A microprocessor-based onboard data collection device was developed and installed on three electric vehicles (EVs) being tested at Fort Belvoir, Virginia, and at Northrop Aircraft Division, Hawthorne, California. This device, the Versatile Data Acquisition System (VDAS), collects and stores selected EV and battery performance data in histogram format. Some time-domain data are also collected. This paper presents the results of an analysis of these data.
The analysis shows that histograms of trip distances, trip times, road gradients, and velocities provide useful measures or indicators of daily site operations. Engineering performance indicators such as ac and dc energy consumption per mile, battery power and energy demands, battery charging profiles, and component temperature extremes are developed. The authors conclude that VDAS installations can bridge the gaps between simulations, laboratory tests, and field tests of EVs