1999-01-2711
A Grand Design of Future Electric Vehicle with
Fuel Economy more than 100 km/liter
Professor of Department of Aeronautics and Space Engineering, Tohoku University
Copyright © 1999 Society of Automotive Engineers, Inc.
ABSTRACT
In this study, the authors concluded that a super energy-
efficient vehicle (SEEV) with fuel economy more than
100km/liter could be possible with the present technology
level. The new environmentally-compatible vehicle was
designed to mitigate urban warming, air pollution and
CO2 emissions in the urban area. The authors evaluated
optimal specifications of the new concept energy-efficient
electric vehicle (EV) equipped with flywheel and
photovoltaic (PV) cell and also reported the results of the
running simulations for the proposed vehicle. The
proposed SEEV will be very promising to mitigate urban
and global warming, and toconserve fossil fuel
consumption.
INTRODUCTION
Urban environment in mega-cities like Tokyo is still
getting worse and worse. For example, the concentration
of NO2 is still increasing and above the regulated level in
Tokyo metropolitan area. The cause of aggravation of
the urban environment can be mainly attributed to
increase of automobiles in this area.
Another serious environmental issue is “urban warming
(i.e. heat island)”, which is caused by concentrated
consumption of energy in the urban area.
In order to resolve the problems caused by the
conventional vehicles which depend mostly on fossil
fuels, we proposed an energy-efficient electric vehicle
(SEEV), which runs about ten times as much as the
conventional fossil fuel powered vehicles. According to
Takeo. S. Saitoh
Daigo Ando
TOYOTA Motors Corporation
Kazuyoshi Kurata
Mitsubishi Heavy Industries. Ltd
our detailed computer simulations, principal factors which
influence the vehicle performance are found to be (i) curb
weight, (ii) aerodynamic design, (iii) regenerating system,
(iv) utilization of photovoltaic cell, and (v) battery weight.
The electric power consumption rate was clarified via
computer simulation under various running conditions,
including community, and long-distance modes.
We concluded that a super energy-efficient vehicle with
fuel economy more than 100km/liter could be possible
with the present technology level.
In this article, the new environmentally compatible
vehicle was designed to mitigate urban warming, air
pollution and CO2 emissions in the urban area. Principal
specifications for an optimal design will be clarified. We
evaluated optimal specifications of the new concept
energy-efficient EV equipped with flywheel and
photovoltaic (PV) cell and also reported the results of the
running simulations of the proposed vehicle.
The proposed SEEV will be very promising to mitigate
urban warming and global warming.
PROPOSAL OF ENVIRONMENTALLY-
COMPATIBLE VEHICLE (SEEV)
In most cities, a great number of automobiles are in
operation. For example, there are about 2,500,000 fleets
including passenger cars and trucks in Tokyo
metropolitan area. Air polluting emissions (CO2, NOx,
SOx, and CO etc.) exhausted from the automobiles are
still increasing in the urban area. Further, it is considered
that increase of the CO2 emissions becomes one of
causes (20% in Japan) for the urban warming.
Therefore, the Electric Vehicles (EVs) emitting no CO2,
NOx, and SOx gases in the urban area are needed.
In this section, we will evaluate optimal specifications of
the new concept hybrid EV equipped with flywheel and Flywheel
photovoltaic (PV) cell and will also report the results of
the running simulation of the proposed SEEV. Controller

OPTIMAL DESIGN OF NEW In-wheel motor

ENVIRONMENTALLY-COMPATIBLE VEHICLE
Fig. 1 Imaginary sketch of system of the SEEV
Principal specifications of the SEEV are shown in Table 1
and a conceptual sketch is shown in Figure 1. These
values are evaluated by considering the current
specifications of each component.

l
Table 1 Optimal specifications of SEEV

Weight (battery and driver are included) [kg] 700

Drag coefficient 0.15
2
Frontal projected area [m ] 1.8 4 7
Coefficient of rolling resistance 0.005
Efficiency of fossil fuel powered engine * [%] 35.7
Fig. 2 Comparison of power and energy density of
Mechanical efficiency [%] 63.6 various batteries, flywheel, and capacitor
Generating efficiency [%] 66.7
Efficiency of motor [%] 90
Charging/Discharging efficiency [%] 90 RUNNING SIMULATIONS
Module efficiency of PV cell [%] 16
In running simulations of the SEEV, three running modes
Area of PV cell in running condition 1.8
2
[m ] are selected; one is community drive mode; others are
Area of PV cell in parking condition 5.0 two long drive modes. The running simulations will
*Data with Prius indicate the availability of the energy regeneration and
comparison of performance of SEEVs.

