Break-even analysis and economic viability of powertrain electrification — An analytical approach

Abstract

Fuel economy and emissions are of utmost importance in today's automotive industry. One of the highly known and practiced methods to satisfy both the needs is powertrain electrification. To cater the future needs of meeting emission norms and improved Fuel economy, the automotive manufacturers intend to convert the already existing conventional IC engine based vehicles, into hybrid vehicles or BEVs. Prior to the conversion, determination of economic viability and interpretation of the benefits from electrification are necessary, to estimate the worth of the time, money and resources spent on the process. This research studies the possible benefits from various functions of electrified powertrain such as regenerative braking, torque assist, load point shift for higher engine efficiency, etc. and additional penalties due to electrification such as weight addition, increased electrical load, etc., and analyses the role of each function in improving the Fuel economy of the vehicle. It also presents the break-even point analysis for various factors in electrification such as weight added due to electric components, scope of torque assist, etc. to achieve target economic benefit. Also, the research studies benefit of powertrain electrification from the end user's perspective.