UGV with a distributed electric driveline: Controlling for maximum slip energy efficiency on stochastic terrain

It was found that maximum IWM UGV slip energy efficiency is achieved if the electric motors are controlled to provide the same tire slippages at all four wheels by zeroing the kinematic discrepancy between the theoretical linear velocities of the wheels. At this condition, the total electric current drawn by all four DC motors was minimum. The maximum IWM UGV slip energy efficiency of 89.3% was achieved at a mean tire slippage value of 11.1% on Norfolk Sandy Loam (NSL) soil.