The Advanced Light-Duty Powertrain and Hybrid Analysis (ALPHA) tool was created by EPA to evaluate the Greenhouse Gas (GHG) emissions of Light-Duty (LD) vehicles [1]. ALPHA is a physics-based, forward-looking, full vehicle computer simulation capable of analyzing various vehicle types combined with different powertrain technologies. The software tool is a MATLAB/Simulink based desktop application. The ALPHA model has been updated from the previous version to include more realistic vehicle behavior and now includes internal auditing of all energy flows in the model [2]. As a result of the model refinements and in preparation for the mid-term evaluation (MTE) of the 2022-2025 LD GHG emissions standards, the model is being revalidated with newly acquired vehicle data.In the effort to model the current and future US Light-Duty fleet there are times when complete and exact engine and powertrain component data are unavailable and must be approximated using components with comparable levels of performance and technology. This paper presents the testing and ALPHA modeling of a CVT-equipped 2013 Nissan Altima 2.5S using comparable powertrain technology inputs. A brief overview of recent improvements in CVT performance and efficiency is provided. ALPHA’s CVT shift strategy, ALPHAshift-CVT, is introduced and its performance is compared with data from the Altima. Fuel economy and carbon emissions results over a wide range of drive cycles were within 5% of measured values and the city/highway weighted combined fuel economy and carbon emissions were within approximately 1% of measured values, providing confidence in the proxy powertrain approach.


    Access

    Check access

    Check availability in my library

    Order at Subito €


    Export, share and cite



    Title :

    Modeling of a Conventional Mid-Size Car with CVT Using ALPHA and Comparable Powertrain Technologies


    Additional title:

    Sae Technical Papers


    Contributors:

    Conference:

    SAE 2016 World Congress and Exhibition ; 2016



    Publication date :

    2016-04-05




    Type of media :

    Conference paper


    Type of material :

    Print


    Language :

    English




    Nissan powertrain technologies

    Nishiji,M. / Nissan Europe Technology Centre,NETC,Bruessel,BE | Automotive engineering | 1998


    Future Powertrain Technologies

    Rinderknecht, Stephan ;Jardin, Philippe ;Esser, Arved | GWLB - Gottfried Wilhelm Leibniz Bibliothek | 2020

    Free access

    Future Powertrain Technologies

    Rinderknecht, Stephan ;Jardin, Philippe ;Esser, Arved | TIBKAT | 2020

    Free access

    Benchmarking and Modeling of a Conventional Mid-Size Car Using ALPHA

    Barba, Daniel / Kargul, John / Newman, Kevin | SAE Technical Papers | 2015


    Benchmarking and modeling of a conventional mid-size car using ALPHA

    Newman,K. / Kargul,J. / Barda,D. et al. | Automotive engineering | 2015