abstract
- This study provides a multibody dynamics analysis to evaluate how different Battery Pack (BP) configurations impact vehicle dynamics, particularly for a GEM e6 Electric Vehicle (EV). One configuration introduces a new BP with Li-Ion cells, while a non-sealed Flood Lead-Acid (FLA) BP is considered as the Baseline configuration case; this latter BP represents the commercially available BP for this vehicle. Based on the classic bicycle model, the paper proposes an extension of this model by incorporating varying parameters that modify the lateral vehicle dynamics according to the BP configuration. The study uses a mathematical model tuned with experimental data and a multibody dynamics model using Matlab/Simscape. Analysis shows that the lateral dynamics of the GEM e6 is significantly affected by the weight and distribution of the BP, with a lateral velocity effect of 0.2112 m/s with the Design 1 that features the original FLA BP reorganized and an average of 7.470 m/s for the designs equipped with a modified Li-Ion BP for a Double Lane Change (DLC) maneuver. From a modeling perspective, the proposed extension of the bicycle model is well-adjusted to the different BP configurations. The results demonstrate the importance of conducting this type of analysis during the design of a BP, focusing on its impact on driving performance and maneuverability.