Analyzing and Simulating Energy Consumption of Battery Electric Transit Buses in Real-Driving Conditions

<div>Analyzing and accurately estimating the energy consumption of battery electric buses (BEBs) is essential as it directly impacts battery aging. As fleet electrification of transit agencies (TAs) is on the rise, they must take into account battery aging, since the battery accounts for nearly a quarter of the total bus cost. Understanding the strain placed on batteries during day-to-day operations will allow TAs to implement best-use practices, continue successful fleet electrification, and prolong battery life. The main objective of this research is to estimate and analyze the energy consumption of BEBs based on ambient conditions, geographical location, and driver behavior. This article presents a model for estimating the battery energy consumption of BEBs, which is validated using the data on federal transit bus performance tests performed by Penn State University and experimental aggregated trip data provided by the Central Ohio Transit Authority (COTA). The developed simulator aims to realistically estimate the actual BEB energy consumption, including factors that are difficult to account for, such as the weather conditions, driver behavior, and uncertain passenger load along a route. The results of the model are compared to results from Penn State University, COTA aggregated trip data, and other methodologies for energy consumption estimation. Finally, the impact of seasonal weather variations and driver aggressiveness on the energy consumption is assessed through simulation analyses.</div>