Energy efficiency of an electric vehicle in a Latin American intermediate city

This study analyzes the behavior of the energy efficiency of an Electric Vehicle (EV) in Cuenca (Ecuador), a Latin American intermediate city, considering factors such as orography of the route as well as traffic conditions that include three field routes with urban, mixed, and high-speed characteristics. Three laboratory-driving cycle tests were carried out: Federal Test Procedure (FTP-75), National Emission Ceiling Directive (NEDC) and Worldwide harmonized Light vehicles Test Procedures (WLTP). In the six environments, the performance was analyzed from mechanical and electrical variables obtained through a communication system under the On-Board Diagnostics II (OBD2) standard that incorporates the vehicle. The data of each sample contains 154 variables of interest, which are then analyzed by correlation to obtain those that affect the energy performance of the EV. With this information, the efficiency in the different internal energy sub-systems of the vehicle was determined under controlled and non-controlled operating conditions. As a result of the comparison of the trips under different environments, it was determined that the energy consumption of the EV is affected by distance, travel time, orography, speed and acceleration. During the trips in all environments, it was found that the energy obtained by regeneration is close to 36% of the total energy discharged, while in stationary tests it was around 15%. The energy efficiency between the battery and the electric motor exceeds 86%.