Design and Analysis of a Solar-Assisted Regenerative Charging System for Hybrid Electric Vehicles

Abstract

Hybrid electric vehicles (HEVs) traditionally rely on a combination of a conventional internal combustion (IC) engine and an electric motor powered by chemical batteries. This paper details a significant enhancement to this standard architecture. Our design incorporates two additional methods for energy capture: solar charging assistance to continually replenish the battery module, and a regenerative braking system that recovers energy typically lost during deceleration. The IC engine is strategically reserved as a last-resort backup system. Specifically, the engine is activated only when both conditions are met: the absence of solar energy input (e.g., during the night or heavy rain) coupled with a critically low or fully drained battery charge. By adopting this optimized power management strategy, we achieve several key benefits, including the maximization of the vehicle's pure electric operational time, optimization of the overall system lifespan, and a substantial reduction in tailpipe emissions, positioning this model as a significantly cleaner and more efficient option compared to vehicles running solely on fossil fuels.