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Title:

Emission Implications of Plug-in Hybrid Electric Vehicles Through an Empirical Exploration of Engine Starts

Accession Number:

01763911

Record Type:

Component

Availability:

Find a library where document is available


Order URL: http://worldcat.org/issn/03611981

Abstract:

This paper aims to characterize the engine start activity profiles and emission potential of various plug-in hybrid electric vehicle (PHEV) models by examining the characteristics associated with engine starts, identifying the travel conditions that trigger engine starts, and determining the frequency of different types of engine starts. The study analyzed on-road vehicle data from six PHEV models: Toyota Prius Plug-in, Ford C-Max Energi, Ford C-Max Fusion, Toyota Prius Prime, Chrysler Pacifica, and Chevrolet Volt. An analysis on travel conditions before engine starts revealed that low state-of-charge is the dominant engine start trigger for PHEVs with high all-electric range whereas high vehicle power requirement is the most critical trigger for PHEVs with low all-electric range. For PHEVs with mid-range capabilities, several vehicle specifications, ranging from peak electric motor power to curb weight, could be engine start determinants. A strong inverse correlation exists between battery capacity and the annual frequency of engine starts but this relationship does not hold for cold and high-power cold starts. Both the low and the high battery capacity PHEVs logged fewer cold starts than the mid-sized battery vehicles, indicating that there could be a fundamental tradeoff between engine start emissions and fuel displacement for PHEVs to a certain degree. Despite this tradeoff, all PHEV models in the study logged fewer cold starts than comparable conventional internal combustion engine vehicles, performing the same trips. Ultimately, long-range PHEVs with high battery capacity are found to be ideal for both curbing start emissions and reducing fuel use.

Supplemental Notes:

The data analyzed in this paper were collected as part of the California Air Resource Board contract 16RD009 and is not publicly available. © National Academy of Sciences: Transportation Research Board 2021.

Report/Paper Numbers:

TRBAM-21-02116

Language:

English

Authors:

Chaitanya Karanam, Vaishnavi
Tal, Gil

Pagination:

pp 620-633

Publication Date:

2021-9

Serial:

Transportation Research Record: Journal of the Transportation Research Board

Volume: 2675
Issue Number: 9
Publisher: Sage Publications, Incorporated
ISSN: 0361-1981
EISSN: 2169-4052
Serial URL: http://journals.sagepub.com/home/trr

Media Type:

Digital/other

Features:

Figures; References (9) ; Tables

Subject Areas:

Environment; Highways; Vehicles and Equipment

Files:

TRIS, TRB, ATRI

Created Date:

Dec 23 2020 11:14AM