Yaw-moment control of electric vehicle for improving handling and stability

This paper investigates the use of direct yaw moment control by driving or braking forces distribution for improving handling and stability of electric vehicle. Based on its structural merit that electric motors are connected directly to the tires, the implementation of such a control system is expected to achieve satisfactory control performance. Fundamentally the structure of control system is model matching controller which makes the vehicle follow the desired dynamic model by side slip angle regulating feedforward and the state feedback of both yaw rate and side slip angle. Various computer simulations are carried out to verify the effectiveness of the control system. It is clarified that the handling and stability of electric vehicle is improved and the control system still maintain satisfactory control performance despite the change of road surface condition. (C) 2001 Society of Automotive Engineers of Japan, Inc. and Elsevier Science B,V. All rights reserved.