[Keynote Address] Concept of Energy-Saving Operation for Electric Vehicles Under Time and Speed Constraints

Takafumi Koseki･Xuanlang Meng (The University of Tokyo)

The authors have mainly researched energy-saving operations for electric railways, particularly utilizing regenerative braking. This concept shares similarities with energy-saving operations for electric vehicles (EVs) with in-motion charging. This paper introduces the latest research achievements, focusing on extracting patterns from computationally intensive mathematical optimization results, such as dynamic programming. The research aims to efficiently determine energy-saving operation curves even under complex speed restrictions. Furthermore, the paper discusses the similarities and differences when considering EV energy-saving operations.

Development of a Vehicle Technology Choice Model Considering Critical Minerals

Atsuo Komatsubara･Tomoki Nishi (Toyota Central R&D Labs.)

This study develops a vehicle technology choice model that explicitly represents price–demand feedbacks for critical minerals (lithium, nickel, and cobalt). Results showed that, under the assumed scenarios, the diffusion of battery electric vehicles increased mineral demand and prices, which in turn hindered further penetration. We also evaluated mitigation strategies, including battery recycling, second-life use, and a shift toward low-cobalt cathodes.

Synergistic Effects of Hybrid Electric Vehicle Conversion for Heavy-Duty Trucks and Dynamic Power Supply on Highways

Yoshihisa Hojo (Toyo Denki Seizo)

This paper discusses the energy-saving effects achieved by converting heavy-duty trucks to hybrid electric vehicles (HEVs) and installing power supply equipment on grade sections for dynamic power supply and regenerative braking. Additionally, it demonstrates a method for converting existing heavy-duty trucks with internal combustion engines into hybrid electric vehicles (HEVs) using in-wheel motors.

Performance Diagnosis Method for Vehicle-Mounted PV Panels

Hidenori Mizuno･Toshimitsu Mochizuki･Kenji Kamide･Katsuto Tanahashi･Takashi Oozeki (AIST)

When vehicle-integrated photovoltaic (PV) power generation systems become widespread in the future, it will be essential to perform simple performance evaluations to detect malfunctions in the installed PV panels, assess their degradation levels, and estimate replacement timing. We are developing such methods using our own PV-equipped electric vehicles.