The rechargeable systems of electric energy storage for the category L vehicles

BACKGROUND: The high-tech world cannot be stable essentially, therefore there are electric automobiles, electric motorcycles and other vehicles with the electric energy source alongside conventional vehicles. Due to the development of category L electric vehicles, development and manufacturing of rechargeable systems of electric energy storage (RSEES) is demanded. The design of the system of electric energy storage must meet a number of requirements given to category L electric vehicles. The system of electric energy storage as part of an electric vehicle should ensure the maximal drive range (high energy capacity) and have enough strength of ensuring the safety of a category L vehicle. One of the issues of meeting the given requirements is reducing the mass of the RSEES frame using light-alloy materials.

AIMS: Increase of energy efficiency of the two-wheeled vehicle with an electric drive based on development of the RSEES considering mass and dimensional properties.

METHODS: One of the methods of modelling the structural elements of a frame with similar geometrical layout but using various materials (nonferrous materials) is used. The theoretical simulation of loading at these structural elements and comparison of components with various materials are performed.

RESULTS: The issue of reducing the mass of the RSEES is one of the problems of improvement the category L electric vehicles (EV) efficiency. Apart from increase of drive range, reducing the mass and inertial properties of the RSEES frame leads to improvement of maneuvering ability and handling of an EV. It is worth noting that the location of the rechargeable systems of electric energy storage inside an electric motorcycle positively affects energy efficiency because of lowering the center of mass, which consequently reflects on aerodynamics and driving of category L electric vehicle.

CONCLUSIONS: The main current issue of development of the RSEES for electric vehicles including electric motorcycles is reducing its mass. One of the ways of achieving it is using variable alloys in the RSEES frame design. The method of calculation of the design of the frame of the rechargeable system of electric energy storage which allows optimal choosing of material and component geometry, that makes possible to reduce mass and dimensional properties by 20%, is shown in the article. The next stage is manufacturing of a prototype and practical testing of the PSEES for confirmation of the theoretical calculations.