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Testing Low-Energy, High-Power 

Energy Storage Alternatives in a 

Full-Hybrid Vehicle

Presenter: Ahmad Pesaran

Authors: Jon Cosgrove and Jeff Gonder

National Renewable Energy Laboratory 

Supported by: DOE Vehicle Technologies Office

NREL/PR-5400-61114
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Overview 

• Background – HEVs and their Batteries

o Moderate-energy, high-power

• Analysis – HEV Fuel Economy vs. Battery Size

• Hybrids with Low Energy Ultracapacitors (NREL’s 

Experience)

• Interest in Lower-energy Energy Storage System (LEESS) 

o Low-energy, very high-power

• Developing an HEV Test Bed for Evaluating LEESS

• Testing Lithium-ion Capacitor (LIC) as a LEESS

• Test Results with LIC in the HEV Test Platform

o In-vehicle comparison with stock nickel-metal hydride (NiMH)

• Summary and Future Work for LEESS HEV Test Platform
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Background – HEVs and their Batteries 

• Hybrid electric vehicles (HEVs) are effective at reducing per- vehicle fuel use

o 30-50% higher fuel economy than comparable conventional vehicle

• United States Advanced Battery Consortium (USABC) battery 

targets for mid-size vehicle:

o 300 Wh available energy and 25 kW power

o 300,000 shallow (25 Wh) cycles and 15 years life

o $20/kW

• Many HEV models in the market; some very successful

• NiMH technology has been a good fit from many perspectives; 

some OEMs are moving toward Li-ion technology

• Most USABC targets (energy, power, cycle, and calendar life) have 

been achieved with a relatively oversized battery, but not cost

• Incremental cost of HEVs remains a barrier to wider market 

penetration

o Energy storage system (ESS) is arguably the largest contributor
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Increasing Market Share of HEVs

• ESS cost reductions and performance improvements 

lead to improved vehicle-level cost vs. benefit

o Increase market demand and aggregate fuel savings

o NiMH performance and cost may be leveling off??

o Room for Li-ion improvements, but there is concern about 

safety

• How can the cost of ESS for full HEVs be further 

reduced?

o Increase volume production

o Use less expensive materials

o Potential benefits from alternative technology?

– Better life, better cold temperature performance

– Cheaper materials

o Re-evaluate energy and power requirements
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Analysis: HEV Fuel Savings Sensitivity to Energy 

Storage Size

• In 2010, NREL performed simulations and analyzed test data in support of USABC

• Results suggested power-assist HEVs can still achieve high fuel savings with lower 

energy (less than 150 Wh) and potentially lower-cost ESS

Gonder, J.; Pesaran, A.; Howell, D.; Tataria, H. “Lower-Energy Requirements for Power-Assist HEV Energy Storage Systems—Analysis and Rationale.” 

Proceedings of the 27th International Battery Seminar and Exhibit; Mar 15-18, 2010, Fort Lauderdale, FL. 

http://www.nrel.gov/docs/fy10osti/47682.pdf
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NREL Evaluation of Hybrid with Low-energy 

Ultracapacitors (2010-2011)

• Objective: verify fuel economy analysis for low-energy ESS

• Take advantage of Ucap potential for superior cycle life, cold 

temperature performance, and long-term cost reductions

• Modified a Saturn Vue mild hybrid for testing Ucaps and NiMH systems

Findings: HEV with ultracapacitors performed in acceleration and FE 

at least as well as the original HEV configuration with NiMH battery

BAS = belt alternator starter (“mild” HEV)

Photos by Jeff Gonder and Jason Lustbader, NREL

Vehicle: 42-V Saturn Vue BAS HEV
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Interest in Lower-energy Energy Storage System (LEESS) 

• USABC asked NREL to 

performed further 

analysis to re-evaluate 

the energy storage targets 

for power assist HEVs

• NREL analysis showed 

that significant fuel 

economy improvements 

could be achieved with a 

low-energy, very high 

power ESS

• USABC established targets 

for LEESS in 2010

o 26 Wh available energy

o 55 kW – 2s discharge
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Interest in Lower-energy Energy Storage System (LEESS) 

• USABC issued a Request for Proposal Information (RFPI) to 

support LEESS development in 2010 

o See: http://www.uscar.org/guest/article_view.php?articles_id=87

o Open to any ESS technology (very high power batteries, 

electrochemical double layer capacitors, or asymmetric 

supercapacitors)