Figure 2 shows a comparison of power density and
energy density of flywheel, capacitor and batteries. Li-ion
battery has the highest energy density among chemical
batteries. On the other hand, the energy density of the
flywheel (CFRP) is three times as high as Pb battery,
which has been frequently used for the automobiles. The
most noticeable feature of the flywheel is that it has very
fast charging rate compared with the conventional
chemical batteries and can restore more than 70 % of
the total kinetic energy, while the other batteries can
restore only about 10 %. If the flywheel (CFRP) were
employed in the SEEV, it is expected that the weight of
the battery can be reduced considerably.
For this reason, we consider the flywheel (CFRP) as one
of the promising energy regenerating devices and
confirm the validity of flywheel regenerative system for
running experiment. Another is solar energy that is clean
and environment-friendly energy. PV cells was placed on
the roof of the vehicle as shown in Fig.1. When ever the
vehicle is parked, the area of PV module can be
extended to collect as much energy as possible.
DEFINITION OF COMMUNITY DRIVE MODE,
LONG DRIVE MODES AND REAL DRIVE MODE
Community -Drive Mode
In order to validate the effectiveness of the flywheel and
PV cell, the running simulations for daily use of the SEEV
were performed by using the urban drive mode. In the
urban area, there are many traffic signals, curves and
up-and-down slopes. The Japanese test-driving mode
(10 15 mode) shown in Figure 3 was employed as an
urban drive mode. This mode has been developed for
testing an actual running mode in the urban area and
includes decelerated, accelerated, and stop patterns.
Two driving periods are scheduled at the worker’s
commuter time in the morning and evening hours. During
daytime, it is assumed that the SEEV is parked at the
sunny place and is charged by the PV panel.
 From Table 3, we can expect unlimited mileage for the
community-drive and the long-drive modes if we extend
the area of PV cell installation.
Vehicle Speed, m/s

Time, s

Fig. 3 Schedule of the community-drive mode

(Japanese 10 15 mode)

Long-Drive Modes

Time schedules of the long drive modes are shown in Fig. 5 Practical route ( Sendai city )
Figure 4. Long-drive modes consist of the long drive
mode 1 (100km) and the long drive mode (300km). Long
drive mode 1 assumes that the SEEV runs only with
battery. Long drive mode 2 assumes that the SEEV runs
only with battery until 100km point. After this point, the
SEEV is operated with the gasoline engine.
Vehicle Speed, m/s

Long-drive mode
Vehicle Speed, m/s

Time, s
Long-drive mode
Fig. 6 Time variation of the real drive mode

Table 2 Comparison among various drive modes

Time, s 2
in case of PV cell area of 1.8m

Fig. 4 Schedule of the long drive modes

Operation
Fuel Consumption Fuel
Real Drive Mode Rate and Consumption Transport Cost
Transport Rate
In order to compare the real drive mode and other drive Cost
modes (the community- and long-drive modes), a Drive mode [km / liter] [J / m kg]
practical route was set in Sendai city area as shown in
Figure 5. The total length is 11.4km.
The real average fuel consumption rate for this route was Community-drive mode* 188 0.09
13.8km/liter using a 1500cc gasoline powered passenger
vehicle. The data will be used later for a comparison. Long-drive mode 1 65.8 0.24

