SYSTEM AND METHOD FOR OPTIMIZING POWER CONSUMPTION IN A HYBRID ELECTRIC VEHICLE

摘要

A system and method for optimizing the consumption of fuel in a hybrid electric vehicle is disclosed. A Hybrid Efficiency Index (HEI) is used to quantify a relative efficiency advantage achievable with the expenditure of electrical energy at a given power level. Also disclosed is a minimum efficiency threshold useful for determining which HEI values will result in the optimum use of electrical energy throughout the operation of the vehicle. Methods for adjusting the minimum efficiency threshold with respect to regenerative braking events, storage capacity in the energy storage system, along with other aspects are disclosed as well.

主权项

1. A method of controlling a hybrid system, comprising:
calculating a fuel consumption rate for an engine using a controller in communication with the engine, the engine configured to consume a fuel to produce an engine output torque; calculating a target electric motor output torque using the controller, the target electric motor output torque calculated by the controller using a predicted change in a fuel consumption rate and a predicted change in a stored electrical energy caused by a predicted consumption of the stored electrical energy by an electric motor generator; controlling the electric motor generator to produce an actual electric motor output torque that is substantially equal to the target electric motor output torque using the controller; and controlling the engine to reduce the engine output torque by an amount corresponding to the target electric motor output torque using the controller.