Design and construction of an electric minibus

Abstract

The design and construction stages of an electric minibus planned as a shuttle on the university campus are presented in this article. The electric vehicle (EV) is powered by an electric motor and no gear box is used. The criteria used in the choice of the electric motor, battery and power electronic units are presented. Important design parameters of electric vehicle are explained with a structural diagram. In addition, the controller of the vehicle and the communication between vehicle controller and motor controller via CAN Communication are given. Simulation studies are carried out to evaluate the energy consumption and the performance of selected components. Following, the first prototype electric minibus is constructed and tested. Various controllers are tested on the vehicle to improve the safety and efficiency.