An Integrated Approach to Advancing the Science of Electrified Vehicles

点击翻译按钮获取中文摘要

There are few more pressing challenges of our time than the stewardship of our planet's air. Rising atmospheric carbon dioxide levels are a major contributor to global warming and air pollution kills an estimated 4,000 people a day in China. In Canada and the U.S., the transportation sector creates roughly 25% of the greenhouse gases emitted. We must transition to electric vehicles (EVs) powered by sustainable electricity generation in order to combat these global problems. However, globally, EV sales account for less than 1% of new sales. The main obstacles to widespread EV adoption are high initial costs, range concerns, and charging infrastructure. My proposed research program will use a holistic approach to advance the science of EVs by integrating 3 levels of research: (1) power electronic circuit design, (2) vehicle-level design, modeling, and control, and (3) grid-level integration of EVs. While these areas are often considered separately, my program will consider the interactions between them in order to make discoveries that will lead to reduced vehicle cost and increased vehicle efficiency, reliability, and range. My short-term objectives are:******1) Power Electronic Level – Advance power electronic converter design using wide-band-gap devices. The anticipated outcome is converter designs with increased efficiency and decreased volume and cost.***2) Vehicle Level – Develop new multi-scale modeling techniques. The anticipated outcome is a tool for efficient EV powertrain design which we will use to study interactions between the powertrain electronics, vehicle system-level performance, and EV grid integration. ***3) Vehicle Level – Optimize autonomous vehicle control strategies for powertrain efficiency. The anticipated outcome is algorithms that specify the precise speed the vehicle should travel at for each instant in a trip to maximize powertrain efficiency in the face of constantly-changing external factors. ***4) Grid Level – Develop strategies to optimize the integration of large numbers of EVs with the grid. The anticipated outcome is algorithms and methods that take a vehicle-centered approach to smart-charging by first considering the driver's need for battery charge.******The primary impact of this program is to improve the environment and the health of people living in urban centers, in Canada and worldwide. There is a further benefit to Canada in establishing itself as a leader in the advanced vehicle space, which is a fast-growing opportunity for high-tech well-paying jobs for Canadians. My proposed research program will train HQP in the highly-sought after areas of power electronics, vehicle modeling, design, and control, and smart grid. Due to the integrated nature of my program, my graduates will be leaders who can make technical advances while also understanding the bigger picture. Our advancements will help shape the future evolution of electrified and autonomous vehicles.