| Summary: | Increased environmental awareness together with new legislative demands on lowered emissions and a rising fuel cost have put focus on increasing the fuel efficiency in new vehicles. Hybridization is a way to increase the efficiency of the powertrain.The Haldex electric Torque Vectoring Device is a rear axle with a built in electric motor, designed to combine all-wheel drive with hybrid functionality. A method is developed for creating a real time control algorithm that minimizes the fuel consumption. First the consumption reduction potential of the system is investigated using Dynamic Programming. A real time control algorithm is then devised that indicates a substantial consumption reduction potential compared to all-wheel drive, under the condition that the assumed and measured efficiencies are accurate. The control algorithm is created using equivalent consumption minimization strategy and is implemented without any knowledge of the future driving mission. Two ways of adapting the control according to the battery state of charge are proposed and investigated. The controller optimizes the torque distribution for the current gear as well as assists the driver by recommending the gear which would give the lowest consumption. The simulations indicate a substantial fuel consumption reduction potential even though the system primarily is an all-wheel drive concept. The results from vehicle tests show that the control system is charge sustaining and the driveability is deemed good by the test-drivers.
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