• USABC funded two battery firms for developing LEESS in 2011:

o A123 Systems (high power iron phosphate/graphite batteries)

o Maxwell Technologies (lithium-ion capacitor)

• New LEESS technologies being developed or offered by others

• We felt there was a need to evaluate in-HEV performance of LEESS 

technologies

• NREL obtained support from the DOE Vehicle Technologies Office 

to evaluate various LEESS technologies in a power-assist HEV test 

bed
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Developing an HEV Test Bed for Evaluating LEESS 

• Set up reusable vehicle test bed using 

2012 Ford Fusion Hybrid

o Entered into Cooperative Research and 

Development Agreement (CRADA) with 

Ford to facilitate modifications

• Use voltage and volume of stock NiMH 

battery system for sizing of LEESS to be 

placed in trunk of the vehicle

• Install second set of production Ford 

control modules to interface with LEESS

o Custom state estimator sends 

instantaneous state of charge (SOC) and 

power capability information to vehicle 

controller

• Maintain stock operating capability 

(using production NiMH system)

o Able to switch between operation using 

stock battery and using LEESS under test

o Provides back-to-back performance 

comparison

Fusion HEV test platform and traction battery with Bussed Electrical 

Center (BEC), Battery Pack Sensor Module (BPSM), and Battery Energy 

Control Module (BECM)

Photos by John Ireland, NREL
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Vehicle 

Controller

Electronic

Control Unit

Balancing 

System

Electronic

Control Unit

Balancing 

System

Converter Switch

Battery

LEESS
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LEESS

Switch
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Evaluating the First LEESS Technology in HEV 

Test Bed

• Lithium-ion capacitor (LIC) 

technology

o Lithiated graphite as anode and 

activated carbon as cathode with 

li-ion electrolyte

o Asymmetric storage device with 

battery and ultracapacitor-type 

characteristics

o 3.8 V max/cell, and doubled 

volumetric capacitance due to 

lithium doping

• JSR Micro provided LIC 

modules

*Based on fact sheet published by Idaho National Laboratory (INL): 

http://www1.eere.energy.gov/vehiclesandfuels/avta/pdfs/hev/batteryfusion4699.pdf

**Assuming 175 V – 350 V maximum in-vehicle operating window

# of Cells Nominal Voltage Total Energy (Wh)

Stock Sanyo NiMH* 204 275 1,370

8 JSR 192 F LIC Modules 96 300 260**

6 JSR 192 F LIC Modules 72 225 180**

Sizing of Stock Battery and LEESS LIC for HEV Test Bed
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LEESS - LIC Pack Characterization: Energy & Power vs. SOC

• Bench top testing 

at multiple 

temperatures

o Static capacity test

o Hybrid pulse power 

characterization 

(HPPC)

o US06 drive profile

• Impedance 2–3x 

less than NiMH*

25°C, 8-Module HPPC Results

*Based on calculations from INL fact sheet

OCV = open circuit voltage Photo by John Ireland, NREL

25°C, 8-Module Static Capacity Results
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Benchtop Comparison Battery (NiMH) & LEESS (JSR LIC) under US06

Stock battery data courtesy of Argonne National Laboratory chassis dynamometer testing

Charging (regenerative braking)

Discharging

(assist)

Power delivery the same under the US06 drive cycle
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LEESS Control and Vehicle Interface:

MABx, LIC State Estimation, and Vehicle Communication

• Controls for LIC state estimation, 

safety, etc., implemented via 

rapid control prototyping with 

dSpace MicroAutoBox (MABx)

• Adaptive state estimation model 

used to monitor LEESS pack state 

and estimate power capabilities

• State estimation and power 

capabilities were validated 

against bench test data from LIC 

modules undergoing US06 and 

HPPC cycles

• MABx interfacing with LEESS 

modules, vehicle controller area 

network (CAN) lines, and Ford 

engine control units (ECUs) to 

accomplish control

Simulink state estimation model currently 

deployed on the MABx for control, and photo of 

LEESS installation in the trunk space showing the 

JSR LICs and MABx

Photo by Jon Cosgrove, NREL
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In-Vehicle Comparison: 0-60 Accelerations of HEV Test Bed with 

Stock Battery (NiMH) & LEESS (JSR LIC)

No significant difference 

found between acceleration 

times while in NiMH 

configuration vs. LEESS 

configuration

Photo by Petr Sindler, NREL

HEV with

LEESS

(LIC)

8 Modules

HEV with

Battery

(NiMH)

These results aren’t intended to be factory 

published comparison times due to difference in 

altitude, additional weight of LIC, control modules, 

computers, etc.

