Drivetrain Analysis and Optimization of a Two-Speed Class-4 Electric Delivery Truck 2019-01-5001

The development, analysis, and comparison of battery electric class-4 medium-duty trucks equipped with three possible powertrain layouts, namely, direct drive, single-speed gearbox, and two-speed transmission options, are discussed in this paper. The problem definition is included and the performance evaluation criteria for the proposed truck architectures are defined, namely, acceleration time, top speed, and efficiency. Designs of four new traction motors are proposed and their benefits compared for use in medium-duty electric trucks (e-trucks). The procedure for gear-ratio range selection is outlined, the ranges of gear ratios for the single-speed gearbox and two-speed transmission powertrains being calculated for each of the proposed electric traction motors. The simulation and gear-ratio optimization tasks for the e-trucks are formulated. The energy consumption of the e-truck with the three possible powertrain combinations is minimized over the six driving cycles. The most efficient powertrain layouts that meet the performance criteria are determined.