Improve energy prediction for electric vehicles by including road weather condition information

Purpose and goal:

To combine knowledge and improve the prediction of energy consumption from a road weather condition perspective by implementing information from Klimator. The road condition data will both be generated as a nowcast, from vehicles and as a predicted forecast. Expected results and effects:

The current focus is on Estimating the current road weather situation, addressing a gap between existing and required weather information for models calculating motion resistance.

The energy prediction model will get much higher precision if road weather condition (water, wind, temperature, snow) is considered. Overall, this solution could support increase the confidence in Volvo products and minimize Total Cost of Ownership. In turn, this enables a faster transition to 100% fossil free transport solution that can be accepted by transport companies as well as society.

Approach and implementation:

The outcome of the proof-of-value is a validation and an understanding of how the nowcast data from Klimator perform and to define a clear road of how the data can be implemented. Volvo’s Advanced Energy Prediction product, which has an ambition to improv the modelling of all important parameters related to electric vehicle energy consumption operating in real environment .

The second step, Predicting road weather situation has already been defined and is a description of how the collaboration could evolve if the proof-of-value is successful.