WO2024218738A1

WO2024218738A1 - Computer-implemented method for managing the propulsion sources of a hybrid vehicle in order to maximise the energy recovery of such a hybrid vehicle during its travel.

Info

Publication number: WO2024218738A1
Application number: PCT/IB2024/053845
Authority: WO
Inventors: Gianfranco Rizzo; Francesco Antonio TIANO; Matteo MARINO
Original assignee: Eproinn S.R.L.
Priority date: 2023-04-21
Filing date: 2024-04-19
Publication date: 2024-10-24
Also published as: IT202300007860A1; WO2024218738A8

Abstract

A computer-implemented method (1) for managing the propulsion sources of a hybrid vehicle (HEV) in order to maximise the energy recovery of said hybrid vehicle (HEV) during its travel without using a navigator, said hybrid vehicle (HEV) being provided with an electric engine (EE), a battery pack (B) to power said electric engine (EE), a thermal engine (TE) and a regenerative braking system (RB).

Description

COMPUTER-IMPLEMENTED METHOD FOR MANAGING THE PROPULSION SOURCES OF A HYBRID VEHICLE IN ORDER TO MAXIMISE THE ENERGY RECOVERY OF SUCH A HYBRID VEHICLE DURING ITS TRAVEL.

DESCRIPTION

The present invention relates to a computer-implemented method for managing the propulsion sources of a hybrid vehicle in order to maximise the energy recovery of such a hybrid vehicle during its travel.

The invention also relates to the processing product which, when executed by a processing device, is configured to execute the steps of the above- mentioned method of the invention.

Further, the invention relates to a processing device wherein said processing product is stored and is configured to execute the aforesaid processing product.

It is known that in hybrid electric vehicles (HEVs), in addition to the presence of a thermal engine, there are one or more electric engines responsible for traction, which during the braking and downhill-movement steps have the ability to generate electrical energy to be transferred into the battery pack, implementing the so-called regenerative braking system. The recoverable energy is proportional to the product of the average power generated by the electric engine for the duration of the manoeuvre, which is of the order of a few seconds for a braking manoeuvre linked to a vehicle deceleration, while it can be of the order of several minutes in a downhill-movement, where braking has the effect of reducing the vehicle speed compared to the one that it would assumed in the absence of braking forces. As a result, there is the possibility of recovering significant amounts of energy during the downhill-movement step in order to reduce energy consumption. In order for this energy recovery to be effective, there must be adequate free capacity available in the battery, which, at the beginning of the downhill-movement step, must be at a State of Charge (SOC) lower than the maximum value by a margin equal to at least the amount of recoverable energy AE divided by the maximum capacity C_ma_X:

Asoc- AE/Cmax

The control system of a hybrid vehicle, knowing in advance if the vehicle is about to face a downhill stretch, could adopt control strategies that, knowing the free capacity to be left in the battery to allow it to be recharged free of charge in the subsequent downhill-movement steps, would adopt a hybrid powertrain management capable of ensuring future recharging. This can be done by favouring the use of the electric engine over the thermal engine in the step preceding the start of the downhill-movement, and avoiding activating the “recharging” operating mode, in which the thermal engine delivers more power than the vehicle requires in order to recharge the battery. In order to do that, it is necessary to be able to predict well in advance the occurrence of a downhill-movement step, and the extent thereof in terms of altitude difference, length and amount of recoverable energy.

According to the prior art, this prediction can be made by integrating the control system with a navigator, in which the driver has indicated the route to follow. Several existing patents provide for this mode, describing the algorithm by which the margin A_Soc to be left free in the battery is determined.

However, the main drawback of these known prior art solutions is that they necessarily require the use of the navigator by the user. In fact, disadvantageously, such prior art control systems must be integrated with a navigator that also provides for altitude datum. Most of the navigators on the market do not include the altitude in the routes.

In addition, the driver normally tends to activate the navigator when taking a new route, whereas he has no reason to use it on his usual routes, which for the average user of a hybrid vehicle (which maximises its benefits in an urban context) may account for a large part of his journey, and thus of the potential energy recovery.

