Hybrid course at U of M focuses in design for hybrid vehicles

With the growing interest in hybrids on today’s roads, the University of Michigan is offering a course to teach people how to dynamically analyze, simulate, and design for hybrid vehicles.

"Design and Control of Hybrid Vehicles" is set for May 28-30 at the University of Michigan in Ann Arbor.

This method has been used in designing six different concept vehicles over the last eight years in research sponsored by the Automotive Research Center, General Motors, Chrysler and the Eaton Corporation. In one particular design, without added cost, they achieved fuel efficiency that is 46 percent better than the non-hybrid version and 16 percent better than that typically produced using rule-based control.

The course covers overall integration of the hybrid vehicle and how systems work together. It is unique because of its focus on modeling and control instead of hardware components. The design method has many other vehicle powertrain applications in addition to hybrids.

Using a hands-on approach, case study examples, and simulation exercises, attendees will learn how to build dynamic models for hybrid vehicle concepts. Everyone who attends will receive several Matlab® Simulink® hybrid vehicle models.

It will be taught by Huei Peng, University of Michigan professor of mechanical engineering and director of Interdisciplinary and Professional Education Programs (InterPro), and Zoran Filipi, University of Michigan research professor of mechanical engineering and assistant director of the Automotive Research Center.