Identifying route-wise energy-saving driving operations of electric buses with real-word measurements

This study quantifies the spatio-temporal distribution of electric buses' (EBs) electricity consumption characteristics and identifies the most electricity-saving operations from both instantaneous movements and driving conditions considering road types and bus routes. First, the real-world EB operating data collected from four EBs are divided into segments. Factors that influence the value of two energy consumption indexes (electricity consumption rate, ECR, and electricity consumption factor, ECF) are assessed. The study finds that an increasing average speed of a bus leads to a lower value of ECF, suggesting a less aggressive and a more efficient driving style. Further, ECFs are clustered into four states (very low/low/medium/high) to identify the energy-saving situation. The result shows that the most energy-saving speed ranges for expressways, arterial roads, and local roads during peak hours are 45-50 km/h, 35-40 km/h and 25-30 km/h, respectively. Findings from this study can be applied for eco-driving suggestions to drivers in order to improve the efficiency of EB operation system.