Comparative Analysis of BEV Performance from Simulated Environment and Physical Hardware Platform

The proliferation of simulation environments has accelerated technological progress across various scientific domains by offering a cost-effective and time-efficient framework for data acquisition and analysis. In the automotive sector, high-fidelity modeling of vehicle components and driving scenarios bypasses the logistical constraints associated with hardware procurement and the intensive requirements of large-scale testing infrastructures. However, pre-calibrated or native software models often imply simplified hypotheses, missing relevant aspects of the entire powertrain-to-wheel energy chain. This study presents a comparative analysis of battery performance within a battery electric vehicle (BEV) by synchronizing virtual simulations with experimental hardware at the test bench. The methodology involves the concurrent modeling of the driving environment, the vehicle chassis, and the propulsion system, followed by the execution of identical driving cycles on a physical platform. The experimental setup comprises a fully instrumented BEV featuring an integrated electric motor and battery pack, specifically configured for high-precision signal acquisition. The virtual section starts with the development of a digital twin within a commercial simulation suite, parameterized according to the vehicle specific dynamic and energy requirements. This is followed by the integration of the electric propulsion system and a battery pack model based on the equivalent circuit model method. To ensure high fidelity, the battery model is experimentally calibrated via multi-step pulse discharge tests performed on the physical hardware. In the end, various driving scenarios from the simulated environment are translated into speed-time profiles and are replicated on the real vehicle using a PID-controlled actuator on the accelerator pedal. The battery pack that serves the vehicle is monitored during the cycle to collect information on the electrical performance. Finally, a comparison between the simulated and real battery behavior is performed. This dual approach used in the present work, which compares the simulation accuracy against real-world performance, provides critical insights into the inherent advantages and technical boundaries of digital modeling in electromobility applications.