Converting Conventional Cars in Mild Hybrid Solar Vehicles

Hybrid electric vehicles (HEV) represent a good and feasible solution to reduce fuel consumption and related emissions. Furthermore, there is an increasing interest toward the integration of HEV s with photovoltaic (PV) panels, in order to enhance their benefits. But, despite the recent commercial success of HEVs, their market share is still insufficient to produce a significant impact on global energy consumption. Moreover, due to the present crisis, a substantial substitution of conventional vehicles with HEVs is unlikely, at least in short time. Consequently, a realistic strategy could consist in developing solutions able to achieve part of the benefits of hybrid and solar vehicles on conventional vehicles. A method for the mild solar hybridization of conventional vehicles is presented in this paper, based on use of in-wheel motors on rear wheels, of a PV panels, of an additional battery and of control system not interfering with the original ECU. A preliminary assessment of the benefits obtainable in terms of fuel consumption as a function of the degree of mild hybridization is performed by simulation analysis.