Also disadvantageously, the use of the navigator allows the current route to be optimised only if the start of the downhill-movement step is far enough from the departure to allow the control system to reserve adequate battery capacity. In case, for example, the downhill-movement step begins immediately after departure, the vehicle may find itself in the condition of not being able to recover energy, even though a navigator is used.

The present invention intends to overcome the drawbacks of the prior art.

In particular, the object of the invention is to propose a computer-implemented method that is capable of maximising the energy recovery of a hybrid vehicle while it is travelling without using a navigator. A further object of the invention is to define a computer-implemented method that is capable of maximising the energy recovery of a hybrid vehicle without requiring the driver intervention.

The aforesaid objects are achieved by a computer-implemented method, in accordance with claim 1 .

These objects are also achieved by the processing program which, when executed, implements the aforesaid method of the invention, in accordance with claim 12, and by the electronic device configured to execute said processing product, in accordance with claim 13.

Further features and peculiarities of the computer-implemented method will be better emphasised during the description of some preferred embodiments of the invention, given by way of example, in relation to the attached drawing tables where:

- Fig. 1 shows the flow chart of the steps of the method of the invention, according to a preferred embodiment;

- Fig. 2 schematically shows a simplified model of a hybrid vehicle;

- Fig. 3 schematically shows a hybrid vehicle as it travels down a downhill stretch, during which, according to the method of the invention, the amount of energy recoverable during said downhill stretch is calculated;

- Fig. 4 schematically shows a hybrid vehicle as it travels down a nondownhill stretch, during which, according to the method of the invention, the nearest downhill stretch is identified;

- Figures 5 to 9 show graphs reporting the experimental results of the application of the method of the invention according to the aforesaid preferred embodiment;

- Fig. 10 schematically shows the electronic device of the invention.

The steps of the method of the invention, implemented by means of a computer, are shown in Fig. 1 , where they are globally referred to as 1. The method 1 of the invention makes it possible to manage the propulsion sources of a hybrid vehicle in order to maximise the energy recovery of the hybrid vehicle itself during its travel, particularly during downhill stretches.

As indicated above, in the present context, a hybrid vehicle HEV, schematically shown in Fig. 2, refers to a vehicle provided with at least an electric engine EE, a battery pack B to power this electric engine EE, a thermal engine TE and a regenerative braking system RB. According to the invention, the aforesaid method 1 provides to execute, during the travel of the hybrid vehicle HEV, in real time and cyclically, for a plurality of consecutive predefined instants of time t_x, with 0 < x < n-1 , the steps described herein below.

Firstly, for each predefined instant of time t_x, the method 1 is configured to detect the latitude, longitude and altitude data of the hybrid vehicle HEV, by means of at least one GPS system. This step is referred to as step a). In this context, a GPS system refers to a sensor assembly capable of detecting all the three aforesaid data.

However, it cannot be ruled out that, according to different embodiments, such a GPS system may only be capable of detecting latitude and longitude data and therefore it is necessary to use a second sensor configured to detect the altitude datum.

Next, the method 1, by means of step b), provides to calculate the value of the slope a of the stretch that the hybrid vehicle HEV is travelling.

Specifically, this slope value a is calculated by processing the aforesaid longitude, latitude and altitude data detected during the aforesaid predefined instant of time t_x and the same data detected during at least one previous predefined instant of time t_x.j.

Preferably, this predefined instant of time t_x and the preceding predefined instant of time t_x.j are two consecutive instants of time t_xand t_x.-i.

Further, according to the preferred embodiment of the invention, by processing such data, also the speed datum v of the hybrid vehicle HEV at said predefined instant of time t_x is calculated. It is not excluded, however, that in a simplified embodiment of the method 1 of the invention the speed datum v of the hybrid vehicle HEV is not calculated for each predefined instant of time.

