Electric Vehicle Corner Architecture: Driving Comfort Evaluation
Using Objective Metrics 2022-01-0921
The presented paper is dedicated to the driving comfort evaluation in the case of
the electric vehicle architecture with four independent wheel corners equipped
with in-wheel motors (IWMs). The analysis of recent design trends for
electrified road vehicles indicates that a higher degree of integration between
powertrain and chassis and the shift towards a corner-based architecture
promises improved energy efficiency and safety performances. However, an
in-wheel-mounted electric motor noticeable increases unsprung vehicle mass,
leading to some undesirable impact on chassis loads and driving comfort. As a
countermeasure, a possible solution lies in integrated active corner systems,
which are not limited by traditional active suspension, steer-by-wire and
brake-by-wire actuators. However, it can also include actuators influencing the
wheel positioning through the active camber and toe angle control. Such a corner
configuration is discussed in the paper as applied to a sport utility vehicle
(SUV). A new chassis design was developed and tested for this reference vehicle
using multi-body dynamics simulation. The integrated operation of the active
suspension and the wheel positioning control has been analyzed in this study
with different driving scenarios and objective metrics for driving comfort
evaluation. Additionally, handling and stability tests have also been performed
to confirm that new systems do not deteriorate driving safety. The obtained
results contribute to a comprehensive assessment of IWM-based architecture,
formulated from a driving comfort perspective that is helpful for further
designs of electric vehicle corners.