RESULTS OF RUNNING SIMULATIONS Long-drive mode 2 54.3 0.29

*Japanese community drive mode (10 15 mode)
Tables 2 and 3 show the simulation results for a Daily running distance : 20km/day.
community-drive mode and two long-drive modes with
variation of PV cell area.
 Table 5 Results of real drive simulation (winter)
Table 3 Comparison among various drive modes
in case of PV cell area of 5.0m
2
Place Sendai City
Time and Weather 1994 1/2 1994 1/3 1994 1
Operation condition sunny rainy average
Fuel Consumption
Fuel Altitude difference, m 110.0 110.0 110.0
Rate and
Consumption Transport Cost
Transport Distance, km 22.8 22.8 22.8
Rate
Cost
Drive mode Consumed energy, kJ 4860 4860 4860
[km / liter] [J / m kg]
Consumed energy
for heating and 543.2 543.2 543.2
Community-drive mode* unlimited 0
air conditioner, kJ
Long-drive mode 1 unlimited 0 Regenerated energy, kJ 1457.6 1457.6 1457.6
Photovoltaic energy, kJ 2145.8 604.2 1796.0
Long-drive mode 2 73.5 0.22
Total energy, kJ 1799.8 3341.4 2149.5
*Japanese community drive mode (10 15 mode)
Daily running distance : 20km/day. Fuel Consumption Rate 140.8 75.8 117.9
For the long-drive mode, regeneration by flywheel is not
considered since no regenerating break is available. Finally, in Table 6, improving factors (percent) for the
These simulations show that the SEEV equipped with the ideal future vehicle are tabulated. For example, fuel
flywheel and the PV cell has a high performance. consumption rate of existing hybrid vehicle (PRIUS) is
As mentioned earlier in this article, the most important twice (200%) the conventional gasoline powered vehicle
feature of the SEEV is apparently to be “zero emission with the same curb weight and engine capacity.
vehicle”, that is the vehicle without pollutant gas
emissions, and heat emissions in the urban area.
Tables 4, and 5 show the simulation results for real drive Table 6 Improving factors(%) in future electric
mode under various weather conditions. vehicle(SEEV)
In a sunny summer day, energy produced by PV cells Exiting
exceed the total consumed energy, thereby making it Hybrid
Commercially
PV Curb Aerodynamic
possible to run only with energy by PV cell. Vehicle
Available
Cell Weight Design (CdA)
Total
While, in rainy or winter days, energy produced by PV (PRIUS)
Electricity
cells is not sufficient to run the vehicle without assistance
of other energies.
200 170 150 200 140 1430
Fuel consumption rates are also shown in the lowest
column in Tables 4 and 5. Remarks: (1) Japanese community-drive mode (10 15 mode)
(2) Daily running distance: 20km
(3) Electricity conversion efficiency at power plant: 40%
(4) Cd: drag coefficient A: frontal area
Table 4 Results of real drive simulation (summer)
(5) "PRIUS" is Toyota’s hybrid vehicle, which was put in
Japanese market in December, 1997.
Place Sendai City
1994 7/4 1994 7/10 1994 7
Time and Weather condition
sunny rainy average CONCLUSION
Altitude difference, m 110.0 110.0 110.0
Distance, km 22.8 22.8 22.8 In this article, the new environmentally compatible
vehicle (SEEV) was designed and proposed to reduce
Consumed energy, kJ 4860 4860 4860 urban warming, air pollution and CO2 emissions in the
urban area. Principal specifications of the SEEV were
Consumed energy for heating clarified.
850.2 850.2 850.2
and air conditioning, kJ
Regenerated energy, kJ 1457.6 1457.6 1457.6 The following conclusions may be drawn from the
present study.
Photovoltaic energy, kJ 6164.4 396.4 3682.6
Total energy, kJ -1911.9 3856.2 570.0 By employing the flywheel system as energy
regeneration and PV cells to gain solar energy, the
Fuel Consumption Rate, km/l 65.7 444.6 electric power consumption of the SEEV can be
very much reduced in urban drive mode and the
long-drive modes. Annual mean fuel consumption
 rate for the proposed SEEV will be at least ten times
as much as the conventional fossil fueled vehicles.
The most important concept of the SEEV is “zero
emission” in the urban area. In this respect, the
SEEV is promising in the future urban traffic mode.
The proposed SEEV will be very promising to
mitigate urban warming, global warming, and to
conserve fossil fuel consumption.
Acknowledgements:
The part of the present study was conducted as Master
Thesis of Mr.D.Ando former graduate student.
The authors extend their thanks to Toyota Motors
Corporation for supporting the present research.
REFERENCES
1. Bitterly, J. G., Flywheel Technology Past, Present, and
21st Century Projections, Proc. of IECEC, pp.2312-2315,
1997.
2. TOYOTA Motor Corporation, Toyota Hybrid System, press
information, 1997.
3. T. S. Saitoh and N. Yamada, “3-D Simulation of Urban
Warming in Tokyo and Proposal of Air-cooled City
Project”, Proc. of ASME-JSME Joint Thermal Engineering
Conference (1999).