Niccolai, Adelmo (University of Florence), Clemente, Maurizio (Eindhoven University of Technology), Hofman, Theo (Technische Universiteit Eindhoven), Baldanzini, Niccol`o (University of Florence)

Two-Wheel-Driven Electric Superbike Powertrain Optimization

Scheduled for presentation during the Regular Session "Modelling and optimal design of electric powertrains" (WeB1), Wednesday, June 18, 2025, 14:40−15:00, Kapel

AAC 2025 11th IFAC International Symposium on Advances in Automotive Control, June 15-18, 2025, Eindhoven, Netherlands

This information is tentative and subject to change. Compiled on June 1, 2025

Abstract

In this paper, we propose an optimization framework for the powertrain design of a two-wheel-driven electric superbike, minimizing energy consumption. Specifically, we jointly optimize the force distribution between the wheels with the gear ratio, and rear motor and battery sizing while explicitly considering vehicle dynamics and performance constraints. First, we present an energy consumption model of the vehicle, including a scalable model of the electric machine based on data from the industry, accounting for iron, copper, and mechanical losses. Then, we analyze the propulsive blending strategy to distribute the required power to the wheels while considering adherence limits. Finally, we demonstrate the effectiveness of our approach by analyzing the design of a superbike, based on regulatory driving cycles and a custom high-performance circuit by comparing the force distribution approaches. The results underline the significance of joint optimization of powertrain components and propulsive bias, achieving a reduction of up to 22.36% in energy consumption for the Sport high-performance driving cycle.