Techn. Hochsch., Diss., 2005--Aachen.

Interest in electric vehicles (EVs) has increased rapidly over recent years from both industrial and academic viewpoints due to increasing concerns about environmental pollution and global oil usage. In the automotive sector, huge efforts have been invested in vehicle technology to improve efficiency and reduce carbon emissions with, for example, electric vehicles. Nowadays, the safety and handling of electric vehicles present new tasks for vehicle dynamics engineers due to the changes in weight distribution and vehicle architecture. This thesis focuses on one design area of the electric vehicle – torque vectoring control – with the aim of investigating the potential benefits of improved vehicle dynamics and handling for EVs. A full electric racing car kit developed by Westfield Sportcars based on an in-line motors design has been modelled in ADAMS with typical subsystems, and then simulated with computer-based kinematic and dynamic analyses. Thus, the characteristics of the suspensions and the natural frequencies of the sprung and unsprung masses were found, so that the model was validated for further simulation and investigation. Different architectures of the EVs, namely the in-line motors and the in-wheel motors, are compared using objective measurements. The objective measurements predicted with kinematics, dynamics and handling analyses confirm that the architecture of the in-line motors provides a superior dynamics performance for ride and driveability. An Optimal Driveline Control Strategy (ODCS) based on the concept of individual wheel control is designed and its performance is compared with the more common driveline used successfully in the past. The research challenge is to investigate the optimisation of the driving torque outputs to control the vehicle and provide the desired vehicle dynamics. The simulation results confirm that active yaw control is indeed achievable. The original aspects of this work include defining the characteristics and linearity of the project vehicle using a novel consideration of yaw rate gain; the design and development the Optimal Driveline Control Strategy (ODCS); the analysis and modelling the ODCS in the vehicle and the comparison of the results with conventional drivelines. The work has demonstrated that valuable performance benefits result from using optimal torque vectoring control for electric vehicle.

No description available.

Vi valde att undersöka varför miljöbilspremien infördes, vilka nackdelar respektive fördelar den har, om målen med införandet uppnåtts samt varför den ska slopas i förtid. Förutom detta undersökte vi vilka åtgärder som ska vidtas istället för miljöbilspremien. Därtill försökte vi få svar på vilka insatser som staten har planerat att genomföra för att uppnå de nationella målen gällande koldioxidutsläppsminskningen. Fallstudien baseras på sex intervjuer av personer från både statliga myndigheter och intresseorganisationer: Naturvårdsverket, Naturskyddsföreningen, Gröna Bilister, Motormännen, Miljödepartementet samt Transportstyrelsen. Utifrån vår studie kom vi fram till att miljöbilspremien infördes för att stimulera användningen av bränsle effektiva bilar, miljöbilar, och öka andelen miljöbilar i nybilsförsäljningen. De tydligaste nackdelarna med premien är att den enbart gäller för privatpersoner och dessutom ger den möjlighet till bilister att tanka icke-miljövänligt bränsle. De märkbara fördelarna med miljöbilspremien är att den ger ett konkret svar på vad en miljöbil är och den har stimulerat allmänheten att både involveras och belönas. Anledningen till att den ska slopas i förtid är att den blev för dyr och dessutom har staten uppnått sitt mål med införandet av premien. Miljöbilspremien ersätts med fem års skattebefrielse för miljöbilar. De främsta styrmedlen som staten använder för att reducera koldioxidutsläppen är koldioxidskatten och handeln med utsläppsrätter. Slutligen anser vi att miljöbilspremien är en miljömässigt bra åtgärd men inte ekonomiskt försvarbar. / We chose to examine why the environmental car premium was introduced and what the disadvantages and advantages it has, furthermore if the goals of the premium were achieved, and why the environmental car premium was discontinued. In addition, we examined the actions that will be taken to replace the environmental car premium. Besides this, we tried to get answers to what actions the government has planned to perform to be able to achieve the national objectives in terms of reduction of the carbon dioxide. The case study is based on six qualitative in-depth interviews of stakeholders from both government agencies and associations, the Environmental Protection Agency, Nature Conservation, Green Car, Motor Men, Ministry of Environment and Transport Board. From our study we found that the environmental car premium was introduced to stimulate the use of fuel efficient cars, environmental cars, and increase the proportion of environmental cars in new sales. The primary disadvantages of the premium are that it only applies to individuals and also provides the opportunity for motorists to fill up non-environmentally friendly fuel. The apparent benefits of the environmental car premium is that it gives a definite answer to what a environmental car is, and it has encouraged the public to both involved and rewarded. There are two reasons why the premium was discontinued prematurely: that it was too expensive and that the government considers that they have achieved their objectives with the introduction of the premium. The environmental car premium will be replaced with a five-year tax exemption for environmental cars. The main management control which the government uses to reduce carbon dioxide emissions are carbon dioxide taxes and emissions trading. Finally, we believe that the environmental car premium is an environmentally good measure, but not economically defendable.

