An REU Project on the Design of a Brushless DC Machine for Plug-in Hybrid Electric Vehicles

This paper proposes a design methodology for the propulsion motor of a plug-in hybrid electric vehicle. This research was conducted through the Research Experiences for Undergraduates (REU) program supported by National Science Foundation (NSF). The simulation of a representative plug-in hybrid electric vehicle has been performed using ADVISOR vehicle modeling software. The vehicle has been simulated over a set of specific drive cycles to determine the optimum parameters for the design of a brushless DC machine. Emphasis is placed on finding the ideal torque-speed profile for the electric propulsion machine and a brushless DC machine design is then proposed, which increases the fuel economy and the acceleration performance of the representative plug-in hybrid electric vehicle. A solid model of the machine design was created and analyzed using finite-element software.