High-Powered Electric Vehicle Charging with Energy Storage Integration: Optimization Analysis & Techno-Economic Predictive Analysis

In order to assist public fleets (including transit agencies and utility/local distribution companies) to overcome the barriers of uncertainty and high risk associated with new electrified propulsion technologies integration, CUTRIC developed a consortium of industry partners to lead research into various aspects of electrified propulsion systems, vehicle-to-grid integration, and cybersecurity allied to e-buses.

This Project will:

1. Analytical knowledge emanating from cyber-security protocol analysis for e-buses and e-chargers, which may lead to improved technology standards for these systems;
2. A 3D visualization tool that allows transit and fleet systems to design and develop urban informatics approaches to visualize dynamic, complex, multi-modal mobility with scalable data for future fleet electrification decision-making;
3. A prototype of an enhanced powertrain for the e-buses that would be of relevance.

Several new core technology outcomes associated with this project will emanate from the Project.

Module 1: Feasibility Assessment and Predictive Analysis

Core technology emanating from Module 1 relates to the consortium-developed TRiPSIM© (Transit Route Performance Simulator) modelling tool which has been developed within this project over the past year (starting in 2017), and which will continue to be developed over the course of this project and commercialized to generate new revenues for the consortium of partners. TRiPSIM© is being built using Python as a coding language. The TRiPSIM©  tool offers refined manufacturer-vetted and utility-vetted predictive modelling outputs that demonstrate how various e-buses and e-chargers operate in-situ based on variable route topologies, passenger profiles, stop-start needs, and other route requirements. The tool   has been built with direct powertrain inputs from manufacturing partners, who have aided  the development process; manufacturing partners have aided researchers in developing a predictive tool based on their actual powertrain information rather than hypothesized or generalized powertrain components, rendering it a highly unique and industry-leading tool. The simulation tool enables advanced decision-making by transit agencies and other fleet owners of future e-bus fleets. This tool can be extended to model hydrogen fuel cell vehicles in the future.

Module 2: Cloud-based Software Analytics

Core technology emanating from Module 2 relates to a cloud-based software analytics tool that the consortium is developing to collect and assess data in real-time from high-power, overhead charging systems (450kW+) and electric buses (ranging from 76kWh to 200 kWh), which accommodate emerging international standards for pantograph connectors and modular power levels compatible with various OEM bus platforms. The meta-level shared (cloud-based) platform will merge real-time data from competitive OEM data loggers to perform meta-level analysis for transit agencies.

Module 3: National Academic Advisory Committee (NAAC), Academic Research Assessment of E-Buses and E-Chargers

Core knowledge and technology outputs emanating from Module 3 relate to the following academic outputs:

1. Analytical knowledge emanating from cyber-security protocol analysis for e-buses and e-chargers, which may lead to improved technology standards for these systems;
2. A 3D visualization tool that allows transit and fleet systems to design and develop urban informatics approaches to visualize dynamic, complex, multi-modal mobility with scalable data for future fleet electrification decision-making;
3. A prototype of an enhanced powertrain for the e-buses that would be of relevance

Module 4: Full Fleet Electrification for Toronto Transit Commission (TTC)

1. Core knowledge and technology outputs emanating from Module 4 relate to a set of guidance for decision-making related to TTC’s full fleet electrification goals; this guidance will be composed of modelling-based predictive and empirical analysis of the likely performance of multiple models of electric buses and charging systems (i.e. high-powered, low-powered, small batteries, large batteries, and hydrogen fuel cell buses) across the TTC’s entire fleet of buses and service routes in Ontario;
2. These outputs will involve a refined TRiPSIM© modelling tool, which was developed in Module 1 over the course of 2017-2018 primarily; the refined TRiPSIM© tool currently in development enables comparative analyses of varied e-bus and fuel cell ebuses and their allied charging and/or fuelling systems in the near-term future. This tool will integrate:
   • Energy consumption estimations;
   • Environmental costs and benefits;
   • Electricity and fuel costs and benefits and;
   • Resiliency costs and benefits (fleet resiliency) for public fleet systems specifically.

Project Partners: