Modeling, Validation and Control Strategy Development of a Hybrid Super Sport Car Based on Lithium Ion Capacitors

Today, the contribution of the transportation sector on greenhouse gases is evident. The fast consumption of fossil fuels and its impact on the environment have given a strong impetus to the development of vehicles with better fuel economy. Hybrid electric vehicles fit into this context with different targets, starting from the reduction of emissions and fuel consumption, but also for performance and comfort enhancement. Lamborghini has recently invested in the development of a hybrid super sport car, due to performance and comfort reasons. Aventador series gearbox is an Independent Shift Rod gearbox with a single clutch and during gear shifts, as all the single clutch gearbox do, it generates a torque gap. To avoid the additional weight of a Dual Clutch Transmission, a 48V Electric Motor has been connected to the wheels, in a P3 configuration, to fill the torque gap, and to habilitate regenerative braking and electric boost functions. This paper discusses the usage of a control-oriented vehicle and powertrain model to analyze the performance of the first Lithium Ion Capacitor-based hybrid V12 by Automobili Lamborghini. The internal combustion engine, the gearbox, the LiC and the vehicle longitudinal dynamics models have been initially validated through the comparison with experimental data from chassis dynamometer testing, in addition to experimental results from specific components' testing. As shown in the paper, the validated model has then been used to develop control strategies aimed at increasing comfort and performance, but also to expand the hybrid system capabilities by widening the LiC working range, and to study the possibility of implementing CO2 reduction-oriented control functions.