Are We Testing Vehicles the Right Way? Challenges of Electrified and Connected Vehicles for Standard Drive Cycles and On-Road Testing

Standard driving cycles have been the method of choice for testing vehicle performance for decades, both in research and at the regulatory level. These methodologies offer the significant advantage of test reproducibility, allowing for consistent comparisons between vehicles. However, their inabilit...

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Main Authors: Elia Grano, Manfredi Villani, Henrique de Carvalho Pinheiro, Massimiliana Carello
Format: Article
Language:English
Published: MDPI AG 2025-02-01
Series:World Electric Vehicle Journal
Subjects:
Online Access:https://www.mdpi.com/2032-6653/16/2/94
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author Elia Grano
Manfredi Villani
Henrique de Carvalho Pinheiro
Massimiliana Carello
author_facet Elia Grano
Manfredi Villani
Henrique de Carvalho Pinheiro
Massimiliana Carello
author_sort Elia Grano
collection DOAJ
description Standard driving cycles have been the method of choice for testing vehicle performance for decades, both in research and at the regulatory level. These methodologies offer the significant advantage of test reproducibility, allowing for consistent comparisons between vehicles. However, their inability to reflect real-world driving conditions has become increasingly evident. This issue was first exacerbated by the advent of hybrid and plug-in hybrid vehicles, which introduced new complexities in powertrain operation. Legislators attempted to adapt testing procedures to account for electric energy usage in emissions assessments, but these efforts have largely failed to address the technical challenges posed by modern vehicles. As a result, the gap between real-world fuel consumption and type-approval values has continued to grow. The introduction of ADAS technologies has further widened this discrepancy, as standard driving cycles are no longer capable of accurately representing modern vehicle performance. In light of these challenges, this paper critically evaluates the limitations of standard drive cycles and on-road testing procedures, explores how hybrid and connected vehicles further complicate performance assessment, and proposes directions for improving these methodologies.
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series World Electric Vehicle Journal
spelling doaj-art-1eaf4c26a1644f2d938ddcc34a6a74be2025-08-20T02:45:30ZengMDPI AGWorld Electric Vehicle Journal2032-66532025-02-011629410.3390/wevj16020094Are We Testing Vehicles the Right Way? Challenges of Electrified and Connected Vehicles for Standard Drive Cycles and On-Road TestingElia Grano0Manfredi Villani1Henrique de Carvalho Pinheiro2Massimiliana Carello3Department of Mechanical and Aerospace Engineering (DIMEAS), Politecnico di Torino, 10129 Turin, ItalyCenter for Automotive Research (CAR), The Ohio State University, Columbus, OH 43212, USADepartment of Mechanical and Aerospace Engineering (DIMEAS), Politecnico di Torino, 10129 Turin, ItalyDepartment of Mechanical and Aerospace Engineering (DIMEAS), Politecnico di Torino, 10129 Turin, ItalyStandard driving cycles have been the method of choice for testing vehicle performance for decades, both in research and at the regulatory level. These methodologies offer the significant advantage of test reproducibility, allowing for consistent comparisons between vehicles. However, their inability to reflect real-world driving conditions has become increasingly evident. This issue was first exacerbated by the advent of hybrid and plug-in hybrid vehicles, which introduced new complexities in powertrain operation. Legislators attempted to adapt testing procedures to account for electric energy usage in emissions assessments, but these efforts have largely failed to address the technical challenges posed by modern vehicles. As a result, the gap between real-world fuel consumption and type-approval values has continued to grow. The introduction of ADAS technologies has further widened this discrepancy, as standard driving cycles are no longer capable of accurately representing modern vehicle performance. In light of these challenges, this paper critically evaluates the limitations of standard drive cycles and on-road testing procedures, explores how hybrid and connected vehicles further complicate performance assessment, and proposes directions for improving these methodologies.https://www.mdpi.com/2032-6653/16/2/94driving cycleson-road testingelectric vehicleshybrid vehiclesconnected vehiclestraffic modelling
spellingShingle Elia Grano
Manfredi Villani
Henrique de Carvalho Pinheiro
Massimiliana Carello
Are We Testing Vehicles the Right Way? Challenges of Electrified and Connected Vehicles for Standard Drive Cycles and On-Road Testing
World Electric Vehicle Journal
driving cycles
on-road testing
electric vehicles
hybrid vehicles
connected vehicles
traffic modelling
title Are We Testing Vehicles the Right Way? Challenges of Electrified and Connected Vehicles for Standard Drive Cycles and On-Road Testing
title_full Are We Testing Vehicles the Right Way? Challenges of Electrified and Connected Vehicles for Standard Drive Cycles and On-Road Testing
title_fullStr Are We Testing Vehicles the Right Way? Challenges of Electrified and Connected Vehicles for Standard Drive Cycles and On-Road Testing
title_full_unstemmed Are We Testing Vehicles the Right Way? Challenges of Electrified and Connected Vehicles for Standard Drive Cycles and On-Road Testing
title_short Are We Testing Vehicles the Right Way? Challenges of Electrified and Connected Vehicles for Standard Drive Cycles and On-Road Testing
title_sort are we testing vehicles the right way challenges of electrified and connected vehicles for standard drive cycles and on road testing
topic driving cycles
on-road testing
electric vehicles
hybrid vehicles
connected vehicles
traffic modelling
url https://www.mdpi.com/2032-6653/16/2/94
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