Characterization of the Near Term Electric Vehicle (ETV-1) Breadboard Propulsion System Over the SAE J227a Driving Schedule “D”

The NASA-LeRC under the direction of DOE is responsible for the test and evaluation of electric and hybrid vehicle propulsion systems and components. In September 1978, a contracted effort was undertaken with the General Electric Company to design, fabricate, and deliver a propulsion system breadboard of the GE-NTEV (ETV-1). This breadboard is currently under test in the LeRC Road Load Simulator and its operational characteristics are the subject of this paper.

THE ELECTRIC TEST VEHICLE-ONE (ETV-1) was built by General Electric Company and Chrysler Corporation for the U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) to represent an electric vehicle designed and built from the ground up with present state-of-the-art technology. Two vehicles were built and are presently being evaluated by NASA's Jet Propulsion Laboratory (JPL). Some results of these JPL tests are also being presented at this conference. A duplicate set of propulsion system components were built, mounted on a breadboard, and delivered to NASA's Lewis Research Center for testing on the newly acquired Road Load Simulator (RLS). Lewis Research Center is responsible for the development, test, and evaluation of electric and hybrid vehicle propulsion systems and components for the Department of Energy. The breadboard is currently under test. This paper will describe driving cycle tests that have been completed on the system.