Control Strategy Optimization to Improve Energy Efficiency of Electric Wheel Loader Wheel Drive System

Driven by the dual-carbon goals of “peak carbon emissions” and “carbon neutrality,” improving energy efficiency in electric construction machinery has become a key focus. This study proposes an energy-saving torque control strategy for the traction motor of electric wheel loaders, aiming to reduce drive system energy consumption. The innovation lies in coupling parameter optimization of the pedal–torque mapping and regenerative braking to enhance overall efficiency. An electric model was built using Cruise and validated against real-world V-cycle test data, showing good agreement with an average relative error of 4.08%. Based on the model, two optimized control strategies were developed and evaluated through simulations and field tests. The results showed energy savings of 7.08% and 16.18% in simulation, and 6.83% and 15.51% in tests, respectively, demonstrating the effectiveness and practical value of the proposed method.