Hybrid-Electric Vehicles for Advanced Urban Mobility: a New Proposal

Hybrid-Electric Vehicles (HEVs) are currently a hot research topic in the field of clean and sustainable mobility. HEVs can make a difference especially in urban areas where, due to the typical driving patterns with frequent stops and standing starts, traditional internal combustion engines (ICEs) operate at very low levels of efficiency. The authors believe that personal urban mobility is the automotive segment that, more than others, can reap on the benefits of hybrid traction. This paper presents the design and optimization of a small HEV for personal urban mobility, with a particular focus on the optimization of the electric powertrain.