Development of a Gear Shift Controller for an Optimized 2-Speed eDrive of an Electric Delivery Vehicle Using Model Based Design Approach

Multispeed eDrive or eAxles arguably benefit the overall performance and efficiency of an electric vehicle. The majority of the benefits can be derived from rightsizing and optimal control over the gear shift sequence under various driving scenarios. This paper focuses on developing an optimal shift schedule and precise shift controls for a special utility three-wheeled electric vehicle using a Model-Based Design approach. The supervisory control logic is implemented using Stateflow. Further, the entire shift mechanism with the controller, stepper motor and driver is modeled in the Matlab-Simulink-Simscape environment. A novel solution of integrating the SolidWorks CAD model of the gearbox provided by the manufacturer with the shift mechanism using Simulink Multibody is presented. Finally, the controller model and C- code test methods are presented to validate the behavior and functional requirements using MIL, SIL and PIL on a prototype microcontroller chip.