Application and Efficiency of a Series-Hybrid Drive for Agricultural Use Based on a Modified Version of the World Harmonized Transient Cycle

Abstract

Off-road vehicles and transportation are vital for agricultural economics, yet the transition to green energies is challenging. To make this transition easier, a tool that enables the testing of heavy-duty off-road vehicles in various scenarios was created. Based on the methods of the World Harmonized Transient Cycle (WHTC), a new Hybrid Operational Cycle (HOC) that reflects the features of agricultural work was created and applied in a graphical model simulation. This was a newly developed methodology. The cycle and the model were based on gathered research data. A numerical model of a medium-power tractor with an internal combustion engine and a series-hybrid setup was created, and simulations were performed in Matlab and AVL Cruise. Both diesel and hybrid vehicles were compared in terms of their power production, fuel consumption, and efficiency in fieldwork and transportation scenarios. The results showed that a series-hybrid transmission can achieve an efficiency similar to that of a tractor with a continuously variable transmission (CVT), but because it uses an electric powertrain, it still provides the opportunity to exploit energy regeneration during transportation and under low-load conditions. The designed model may also be used to develop control algorithms for hybrid drives and improve their efficiency.