Abstract
Keywords - CO2 Emissions, Fuel Consumption, Energy Management, Prediction, Thermo-Electrical Generator
CO2 regulations will demand highest efficiency levels of future vehicles worldwide. So far, vehicle concepts focusing on low fuel consumption only have neglected other customer needs. Low consumption is not solely responsible for market success, an equally important factor is driving dynamics. In the premium segment especially, emotional aspects play a major role in buying decisions side by side with more rational factors. With EfficientDynamics the BMW Group has been following a strategy of improving both these factors for a considerable period, not just since the CO2 question became topical in environmental discussions. Between 1995 and 2008 the fuel consumption of its fleet has been lowered by 25%, at the same time its dynamic performance has been improved significantly.
Future challenges will require the realization of whole-vehicle and chassis potentials which until now were largely untapped, in addition to the continuous optimization of the vehicle powertrain.
This paper will give an overview of the EfficientDynamics measures introduced into existing BMW Group vehicles, with a special focus on the non-powertrain CO2 reduction potentials, especially chassis and electric system optimizations. It will illustrate necessary steps and required tools for selecting, developing and optimizing these technical measures.
To start with, an analysis of the energy losses of the whole vehicle cross-linking all departments and cycles was vital for a deeper understanding of how vehicle functions and properties interact with fuel consumption. While designing the vehicle concept, iterative loops of simulations allowed for an initial understanding of energy processes in the whole vehicle. This knowledge of the interaction between all the vehicle components was an important basis for designing the energy management of BMW EfficientDynamics.
An equally important part of the whole-vehicle approach is an implementation of these measures which covers the entire BMW Group model range. The overall effect this will have on the BMW Group fleet will be described. Finally, an outlook on the next steps of BMW's EfficientDynamics strategy will be given, with a special emphasis on Predictive Energy Management.