Virginia Tech Comprehensive Power-based Fuel Consumption Model (VT-CPFM): Model Validation and Calibration Considerations

Abstract

A power-based vehicle fuel consumption model, entitled the Virginia Tech Comprehensive Power-based Fuel Consumption Model (VT-CPFM) that was developed in an earlier publication is validated against in-field fuel consumption measurements. The study demonstrates that the VT-CPFMs calibrated using the EPA city and highway fuel economy ratings generally provide reliable fuel consumption estimates with a coefficient of determination in the range of 0.96. More importantly, both estimates and measurements produce very similar behavioral changes depending on engine load conditions. The VT-CPFMs are demonstrated to be easily calibrated using publically available data without the need to gather in-field instantaneous data.