Following the calculation of the slope a, the method 1 of the invention, by means of step c), is configured to check whether the stretch that the hybrid vehicle HEV is travelling is a downhill stretch with a slope a greater than a predefined slope threshold value at.

In particular, according to the preferred embodiment of the invention, such a predefined slope threshold value at is selected to be greater than 1 degree, even more preferably greater than 2 degrees.

In the affirmative case of such check, i.e. if there is a downhill stretch, the method 1 provides to carry out a further step d) which in turn provides to check whether or not at this predefined instant of time t_x such a downhill stretch has begun.

More precisely, this step d) provides to compare the slope value a calculated during step b) for the predefined instant of time t_x under consideration with the slope value a calculated during the predefined instant of time t_x.-i immediately preceding it.

If, indeed, the stretch is a downhill stretch that has just begun, the method 1 is configured to execute a set of steps, collectively referred to as d.1), listed below: d.1.1) increasing a counter cf of the stored downhill stretches; d.1.2) storing latitude, longitude and altitude data detected at the predefined instant of time t_x and corresponding to the start of a downhill stretch; d.1.3) initialising to value 0 a variable AE relative to the amount of recoverable energy E_x associated with the downhill stretch just started; d.1.4) calculating the amount of recoverable energy E_x during this downhill stretch up to the aforementioned predefined instant of time t_x (fig. 3); d.1.5) updating the value of the variable AE relative to the amount of recoverable energy associated with the downhill stretch, by adding this amount of recoverable energy E_x calculated at step d.1.4); d.1.6) returning to step a) to carry out the method 1 of the invention for a subsequent predefined instant of time t_x+1.

According to the preferred embodiment of the invention between this step d.1.4) and step d.1.6) it is further provided to also calculate and update the distance d travelled by the hybrid vehicle HEV from the beginning of the downhill stretch to the predefined instant of time t_x under consideration.

If, on the other hand, the check according to step d) gives a negative result, i.e. the downhill stretch is already started at least at an earlier instant of time t_x.i than the instant of time t_x under consideration, the method 1, according to step d.2), is configured to carry out exclusively the steps d.1.4) to d.1.6). Further, in case it is verified, according to step c), that at the predefined instant of time t_x under consideration the hybrid vehicle HEV is not travelling a downhill stretch, the method 1 of the invention is configured, according to step e), to check, in turn, whether at said predefined instant of time t_x under consideration a previously started downhill stretch has been completed. Also in this case, it is provided to compare the slope value a calculated during step b) for the predefined instant of time t_x under consideration with the slope value a calculated during the predefined instant of time t_x-i immediately preceding it.

In the affirmative case of said step e), it is further provided, according to step f) of the method 1, to check whether the downhill stretch travelled has already been previously stored.

If the just-completed downhill stretch had indeed already been stored, the method 1 of the invention, according to step f.1), provides to update the value of the amount of recoverable energy AE during the just-completed downhill stretch.

More specifically, according to the preferred embodiment of the invention, such updating of the value of the amount of recoverable energy AE during the downhill stretch provides to calculate the average of the values of the amount of recoverable energy calculated for the downhill stretch, over the various times that said stretch has actually been travelled by the hybrid vehicle HEV.

Further, still preferably, during this step f.1) it is also provided to increase a variable vt relative to the number of times the specific downhill stretch has been travelled by the hybrid vehicle HEV. As will be made clear herein below, this variable vf will be used to assess the likelihood that the hybrid vehicle HEV will be able to face a certain stored downhill stretch.

On the other hand, in case this just-completed downhill stretch has not already been stored, according to step f.2) of the method 1, the data relative to the latitude, longitude and altitude of the end point of the aforesaid just-completed downhill stretch are stored and, in addition, the datum relative to the amount of recoverable energy AE during this downhill stretch is also stored.

Preferably, but not necessarily, during this step f.2) it is also provided to initialise the aforesaid variable vt relative to the number of times the specific downhill stretch will be travelled by the hybrid vehicle to the value 1 , meaning that this stretch, for the time being, has only been travelled once.

