Impact of V2V Communication on Energy Consumption of Connected Electric Trucks in Stable Platoon Formation

In a vehicular platoon operation, it is possible to minimize the energy consumption by reducing the intervehicular spacing, which reduces the aerodynamic drag force acting on the vehicle. By virtue of this, in electric truck platoons, it is possible to extend the range of vehicle operation through close platoon formations. However, in a Vehicle to Vehicle (V2V) communicated autonomous platoon, the extent to which the intervehicular spacing could be reduced depends upon the communication latency while considering the aspect of platoon stability. This paper analyzes the effect of Dedicated Short Range Communication (DSRC) and the Fifth-Generation (5G) cellular communication on energy consumption and stability of electric truck platoon formations. It is observed that for a chosen drive cycle, by establishing lower time-headway magnitudes between individual trucks, 5G-based platoon formations could establish platoon stability and could lower the energy consumption per kilometer by ≈ 10 % and ≈ 8.8 %, resulting in a range extension of ≈ 12.5 % and ≈ 9.5 % in dry and wet road conditions, respectively.

I. Introduction

A truck platoon is a convoy of trucks travelling one behind the other with minimal spacing between each other, thereby reducing the aerodynamic drag force acting on them, leading to reduced fuel consumption [1]. Establishing platoon operation using electric trucks can lead to range extension of individual electric trucks through reduced energy consumption from the energy sources [2], [3]. In order to utilize the advantage of platoon formation and hence to minimize the energy consumption, the electric trucks should be spaced as close as possible in a platoon formation. However, closer intervehicular spacing can lead to loss of platoon stability and potential collision between constituent trucks in the event of on-road disturbances [4]. Autonomous/semi autonomous platoon operation requires on-board string stable controllers to avoid collisions in the event of on-road perturbations [1], [5], [6].