Vehicle Propulsion Systems Assignment 2
This assignment is worth 5% of your total marks for this course.
Make sure you list all references you use to answer this assignment
Please email me the typed scanned answers by Tuesday 14th February MIDNIGHT.
If you have no scanning facilities you may leave your answers with me at my office on Tuesday
afternoon the 14th February before 4 o’clock.
1. Why is there a general need for HEVs? Relate your answer to such topics as the dwindling
fossil fuel supply of energy, sustainability and the need to take care of our environment.
(200 words)
2. Give a description of the general architecture usually found in HEVs. Include a general
description of the drive trains currently available, and what control systems are necessary
to change from the battery being the primary source of power to an IC engine taking
over as the primary source of power. Also describe the main components found in the
powertrain of a HEV. Highlight any new components necessary when compared to the old
ICE powertrains.(400 words)
3. Discuss series hybrid architecture versus parallel hybrid architecture, and include diagrams. Emphasize the advantages/disadvantages of each of the architectures. What is
the most popular architecture used by manufacturers today and why?
4. Describe and discuss a typical hybrid energy storage system, including the possibility of
energy recuperation (i.e. how do we actually store any heat energy we may recuperate?).
5. Compare permanent magnet synchronous motors to induction motors mentioning advantage and disadvantages of the synchronous type motors.
1