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Production vehicles are commonly characterized and compared using fuel consumption (FC) and electric energy consumption (EC) metrics. Chassis dynamometer testing is a tool used to establish these metrics, and to benchmark the effectiveness of a vehicle's powertrain under numerous testing conditions and environments. Whether the vehicle is undergoing EPA Five-Cycle Fuel Economy (FE), component lifecycle, thermal, or benchmark testing, it is important to identify the vehicle and testing based variations of energy consumption results from these tests to establish the accuracy of the test's results. Traditionally, the uncertainty in vehicle test results is communicated using the variation. With the increasing complexity of vehicle powertrain technology and operation, a fixed energy consumption variation may no longer be a correct assumption.

Plug-in Hybrid Electric Vehicles (PHEV) offer the benefits of both home charging from grid electricity and extended range from fuels. Fuel cell PHEVs in a range-extending (FCEREV) configuration build upon the advantages of PHEV by producing zero emissions while driving. The Colorado State University Vehicle Innovation Team (CSU VIT) successfully designed, built, and demonstrated a FCEREV named ‘H2eV’ for Year Two of the 3-year EcoCAR 2 collegiate competition. The demonstrated FCEREV is based on the 2013 Chevrolet Malibu and features a 15 kW Polymer Electrolyte Membrane fuel cell system, an 18.9 kWh/177 kW Li-Ion battery, and a 145 kW motor for all-electric drive. Operational data was taken during driving on a closed course, following a cycle that approximates the Environmental Protection Agency's 5-cycle test procedure. This paper provides an overview of the CSU VIT's FCEREV and a detailed analysis of vehicle performance during its successful demonstration.