Energy Management Algorithms Comparison for an Electric Bus with an Hybrid Energy Storage System by Means of Dynamic Programming

Low emission vehicles are an attractive research field for the automotive industry. A feasible solution for urban buses is a full electrical powertrain powered both by a supercapacitor, rechargeable at each bus stop while passengers are getting on and off, and, in the worst operating conditions such as traffic jams or long runs, by a conventional battery. The result is a hybrid energy system where an energy management function is required in order to divide the power request between the two onboard energy storage systems. Different energy management functions have been previously developed and validated using numerical simulation. This paper presents a comparison of various algorithms developed with an optimal algorithm defined using Dynamic Programming.