Study on the relationship between the steady-state rolling resistance of radial tires and energy consumption of electric vehicles

With the promotion and application of electric vehicles, the effects of low-temperature working conditions on the range of electric vehicles have attracted great attention in academic research. However, the effect and mechanism of tire rolling resistance on the energy consumption of electric vehicles under low-temperature working conditions have not been comprehensively investigated. In this research, 235/50R19 radial tires were used as the research object, and HyperMesh and Abaqus software were used for preprocessing and postprocessing, respectively. To validate the finite element model and its rolling resistance predictions, steady-state rolling simulations were performed under two sets of conditions. First, the tire was simulated on an asphalt road at - 20 °C at ten different speeds: 30, 40, 50, 60, 70, 80, 90, 100, 110, and 120 km/h. Second, simulations were conducted at a constant speed of 80 km/h under four ambient temperatures: 0, - 10, - 20, and - 30 °C. The effect of tire rolling resistance on the energy consumption of electric vehicles was determined by calculating the energy loss. The results revealed that at an ambient temperature of - 20 °C, an increase in the driving speed increased the proportion of tire rolling resistance energy consumption. At a driving speed of 80 km/h, as the temperature continued to decrease, the proportion of tire rolling resistance energy consumption increased. For every 10 km/h reduction in the driving speed, the average decrease in the driving range increased by 1.5%, and for every 10 °C decrease in the ambient temperature, the average range loss increased by 2.3%.