Electric Vehicle Modelling and Simulation of a Light Commercial Vehicle Using PMSM Propulsion
archive: archived pipeline: cataloged verified
Get this paper ↗ (DOI — opens at the source; we link to it, we don't host it)
Summary
This study addresses the environmental challenges posed by internal combustion engines (ICE), specifically air pollution and greenhouse gas emissions, by modeling and simulating an electric propulsion system for a light commercial vehicle. The research aims to replace the diesel engine of a 2020 Volkswagen Crafter with a rear-wheel-driven electric powertrain suitable for urban environments with low average speeds. The primary objective is to evaluate the dynamic performance and energy efficiency of this conversion using simulation tools. The methodology utilizes MATLAB/Simulink and Simscape to model the vehicle's longitudinal dynamics. The electric powertrain consists of a Permanent Magnet Synchronous Motor (PMSM) and a battery pack modeled after the 2011 Nissan Leaf, featuring a nominal voltage of 360 V and a capacity of 24 kWh. The PMSM was modeled using an energy-equivalent approach derived from a detailed three-phase model to account for electrical losses, with specifications including a maximum power of 80 kW and maximum torque of 280 Nm. Vehicle parameters, such as a mass of 3500 kg and a drag coefficient of 0.3, were defined to calculate tractive forces, including wind resistance, rolling resistance, and grade resistance. Tire dynamics were modeled using the Pacejka Magic Formula. A Proportional-Integral (PI) controller was implemented to regulate both vehicle and motor speed, with performance assessed using integral error criteria. The simulation results were evaluated using the New European Driving Cycle (NEDC) and speed ramp inputs. The vehicle demonstrated effective speed tracking capabilities, with the motor accurately following a reference speed of 4250 rpm. The battery provided sufficient power, consuming approximately 50 kW out of a potential 90 kW, while the motor consumed approximately 49 kW. The battery current ranged from a maximum of 75 A during acceleration to -55 A during deceleration, indicating effective regenerative braking. The State of Charge (SoC) remained stable at approximately 99% throughout the simulation. The study concluded that the fuel economy of the simulated electric vehicle is approximately 19% better than that of the conventional diesel counterpart. These findings validate the feasibility of converting light commercial vehicles to electric propulsion using PMSM drives and highlight the potential for significant efficiency improvements in urban transport applications.
Provenance
The full processing record for this entry. Every stage of this paper's journey through the pipeline is logged — what ran, with which tool and model, how many attempts it took, and when it last completed.
| Stage | Outcome | Tool | Model | Prompt | Attempts | Completed |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| discover | success | Crossref | — | — | 1 | 2026-06-18 |
| archive | success | canonical_url | — | — | 1 | 2026-06-25 |
| extract | success | cached | — | — | 2 | 2026-06-26 |
| clean | success | clean | — | — | 1 | 2026-06-19 |
| chunk | success | chunk | — | — | 1 | 2026-06-19 |
| embed | success | embed | Qwen/Qwen3-Embedding-8B | — | 1 | 2026-06-19 |
| promote | success | — | — | — | 1 | 2026-06-18 |
| summarize | success | llm | qwen3.6-27b-prismaquant | summ-v5 | 1 | 2026-06-26 |
| tag | success | vector_similarity | — | — | 6 | 2026-06-19 |
| verify | success | — | — | — | 1 | 2026-06-26 |
Summary generated by qwen3.6-27b-prismaquant on 2026-06-26; verification: verified.
Topics
Ranked by relevance to this paper. Hover a topic for its definition.