Eco-Driving Strategies for Different Powertrain Types and Scenarios

Connected automated vehicles (CAVs) are quickly becoming a reality, and their potential ability to communicate with each other and the infrastructure around them has big potential impacts on future mobility systems. Perhaps one of the most important impacts could be on network wide energy consumption. A lot of research has already been performed on the topic of eco-driving and the potential fuel and energy consumption benefits for CAVs. However, most of the efforts to date have been based on simulation studies only, and have only considered conventional vehicle powertrains. In this study, experimental data is presented for the potential eco-driving benefits of two specific intersection approach scenarios, for four different powertrain types.The two intersection approach scenarios considered in this study include an approach to a red light where coming to a complete stop is avoidable (short red light) and one where a complete stop is determined necessary (long red light) thanks to advance information from vehicle-to-infrastructure communication (V2I). The four powertrain types tested in this study include an advanced conventional vehicle, a conventional vehicle with idle stop-start capability, a hybrid electric vehicle (HEV), and a battery electric vehicle (BEV). The experimental results are compared to simulation results for the same intersection approach scenarios and eco-driving strategies, and show the difference in benefits for different powertrain types. Based on the eco-approach strategies for these two scenarios, a maximum fuel/energy consumption benefit of almost 8% was observed for the intersection with a short red light and almost 20% for the intersection with a long red light, in both cases by the HEV.