Electromagnetic Regenerative Suspension System for Electric Vehicles

Abstract

The rapid growth of electric vehicles (EVs) has led to a growing demand for innovative energy recovery techniques to improve overall efficiency and extend driving range. In traditional vehicles, much of the vibrational energy is lost as heat in the suspension system when driving on uneven road surfaces. This wasted energy is also an opportunity for recovery through regenerative technologies. The thesis describes the design and implementation of an electromagnetic regenerative suspension system, using a lever-arm and gear transmission mechanism. The proposed system uses a lever arm to capture the vertical suspension motion which is converted to rotational motion by a multi-stage gear train with an overall gear ratio of about 1:100. A 6V DC motor is used as a generator to convert mechanical energy into electrical energy. The produced electrical output is treated by a bridge rectifier, regulated by a buck-boost converter and stored in capacitors, supercapacitors and a battery system. The system is shown to be capable of efficiently converting low-frequency vibration of suspension to usable electrical energy in the laboratory. The experimental results validate the feasibility of the proposed system as a scalable and cost-effective solution for energy harvesting in EVs. The study concludes that electromagnetic regenerative suspension systems can enhance the energy efficiency and reduce the energy losses of modern electric vehicles.