Design and validation of a novel hydraulic hybrid vehicle with wheel motors

With strong demands of energy-saving and environment-friendly vehicles, hydraulic hybrid powertrain is a suitable solution for urban transportation. This article proposes a novel hydraulic hybrid vehicle with wheel motors to improve vehicle power performance and fuel economy. A forward-looking simulation model of the vehicle is built. System parameters are determined according to the power performance demands. A smaller engine is chosen, the peak power of which is reduced by 11.96%. The simulation model is calibrated and verified by experimental tests on the designed test bench. Parameterized simulation results indicate that the acceleration time 0–100 km/h of the designed vehicle is decreased by 36.3% from 19.63 to 12.5 s compared with the conventional vehicle. The maximum vehicle speed is 140 km/h, and the maximum gradeability is 29%. When the engine works in economy mode, fuel consumption is decreased by 35.59% from 15 to 9.66 L per 100 km on the Urban Dynamometer Driving Schedule cycle compared with the conventional vehicle.