COVER – Real world CO2 assessment and Vehicle enERgy efficiency
Research Project, 2018 – 2021

Research Motivating Problem:

Real vehicle usage rarely corresponds to what was anticipated in development and sales stages. Hence, vehicles are not optimal for their actual use.

Envisioned product/solution:

Improved design of longitudinal actuation subsystems (e.g. propulsion and brake) and corresponding vehicle level functionality.

Research question:

•What methods and processes are needed around a mission specific operating cycle format to develop and configure vehicles for energy efficient transportation?
•How are legislation, rating and standards incorporated in these processes?

Deliverables:

•Methods and processes verified/exemplified on Alternative Propulsion, including electromobility
•Above verified/exemplified on different levels of driving automation
•1 VehDyn PhD graduated

Abstract:

When the vehicle specification is set, 60-65% of the CO2 emissions are not possible to influence anymore. Getting the specification right is the most important factor to achieve efficient vehicles and low CO2. Surprisingly often an analysis of the vehicle specification vs it’s use makes it obvious that the vehicle is specified and chosen in a non-optimal way. The remaining 35-40% of the CO2 emissions are directed to the propulsion of the vehicle and can be tailored to how and where the vehicle is driven. Here the functions of the current and future vehicles play an important role. The industry is in need of the best possible methods and tools, to master the understanding of vehicle usage. For typical vehicle user groups, the project COVER will show that one can reduce CO2 with 30%. The COVER project will develop methodologies and processes for the assessment and reduction of CO2 emissions and fuel consumption in the next generation of vehicles, consdering real vehicle operation.