Further, according to the preferred embodiment of the invention, during this step f.2), the method 1 also provides to store the datum relative to the length of the downhill stretch just travelled.

At this point, in the event that the hybrid vehicle HEV at the predefined instant of time t_x under consideration is not travelling a downhill stretch according to the check at step c), the method 1 provides to implement the strategy of identifying the downhill stretch nearest to the current position of the same hybrid vehicle HEV in order to initiate the energy recovery optimisation strategy.

In particular, the step g) of the method 1 of the invention provides to identify, from among all the stored downhill stretches, the downhill stretch with the nearest starting point relative to the position of the hybrid vehicle HEV at said predefined instant of time t_x under consideration.

This step is shown in Fig. 4.

Having identified said nearest downhill stretch, the method 1, according to step h), provides to extract the value of the amount of recoverable energy AE associated with said nearest downhill stretch and checking, according to step i), whether the distance between the starting point of said nearest downhill stretch and the current position of the hybrid vehicle HEV is less than a predefined value, whereby said predefined value may be selected to be proportional to the aforesaid value of the amount of recoverable energy AE of the specific downhill stretch. In fact, the higher the value of the amount of recoverable energy AE of a specific downhill stretch, the greater the distance between the hybrid vehicle HEV and the start of that downhill stretch must be, in order to have the margin to release the portion of the battery pack B sufficient to subsequently accumulate this amount of recoverable energy AE.

Thus, the fact that the distance between the starting point of such nearest downhill stretch and the current position of the hybrid vehicle HEV is less than a predefined value means, according to the logic of the method 1 of the invention, that it is highly likely that the hybrid vehicle HEV, within a short period of time, will actually face such downhill stretch identified to be the nearest one.

Further, preferably, the method 1 of the invention, in case there are two or more downhill stretches at substantially the same distance from the position of the hybrid vehicle HEV at the aforesaid predefined instant of time t_x under consideration, provides to identify as the nearest downhill stretch, from among said plurality of downhill stretches, the one having the highest value of the variable vt, relative to the number of times the specific downhill stretch has been travelled by the hybrid vehicle HEV.

This variable, in fact, represents an index of the likelihood that this downhill stretch will actually be travelled by the hybrid vehicle HEV. It is not excluded, however, that in a simplified embodiment of the method 1 of the invention this variable vt is not used.

In any case, if this nearest downhill stretch is at a distance lower than the predefined value according to step i), the following step I) of the method 1 of the invention is to provide the vehicle control system with information on the State of Charge (SoC) value which must not be exceeded in order to have available an adequate battery capacity. This can be achieved by activating the propulsion of the hybrid vehicle HEV by means of the electric engine EE so as to release an amount of energy from the battery pack B at least equal to the amount of recoverable energy AE associated with this downhill stretch and also provides to deactivate the charging mode managed by means of the thermal engine TE.

Thus, it is advantageously possible for the hybrid vehicle HEV to optimise to the maximum the regenerative braking procedure that will operate during this downhill stretch, as an amount of energy at least equal to the aforesaid amount of recoverable energy has been released in the battery pack B beforehand.

Upon completion of such activation, the method 1 of the invention provides to return to step a) for carrying out the steps of the same method 1 for a subsequent predefined instant of time t_x+i.

Finally, in the event that the hybrid vehicle HEV is not travelling a downhill stretch, according to the check of step c), and at the same time has not just completed a downhill stretch previously started according to the check of step e), the method 1 of the invention provides to carry out only the aforesaid steps g) to m).

