Effects of Varying Driving Schedules on the Drive Train Efficiency and Performance Characteristics of a Parallel Diesel-Hybrid Bus

This paper aims at the modeling and performance simulation of a heavy-duty parallel diesel-hybrid transit bus over a variety of different drive cycles. Based on the simulation results, a comparative analysis is performed on the overall drive train efficiencies for the various driving patterns. The simulations are performed for 7 different driving patterns, which show varying results from the point of view of overall percentage drive train efficiency and performance parameters, such as acceleration and tail pipe emissions. Thus, through the studies conducted in this paper, the main goal is to evaluate the potential of the parallel diesel-hybrid transit bus under investigation.

In addition, a critical parameter of the developed hybrid bus is the regenerative energy recovery. It is a well-known fact for hybrid electric vehicles (HEVs) that the regenerative energy recovery potential is primarily dependent on its driving pattern. Thus, if a particular drive cycle has numerous start and stop driving patterns, it results in significant energy recovery potential, while driving schedules with fewer cycles, exhibit less energy recovery potential, as is the case for highway drive cycles. Hence, based on this theory, the regenerative braking system of the developed diesel-hybrid bus can be evaluated effectively by simulating it over various drive cycles.