The PRD (Predictive Regeneration in Downhill) project involves developing a device to be integrated into hybrid vehicles that can significantly increase energy recovery during the downhill phases, thereby reducing fuel consumption and emissions of CO2 and polluting gases (PM, NOx, CO). The device can also be used in electric vehicles to improve the remaining range’s estimate, helping reduce charging anxiety.
The acceptance rate of electric vehicles (BEV) is still limited by factors such as costs, range, recharging time, and infrastructure. In parallel, the diffusion of hybrid vehicles (HEV), also in the plug-in version (PHEV), is growing. Recent studies show that the hybrid vehicle market is valued at approximately 231.77 billion dollars, with forecasts of reaching 478.33 billion dollars, corresponding to an annual growth rate (CAGR) of 12.83%.
Hybrid and Electric Vehicles can recover electrical energy during braking and downhill. This latter is particularly relevant since descents can last several minutes. For this energy recovery to be effective, an adequate free capacity must be available in the battery. The problem is of particular relevance for hybrid vehicles, in which the battery capacity is limited. The proposed system allows to maximize energy recovery in HEV by predicting the occurrence of the next descent phase, without using a navigator, and allowing the vehicle control system to activate the control strategies for energy recovery. An extensive simulation analysis has shown that the timely prediction of a subsequent regeneration phase due to a descent can increase energy recovery by a factor of 3 to 5, depending on the size of the battery.
Prototypes have been tested in the laboratory and on the road, at TRL 4/5. Codes for real-time applications have been developed and implemented on prototype platforms such as Arduino and successfully tested on the road. The goal is to complete the development, to bring the product to a level of technological maturity characterized by TRL 8. The project, after filing the patent application, was presented during a Plenary Lecture at the ICAVP congress held in Tianjin (China).