researchers from the university of quebec recently published a report exploring the performance of an optimal battery degradation management strategy as applied to plug-in fuel cell hybrid electric vehicles (phev) in sub-zero weather conditions. the researchers determined that fuel-powered active battery temperature control is viable to manage phev battery degradation and cold-weather driving is more reliant on fuel expense than battery energy for propulsion.

(wikimedia commons)

the researchers believe that their study can add new dimensions to studies of battery pack degradation in cold weather and that this information can then be included in studies of battery degradation at other temperatures as well.

the abstract from the report stated:

“this article assesses the performance of a multi-dimensional optimal battery degradation management strategy when applied to extend the autonomy of a plug-in fuel cell hybrid electric vehicle (phev) in sub-zero weather conditions.

“this strategy relies on a discrete dynamic programming (ddp) algorithm to obtain an economically-optimal solution that combines both fuel cell-based battery recharge and active battery thermal management as a means to mitigate component degradation during an extended-range cold weather driving scenario.

“the proposed study investigates the optimal process's response and its impact on key aspects of phev operation such as battery state-of-charge (í µí±?í µí±?í µí° ¶) sustenance, battery core temperature control, fuel expense for both driving load sharing and thermal control efforts as well as a detailed breakdown of vehicle operating costs after completion of this harsh driving scenario.”

read the full report at https://www.researchgate.net/publication/308084301_active_battery_thermal_management_
integrated_to_cold_weather_optimal_phev_autonomy_extension.