A predictive control strategy based on A-ECMS to handle Zero-Emission Zones: Performance assessment and testing using an HiL equipped with vehicular connectivity

Recently, several metropolitan cities introduced Zero-Emissions Zones where the use of the Internal Combustion Engine is forbidden to reduce localized pollutants emissions. This is particularly problematic for Plug-in Hybrid Electric Vehicles, which usually work in depleting mode. So, the risk of not having enough energy stored to carry out the driving mission and then paying a fee is substantial. This work presents a viable solution by exploiting vehicular connectivity to retrieve navigation data of the urban event along a selected route. The battery energy needed, in the form of a minimum State of Charge (SoC), is calculated by a Speed Profile Prediction algorithm and a Backward Vehicle Model. That value is then fed to both a Rule-Based Strategy, developed specifically for this application, and an Adaptive Equivalent Consumption Minimization Strategy (A-ECMS). The effectiveness of this approach has been tested with a Connected Hardware-in-the-Loop (C-HiL) on a driving cycle measured on-road, stimulating the predictions with multiple re-routings. The tests have been conducted with different initial SoC values for each strategy, showing a maximum error in the SoC prediction of 2.4% and up to 26.1% of CO2 saving with the A-ECMS.