Impact of Driving Cycles on the Range Performance of Battery Electric Vehicle

When compared to traditional cars with internal combustion engines (ICEs), electric vehicles (EVs) are seen as a more environmentally friendly option. However, the widespread acceptance of EVs in India faces several obstacles, including the high cost of the technology, inadequate charging infrastructure, and limited driving range. Additionally, potential customers are concerned about the actual range of EVs, which often falls short of the certified range. The certified range is determined based on a standardized driving cycle so selecting the appropriate driving cycle for range estimation is of utmost importance. In India, the modified Indian drive cycle (MIDC) has been implemented, which is comparable to the New European Driving Cycle (NEDC). Modified Indian Driving Cycle (MIDC) consists of four Urban Driving Cycles (Part I) and one Extra Urban Driving Cycle (Part II), however range measured with Part-I of the modified Indian driving cycle is considered as the approved/certified value of the electric vehicle's range.The objective of this research is to analyze the influence of standard driving cycles, namely NEDC, MIDC (Part I), and WLTC (World harmonized Light-duty vehicles Test Cycle), on the range of electric vehicles (EVs). A 1D- Vehicle simulation model has been developed to investigate the impact of these driving cycles on the range of EVs. The vehicle model is evaluated against published energy consumption values, which show a reasonable level of accuracy with an error range of 1.8% to 7.3% between simulation and experimental results for auxiliary loads of 150W to 250W on MIDC Part I cycle. The simulation findings have confirmed that the choice of driving cycle significantly affects the range of EVs. It has been observed that MIDC (Part I) is not suitable for Indian driving conditions. Therefore, it is recommended that India adopt the WLTC or an equivalent driving cycle to accurately determine the range of EVs. This will help bridge the gap between the certified range and the actual range of EVs.