Parametric optimization of hybrid car engines

Abstract : We consider the problem of optimal design of hybrid car engines which combine thermal and electric power. The optimal configuration of the different motors composing the hybrid system involves the choice of certain design parameters. For a given configuration, the goal is to minimize the fuel consumption along a trajectory. This is an optimal control problem with one state variable. The simultaneous optimization of design parameters and trajectories can be formulated as a bilevel optimization problem. The lower level computes the optimal control for a given architecture. The higher level seeks for the optimal design parameters by solving a nonconvex nonsmooth optimization problem with a bundle method.