Wind Sensitivity of Electric Vehicle Energy Consumption and Influence on Range Prediction and Optimal Vehicle Routes

The energy consumption of electric vehicles (EVs) depends on multiple factors. As it affects vehicle range, it must be accurately predicted. After a summary of the relevant literature, this paper focuses on the sensitivity of energy consumption to wind velocity and wind direction. The outcomes from model-based sensitivity analysis of the wind effects on energy consumption and the range of EVs over real-world routes are presented. Data sources available for online and offline wind velocity and wind direction determination are discussed. Recognizing the interplay between range prediction and the route chosen, we consider a Markov Decision Process (MDP) based framework for battery-charge and travel-time aware route planning that accounts for the impact of the wind on optimal routing decisions including stops at the charging stations. Finally, we propose a framework that includes wind in the operation of EVs, which consists of learning the impact of wind, incorporating wind forecasting into range and energy prediction, and using that prediction to perform optimal routing.