Development of Plug-in Hybrid Motorbike and Analysis towards Sustainable Urban Mobility

The transportation system is one major catalyst to urban ecological imbalance. In developing countries, two-wheelers are considered a major mode of urban personal transportation because of their compactness, easy maneuver in heavy traffic and good fuel efficiency. In India, middle and lower middle-class people prefer to choose two wheelers and these vehicles are dominantly fueled by gasoline. Although, the energy consumption by a two-wheeler is comparatively less than that of a four-wheeler, they use about 60% of the nation's petroleum for on-road vehicles and the impact on urban air quality and climatic change is significantly high. This high proportion of gasoline utilization and emission contribution by two wheelers in cities demand greater attention as a way to improve urban air quality and near-term energy sustainability. Electrification of two-wheelers through the application of a plug-in hybrid idea is a promising solution. A plug-in hybrid motorbike was developed by putting forth a novel drive technique, which demonstrated the advantages of reducing greenhouse gas emissions and using less fuel. The experimental investigation reveals noticeable petroleum fuel savings and greenhouse emission reduction. Through the installation of a hub motor in the rear wheel, the dynamic behaviour of the prototype was examined and observed marginal changes in ride parameters. A cost-benefit analysis was also performed to estimate the payback period for the additional cost incurred.