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Center for Advancing Research in Transportation Emissions, Energy, and Health (CARTEEH)

A USDOT University Transportation Center

Driving Cycles Tracking

Driving cycle tracking seeks to examine battery status and energy consumption in electric cars, examine a vehicle’s performance (emission assessments, fuel economy), and stimulate vehicle models prior to the production process.1 During the operation, vehicle speed points are measured against time. This tracking determines a vehicle’s fuel consumption and emissions by comparing the vehicle’s speed points. The procedure is carried out on a chassis dynamometer, where vehicle tailpipe emissions are collected and examined to determine the emission rates.2

This indicator helps determine the effectiveness of the following objectives

  • Less Contamination
  • Less Emissions
  • Less Traffic Noise
  • Connectivity and Inclusion
  • Healthy Destinations
  • Less Traffic Violence
  • Active Transportation
  • Green Space

Data Collection

Driving cycle data can be collected from the National Renewable Energy Laboratory (NREL) NREL database. Data from the NREL is provided for data surveys and research that incorporates second-by-second data collecting from automobiles equipped with global positioning systems (GPS).3

Examples

National Renewable Energy Laboratory (NREL)

The research on driving cycle tracking was conducted by the National Renewable Energy Laboratory (NREL). The purpose of the research was to understand how electric vehicles are used and to track their charging patterns. According to the research, electric vehicles are driven an average of 29 miles per day. The majority of trips are less than 10 miles, and only a small percentage of trips are more than 50 miles. The data also showed that most electric vehicle owners charge their vehicles at home, during the evening or overnight. This allowed them to take advantage of lower electricity rates and avoid range anxiety.

https://www.nrel.gov/transportation/drive-cycle-tool/

1. Krishnan, S. What are driving cycles and how to develop one for electric vehicle simulation? [Internet]. Getelectricvehicle.com. [cited 2022 Jul 13]. Available from: https://getelectricvehicle.com/driving-cycle/
2. Nicolas, R. The different driving cycles [Internet]. Car Engineer. Car-engineer.com; 2013 [cited 2022 Jul 13]. Available from: https://www.car-engineer.com/the-different-driving-cycles/
3. Transportation Secure Data Center [Internet]. Nrel.gov. [cited 2022 Jul 29]. Available from: https://www.nrel.gov/transportation/secure-transportation-data/tsdc-drive-cycle-data.html