Automated topology optimisation of hybrid electric vehicle powertrains

Abstract

Gasoline and electric powertrain components can be connected in numerous configurations to create hybrid powertrains. Owing to the exponential increase of permutations as the number of components increases, a framework to determine the best possible powertrain configuration that minimises fuel consumption was developed. This framework uses enumeration to discover all powertrains, the Graph-Theoretic Method to generate system equations, dynamic programming to evaluate fuel consumption and generate an objective score, and Pattern Search to optimise the sizing of each component. A multi-stage screening process was used to reduce computation time. Parallel and powersplit-like topologies with additional discrete gearboxes were found to be the most efficient. The best performing topology is a powersplit hybrid type: a discrete gearbox connected to the final drive, with the output gear of the planetary carrier and electric motor in parallel.