Management Strategy Using Neural-Network-Based Surrogate Model for Range Extended Vehicle

In this paper, an energy-management strategy based on fuel economy is presented to achieve a further range increase for range-extended light commercial vehicles. Estimation of the energy-management strategy was carried out using a neural-network-based surrogate model for an range-extended vehicle. Surrogate-based optimization plays an important role in optimization problems, which are based on complex structures with uncertainties in data sets due to various conditions. Neural networks have advantages in creating surrogate-based models in cases of complex problems with uncertainties in data sets to evaluate the process and estimate the outputs. This study discusses additional power-unit applications and vehicle integration for a light commercial electric vehicle. It provides preliminary design work and techniques for identifying NVH problems in particular. SIMULINK and neural-network-based surrogate models are established, and the changeable parameters of the vehicle, such as mass, battery/fuel-tank capacity, internal combustion engine power and electric motor power units are simulated in different dynamic and static conditions to determine an energy-management strategy for a range-extended vehicle based on fuel economy under various conditions. It was seen that APU parameters and an energy-management strategy significantly affected the fuel consumption of REX. A neural-network-based surrogate-model approach gave high-precision results in predicting the operating strategy according to different loading conditions to reduce fuel consumption. In some cases, it can be required to determine the fuel consumption results in various conditions with the variables, which may be out-of-boundary conditions. It was seen that the proposed neural-network-model also offers higher prediction ability in cases of unexpected results in data sets of various conditions compared to regression analysis. The results show that estimation and optimization of energy management using a neural-network-based surrogate model can be achieved by adapting the operating strategy according to different loading conditions to reduce fuel consumption. This study presents an approach for future new vehicle projects by transforming a prototype light commercial electric vehicle to REX. The proposed approach was developed to design the most efficient range-extended vehicle by changing all variables without costly computations and time-consuming analysis. It is possible to generate variable data sets and to have reference knowledge for future vehicle projects.