Regenerative Braking Strategy of a Formula SAE Electric Race Car Using Energetic Macroscopic Representation

• Main Authors: Andrés Camilo Henao-Muñoz, Paulo Pereirinha, Alain Bouscayrol
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Published: MDPI AG 2020-06-01
• Series: World Electric Vehicle Journal
• Subjects: regenerative brake; race car; energetic macroscopic representation; EMR; car modeling; electric differential
• Online Access: https://www.mdpi.com/2032-6653/11/2/45

This paper presents a braking strategy analysis for a Formula SAE electric race car. The proposed braking strategy aims to increase the recovery energy by a relevant distribution of the braking forces between the rear and front wheels. A mathematical model of the car is presented, and a simulation is performed in Matlab-Simulink. The model is organized using the energetic macroscopic representation graphical formalism. A real racetrack driving cycle is considered. Three braking strategies are compared considering the energy recovery and the vehicle stability. The simulation results show that the proposed strategy enables higher energy recovery while avoiding locking on both rear and front wheels. As in such a race the driving range is fixed, the reduction in energy consumption can be used to reduce the battery size. The battery weight can thus be decreased to improve the vehicle performance during competition.