NREL HEV Test Bed at Front Range Airport, Colorado
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In-Vehicle Comparison: Dynamometer Testing of HEV Test Bed 

with Stock Battery (NiMH) & LEESS (JSR LIC)

• Performed standard drive 

cycles with vehicle in NiMH 

Battery and LIC LEESS 

configurations

o Test cycles included:

– UDDS

– US06

– HWFET

o Vehicle CAN traffic 

recorded using the MABx

• Environmental Testing 

Corporation

• Testing details

o Bag emissions sampling to 

measure fuel consumption

Test Schedule Dynamometer Facility 

Fusion HEV test bed on 

2WD dyno at ETC test facility

Photo by Jon Cosgrove, NREL
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In-Vehicle Comparison: Dynamometer Testing Power Delivery 

during UDDS

LIC max/min power = 25/-25 kW

NiMH max/min power = 25/-25 kW

Used 8 LIC modules with 260 Wh
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HEV Dynamometer Testing: Charge Sustaining Operation -

Energy Window Usage during UDDS Drive Cycle

Overall battery use pattern is very similar:

LIC Wh window = 127 Wh

NiMH Wh window = 211 Wh
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HEV Dynamometer Testing: Charge Sustaining Operation -

Voltage Distributions of Battery and LEESS during UDDS

LICs have higher average voltage (301 vs. 281 for NiMH) and a slightly flatter distribution

NIMH 242/323 81V

LIC 263/341 78V
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In Vehicle Comparison: Dynamometer Testing -

Cumulative Fuel Consumption during UDDS Cycle

Plot showing 

UDDS bag 

measured fuel use 

during NiMH and 

LIC configurations

Similar overall 

fuel consumption 

in both 

configurations 

Hybrid 

performance far 

exceeds 

conventional in 

both cases 

53 mpg 52 mpg

HEV with

LEESS

(LIC)

HEV with

Battery

(NiMH)

Conventional

Vehicle: 27 mpg

High-energy NiMH system provides other functions such as electric AC operation during stops

Used 8 LIC modules 

with 260 Wh
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Summary

• HEVs are effective at reducing per-vehicle fuel use

• Incremental HEV cost remains a barrier to wider market penetration

o ESS arguably the largest contributor

• ESS cost reductions lead to improved vehicle-level cost vs. benefit

o Increase market demand and aggregate fuel savings

• LEESS are considered an option for reducing cost of HEVs

• Developed an HEV test bed to evaluate the performance LEESS options

• Initial testing of HEV tested bed with NiMH and LIC LEESS showed:

o No differences in acceleration times

o No appreciable difference in fuel economy between NiMH and LIC 

configurations

o Any existing fuel economy difference could potentially be eliminated with 

better calibration of state estimation model and power request controls

o Vehicle comfort and drivability not affected while operating in LEESS 

configuration

• Higher available energy from stock NiMH may provide other benefits 

during idle-off stops, but was not explored
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Future Work

• Test 6-module configuration of JSR LIC modules

o Configuration with up to 180 Wh available

o Additional dyno testing to compare with 8-module 

configuration (with up to 260 Wh available)

• Assess cold temperature performance differences in 

vehicle

o Dynamometer testing with soak temperatures below 

freezing

o Additional cold soak bench testing of LIC and other LEESS 

devices

• Evaluate and compare functionalities that higher- energy stock NiMH provides

• Acquire and install additional LEESS devices, including 

symmetric carbon-carbon ultracapacitors and other 

asymmetric (hybrid) ultracapacitors
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Acknowledgments

• JSR Micro

o Providing LIC modules for evaluation

o Related technical information and support

• Ford Motor Company

o CRADA facilitating vehicle conversion

• USABC

o Collaborated on precursor analysis for this effort and 

established LEESS performance targets for power-assist HEVs

• U.S. Department of Energy

o Cost-shared support from two Vehicle Technologies Office 

activities

– Energy Storage (Brian Cunningham)

– Vehicle Systems Simulation and Testing (David Anderson)
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Questions?

Author contacts:

Jon Cosgrove

Jon.Cosgrove@NREL.gov

303-275-4425

Jeff Gonder

Jeff.Gonder@NREL.gov

303-275-4462