Yes

Severe railcar responses can result from crosslevel and vertical rail inputs. At low speeds rail joint excitation can coincide with the roll natural frequency of a vehicle. At high speeds, dynamic effects can cause high wheel loads and harsh ride for sensitive cargos. Computer simulation of these and other vertical dynamic effects cans assist in design selections of vehicle components and diagnosis of troublesome vehicle responses. Many dynamic models available today lack the complexity to analyze accurately some of the important dynamic effects. In this report a 28-degree-of-freedom railcar model has been developed to analyze the vertical dynamic responses of railcars subjected to random and deterministic track inputs. This model features carbody vertical bending and torsional modes, multiple component trucks and suspensions, and rail irregularity inputs at each of the eight wheels. Simulation results for a 100-ton vehicle operating on harmonic track inputs compare favorably with the AAR Flexible Carbody Model. Other simulations on random track evaluate the influence of auxiliary viscous stabilizers and increased payloads on railcar responses. These simulations demonstrate the effectiveness of the computer simulation as a design and analysis tool. / M.S.

No / This paper examines the concept of mass customisation from the point of view of the customer. Although the theory of mass customisation has received considerable attention in recent years, the emphasis has been on identifying and classifying the ways in which mass customisation can be implemented efficiently and effectively. There appears to have been no empirical evidence to support the notion that customers are indeed ready for this approach. The aim of this study is to examine how far customers are ¿ready¿ for mass-customised products, using the UK new car market as its basis for analysis. A framework is developed and results presented which suggest that a sizeable section of the market is ready to accept the ¿inconveniences¿ of mass-customised products. However, the main inconvenience of mass customisation is identified as increased price, even for ¿ready¿ customers. It would seem, therefore, that both global standardisation and mass customisation strategies are appropriate in this market.

Yes / This article is based on ethnographic research carried out in Bradford, an ethnically diverse city situated in the north of England. The sample of over 60 participants mostly comprises males of British Pakistani Muslim heritage but varies in terms other markers of identity such as social class, profession and residential/working locale. The article analyses the cultural value and meaning of cars within a multicultural context and how a consumer object can feed into the processes which refine and embed racialized identities. Small cases studies reveal the concrete and discursive ways through which ideas around identity and ethnicity are transmitted and how, in particular, racialization continues to feature as a live, active and recognisable process in everyday experience.

No / Love them or hate them, most of us have an opinion about cars. If not the cars themselves, then it’s driver competence and behaviour that can offend us. And then there’s modification: alloy wheels, custom audio systems and bespoke paint jobs. For some, changing the look, feel and sound of a car says something about themselves, but for others, such enhancements signify a lack of taste, or even criminality. In subtle and complex ways, cars transmit and modify our identities behind the wheel. As a symbol of independence and freedom, the car projects status, class, taste and, significantly, embeds racialisation. Using fascinating research from drivers, including first-person accounts as well as exploring hip-hop music and car-related TV shows, Alam unpicks the ways in which identity is rehearsed, enhanced, interpreted.

At the nexus of automotive engineering and cutting-edge technology, creative solutions have developed in an era characterised by growing concerns about sustainability and efficiency. Creating aerodynamically efficient, solar-powered racing cars is the main goal of this project, which aims to achieve environmentally responsible performance. The initiative intends to push the limits of racing vehicle design by fusing renewable energy use with aerodynamic concepts. Maximising aerodynamic performance and smoothly integrating solar cells onto the vehicle's surface are the main goals. In order to minimise drag and improve racetrack efficiency, we investigate shape, airflow dynamics, and downforce through rigorous design and simulation utilising Computer-Aided Design (CAD) technologies. The car's exterior is covered in strategically positioned solar panels that gather sunlight and transform it into electrical energy for driving.Our mission is to promote a paradigm change in the racing sector towards sustainability, where renewable energy sources and the sound of engines coexist in harmony. Through CAD simulations, we imagine a comprehensive 3D model that showcases solar technology integration and aerodynamic capabilities. This model enables thorough analysis and improvement of design components, such as the best location for solar panels and aerodynamic fine-tuning. The vehicle's streamlined shape, which reduces drag and air resistance, improves speed and range and makes it easier for it to slice through the air. This initiative, which uses cuttingedge technology to reimagine vehicle design, is a major step towards sustainable racing.