Multidimensional Coupling Effects and Vibration Suppression for In-Wheel Motor-Driven Electric Vehicle Suspension Systems: A Review

In this article, a comprehensive review regarding the vibration suppression for electric vehicles with in-wheel motors is provided. Most of the current reviews on the suspension performance of the in-wheel motor electric vehicles have seldom discussed the issue of the multidimensional coupling between the vertical and longitudinal dynamics of the vehicle. This article not only addresses this shortcoming, but also provides an all-inclusive review of these effects while considering the electrical-mechanical coupling on the vehicle dynamics. This article uses a state-of-the-art search strategy to search and process relevant and high-quality studies in the area. First, various negative effects of the deployment of the in-wheel motor, such as the increased unsprung mass, multidimensional electromagnetic-mechanical coupling, and the coupled vehicle vertical-longitudinal dynamics, are discussed. A review of the studies related to the unbalanced electromagnetic force and its coupling with the dynamic eccentricity and the motor current control is presented. The effectiveness of various control strategies and the recent advancements in motor topologies for improving suspension performance are analyzed. Furthermore, the viability of the energy-regenerative suspension design for electric vehicles with in-wheel motors is examined by reviewing different suspension designs and their energy efficiency. Finally, a detailed discussion on the gaps identified in the literature based on vibration suppression of the in-wheel motor electric vehicles, particularly the multidimensional coupling effects, is provided. Major challenges related to the vibration suppression performance of the in-wheel motor suspension system and the potential future directions are explored.