A Hybrid Method to Calculate the Real Driving Range of Electric Vehicles on Intercity Routes

A new method to evaluate the energy consumption and driving range of electric vehicles running on intercity routes is proposed. This method consists of a hybridization of a predictive method and the application of online information during the driving run. The method uses specific algorithms for dynamic conditions based on real driving conditions, adapting the calculation method to the characteristics of the route and the driving style; electric vehicle characteristics are also taken into consideration for the driving range calculation. Real data were obtained from driving tests in a real electric vehicle under specific driving conditions and compared with the results generated by a simulation process specifically developed for the new method run under the same operating conditions as the real tests. The comparison showed very good agreement, higher than 99%. This method can be customized according to the electric vehicle characteristics, the type of route and the driving style; therefore, it shows an improvement in the determination of the real driving range for an electric vehicle since it applies real driving conditions instead of protocol statistical data.