ID4EV – Intelligent Dynamics for Fully Electric Vehicles (September 2013)

ID4EV stands for “Intelligent Dynamics for Fully Electric Vehicles” and is a collaborative project supported by the European Commission Sub-programme ICT for the Fully Electric Vehicle and funded by EURO 3.8 million from the FP7 Framework Programme on a total cost of EURO 6.72 million.  After duration of 29 months, it was closed in August 2012.

The objective of the ID4EV project was to develop energy efficient and safe brake plus chassis systems for full electric vehicles. The goal was to adapt and improve active safety and comfort systems to FEVs.

Beside the development and optimization of FEV drive train relevant systems with regard to active safety & comfort and the brake & chassis systems, optimization on vehicle level was done using a new approach of a network system as well as new HMI concepts for FEVs.

Electrified auxiliaries like the brake systems and the chassis lead to new possibilities for vehicle control and a better cooperative interaction between these distributed systems. It was concluded by the project partners that, aiming at a fast introduction of full electric vehicles, these systems have to be robust and must have a defined fail safe concept.

The project also focused on the topics of energy efficiency, safety and the interaction between the vehicle, the optimized systems and the driver. Thus the ID4EV project was splitted into three main areas of research and development:

– the first one was dealing with the development of adapted braking systems for electric driven vehicles (IB4EV – Intelligent Brakes for fully Electric Vehicles);

– the second research area covered all aspects concerning chassis components for non-combustion engine powered vehicles (IC4EV – Intelligent Chassis for fully Electric Vehicles);

– the third field of interest aimed at seeking functional integration between the physical persons and the vehicle (IF4EV – Intelligent Functionality for fully Electric Vehicles).

IB4EV (Intelligent Brakes for fully Electric Vehicles) goes beyond the state of the art by applying electro-mechanical brakes to the front axle of a front wheel driven FEV, thus enabling a clear management and force distribution between friction and electrical recuperative braking without implications to the driver pedal feel. The recuperation potential depending on the kind of driving cycle is calculated to be an improvement of 12 to maximal 20% best case in reference to today’s technology. A front-wheel driven demonstrator vehicle on the basis of the Renault Fluence Z.E. with electro-mechanic brakes at the front axle and re-designed drum brakes at the rear axle is set up and running. As difficult as integration of the hardware and software for vehicle dynamics and recuperation was the adjustment of the brake pedal feeling for the driver.

With IC4EV (Intelligent Chassis for fully Electric Vehicles) new cost efficient technological approaches are done especially with respect to safety architecture, harness, and in-wheel motor design. Therefore unused synergies of the braking system, the electric drive and the vehicle suspension are exploited by making a top-down system design optimizing the overall unsprung mass and system performance. For E/E chassis components a safety concept has been elaborated including an error handler within the vehicle drive control unit. Durability and fail safe design of the E/E chassis components regarding all connected mechanical, electrical and mechatronic components have been proven individually on test benches and in a modified series car at on-road tests.

Within IF4EV (Intelligent Functionality for fully Electric Vehicles) the major issue is to integrate all major vehicle component/ system controls into one operating interface. The driver shall have the choice between different vehicle system behaviours to enjoy certain comfort-, functionality- and performance levels depending on the route, the trip reason or the personal situation for example. Balancing these conflicting requirements can never be in one optimal way, so optimization has to be achieved through on the spot configuration of relevant vehicle components in form of an intelligent function management. A new dashboard with an intuitional user interface including information and command concept has been build into a Renault Fluence Z.E.. Important content of the HMI for pure electric vehicles is a profile manager to individualize vehicle behaviour and the navigational control. Issues such as range calculation, range prediction, decision supporting for the driver and user friendliness have been ready implemented and have meet the expectations of the testers.

The ID4EV consortia was composed of well-known, powerful European partners of different sectors active in the present and future automotive technology and consisted of eight partners from five European member states:

  • Vehicle manufacturer (Renault)
  • Automotive suppliers (Continental, ZF)
  • Engineering partner (IDIADA)
  • Research communities (FKA, Chalmers University, TNO, ICOOR)