TABLE OF CONTENTS This chapter contains three main sections: First the dynamics of the longitudinal motion of a road vehicle are analyzed. This part contains a discussion of the main energy-consuming effects occurring in the "vehicle-to-miles" part and some elementary models that describe the longitudinal dynamics and, hence, the drivability of the vehicle.
The influence of the driving pattern on the fuel consumption is analyzed in the second section. The main result of this analysis is an approximation of the mechanical energy required to make a road vehicle follow a given driving cycle. The sensitivity of the energy consumption to various vehicle parameters or the potential for the recuperation of kinetic energy when braking is derived from that result.
The third section briefly introduces the most important approaches used to predict the fuel economy of road vehicles, the main optimization problems that are relevant in this context, and the software tools available for the solution of these problems.
The propulsion system produces mechanical energy that is assumed to be momentarily stored in the vehicle. The driving resistances are assumed to drain energy from this reservoir. This separation might seem somewhat awkward at first glance. However, it is rather useful when one has to distinguish between the individual effects taking place.
The energy in the vehicle is stored:
in the form of kinetic energy when the vehicle is accelerated; and
in the form of potential energy when the vehicle reaches higher altitudes.
The...
