Hardware-in-the-loop evaluation of electric vehicle drives

There is an increasing demand for electric vehicles, because of the need to reduce exhaust gas pollutants and carbon emissions. The electric motor technology for the drive motor has prompted considerable debate, since the optimum solution depends both on motor properties but also on technology readiness. The hardware-in-the loop emulator mimics the behaviour of the vehicle, providing a test environment to evaluate potential drive motors experimentally. Because the vehicle efficiency depends on how it is driven, standard vehicle drive cycles are used to provide benchmark comparisons. Vehicle kinematics are represented by a vehicle model, using a mechanically coupled load machine to apply the calculated model torque to the motor under test. The principles of operation of the test rig are demonstrated by comparing an industrial induction machine and permanent magnet motor in terms of energy consumption and controllability; experimental results are presented.