Solar PV-Powered Switched Reluctance Motor Drive for Electric Vehicles with Adaptive Energy Management

Abstract

Electric vehicles (EVs) are becoming popular as a green option compared to regular petrol or diesel vehicles. But, many EVs use electricity from the grid, which often comes from coal or gas, making them less eco-friendly. Adding solar photovoltaic (PV) systems to EVs can help by using sunlight to power the vehicle, cutting down on pollution and running costs. This paper looks at a solar PV-powered Switched Reluctance Motor (SRM) drive for EVs, with a smart energy management system to make it work better. SRMs are efficient, cheap, and strong because of their simple design [1]. The smart energy system handles changes in solar power, switching between solar, battery, and braking energy to keep the vehicle running smoothly. It also fixes SRM issues like shaking and noise for a better ride. This study shows that this setup works well, saves money, helps the environment, and points out some challenges. By using less grid power, this idea makes transport greener, and with better tech, solar-powered EVs can be the future.

Introduction

Overview of Solar-Powered EVs:
Electric vehicles (EVs) are environmentally friendly but become even more sustainable when powered by solar photovoltaic (PV) systems instead of grid electricity from fossil fuels. Solar PV reduces pollution, saves money, and lowers reliance on the grid.

2. Solar PV in EVs:

• Solar panels can be mounted on vehicles or installed at solar charging stations.

• These systems produce clean electricity from sunlight, stored in batteries or used directly.

• Solar-powered EVs can travel further without frequent charging and work well in sunny areas.

• Hybrid systems combining solar with other energy sources (like wind or grid power) make EVs more reliable.

3. Driving Modes Using Solar PV:

• Four modes are used based on driving needs and available energy (solar, battery, or both).

4. Benefits of Solar PV in EVs:

• Reduces emissions, lowers energy costs, increases range, and supports grid independence.

• Challenges include limited panel space, weather dependence, and solar cell efficiency.

5. Comparison with Normal EVs:
Solar-powered EVs offer:

• Longer range (20–30 extra miles daily in sunny areas),

• Less charging time due to solar top-ups,

• Lower operational costs, and

• Less dependence on fossil-fuel-powered grids.

6. Switched Reluctance Motor (SRM) Technology:
SRMs are ideal for solar-powered EVs due to:

• Simple, rugged design without rare-earth magnets,

• High efficiency, especially at high speeds,

• Low cost and good heat handling,

• Continued operation even if one phase fails.

Challenges of SRMs:

• Torque ripple and noise, especially at low speeds,

• Complex control systems required for smooth operation.

Solutions:

• Smart control strategies (e.g., torque-sharing, AI),

• Improved materials and rotor/stator designs,

• Sensorless control systems,

• Integration with smart energy management to stabilize power.

7. Flexible Energy Control Systems:
These manage multiple energy sources (solar, battery, grid, braking energy) to optimize power use in real-time. Core functions include:

• Prioritizing energy to critical systems,

• Regenerative braking,

• Smoothing out solar power fluctuations,

• Extending battery life and improving efficiency.

8. Future Prospects:

• AI and machine learning will enhance prediction and control,

• Better batteries (like solid-state) will improve storage,

• Vehicle-to-grid (V2G) technology will enable EVs to share solar energy with the grid,

• Collaboration between industries will lower costs and standardize systems.

Conclusion

Solar-powered electric vehicles (EVs) are a great idea for making travel cleaner and cheaper, especially for students like us in India. This paper shows how using solar power with smart energy systems can make EVs even better. These systems help the vehicle use sunlight, battery, and braking energy in a clever way, so it works well no matter the weather or time of day [1]. We learned that solar EVs can go farther, like 20-30 extra km on a sunny day, because the solar panels keep charging the battery while driving. They also don’t need to stop for charging as much—sometimes you can skip a 30-minute charging stop completely! Plus, they use more solar energy, which means less pollution (up to 70% less) compared to normal EVs that charge from the grid [9]. And over time, they save money because sunlight is free, unlike grid electricity that costs ?500 or more per year [7]. But there are some problems too. For example, if it’s cloudy or raining, like during the monsoon, the solar panels can’t make enough power. The space for panels on the vehicle is also small, so they might only give enough energy for 10-15 km per day. Charging can still take time, the starting cost is high (like ?12 lakh), and the battery might wear out faster if used too much [22], [23]. Don’t worry, though—there are fixes! We can mix solar with battery and grid power, use better panels to get more energy, add fast-charging stations, get government discounts, and use smart systems to make the battery last longer [12], [24]. In the future, solar-powered EVs can become even better. New tech like AI can help the vehicle guess when the sun will shine and use power smarter [20]. Better batteries and more solar projects, like the ones in Europe, can make these EVs more popular [16]. For us students, this means we might soon have affordable, eco-friendly vehicles to drive to college or trips, helping the planet while saving money [9].

References

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Copyright

Copyright © 2025 Lt. Col. Bhuwan Joshi. This is an open access article distributed under the Creative Commons Attribution License, which permits unrestricted use, distribution, and reproduction in any medium, provided the original work is properly cited.