Regarding the strategy for calculating the amount of recoverable energy AE during the downhill stretch according to step d.1.4), it preferably provides to use the equation (4) in consideration of a model of hybrid vehicle HEV for estimating the braking force according to the equation (1 ) and the braking power according to the equations (2) and (3) indicated herein below:

Fb = fogsen(a) + 1/2 Apc_xv + gmfocos(a) (1 )

Pb = min(FbV', Pb,max) (2)

Se Pb < 0, Pb - 0 (3)

AE = f Pb dt (4), wherein m represents the mass of the hybrid vehicle HEV, A represents the front section of the hybrid vehicle HEV, c_x represents the aerodynamic penetration coefficient of the hybrid vehicle HEV, f₀ represents the drag coefficient of the hybrid vehicle HEV, v (m/s) represents the speed of the vehicle, p (kg/m³) represents the density of the air, a represents the slope of the downhill stretch, P_b represents the instantaneous power storable in said battery pack B and Pb,max represents the maximum power compatible with the characteristics of the battery pack B and of the electric engine EE.

In this case, according to the preferred embodiment of the invention, the air density is calculated from the outside temperature and from the altitude at which the hybrid vehicle HEV is located for each predefined instant of time. The vehicle parameters m, A, cx, f₀ are to be considered as known, to a sufficient degree of approximation, from experimental and/or literature data and able to be configured for each type of vehicle.

Following experiments carried out by the Applicant, using the equations described above, the results shown in the graphs reported in Figures 5 to 9 were obtained.

In particular, these results were obtained by using the following values for the parameters in equation (4):

- mass of the hybrid vehicle HEV m = 1800kg;

- frontal section of the hybrid vehicle HEV A = 2sq;

- aerodynamic penetration coefficient of the hybrid vehicle HEV c_x= 0.3;

- drag coefficient of the hybrid vehicle HEV f₀ = 0.02.

From the graph in Fig. 5, one can observe, based on these values selected for equation (4), the trend in the amount of recoverable energy AE as the speed of the hybrid vehicle HEV and the slope of the travelled downhill stretch vary.

The graph in Fig. 6 is a different representation of the amount of recoverable energy AE (y-axis) depending on the variation of the slope of the downhill stretch (x-axis) for a plurality of speed values of the hybrid vehicle HEV.

Further, the graphs in Figs. 7-9 respectively represent, from the top to the bottom, the braking force Fb, the braking power Pb and the amount of recoverable energy AE as the speed of the hybrid vehicle HEV and the slope of the downhill stretch travelled by the same vehicle vary.

As anticipated above, the processing program which can be directly loaded within the memory of a processing device, comprising a portion of software code capable of executing the steps of the method 1 of the invention, as described above, when said program is being executed in the aforesaid electronic processing device, is also part of the invention.

Furthermore, a separate electronic device 100 that can be connected via at least one logic output port 101 to the control unit C of a hybrid vehicle HEV is also part of the invention.

Such an electronic device 100, moreover, as schematically shown in Fig. 10, comprises processing means 102 and storage means 103, operatively associated with such processing means 102. Furthermore, this electronic device 100 comprises a GPS system 104 capable of detecting the latitude, longitude and altitude data of the electronic device 100 and thus of the hybrid vehicle HEV wherein this device is installed.

According to the invention, the aforesaid processing program of the invention is loaded into the aforesaid storage means 103 of the electronic device 100 and the processing means 102 of the latter are configured to execute this processing program so as to implement the method 1 of the invention. In particular, the electronic device 100 of the invention, by means of said logic output port 101 is configured, according to the execution of said method 1, to communicate with the control unit C of the hybrid vehicle HEV to which it is connected, in order to activate or deactivate the propulsion of the same vehicle by means of the electric engine so as to release or not an amount of energy from the battery pack B that is equal to said amount of recoverable energy A£, subsequently during the course of the downhill stretch by the same vehicle.

It is not excluded, however, that according to an alternative embodiment of the invention such a processing programme of the invention is directly loaded and executed by the control unit C of the hybrid vehicle HEV and that the same hybrid vehicle HEV is provided with the aforesaid GPS system for detecting latitude, longitude and altitude.

According to the foregoing, the method 1 of the invention, the processing program directly capable of executing the steps of said method 1 and the electronic device 100 configured to execute the processing program of the invention achieve all of the above mentioned objects.

In particular, the object to propose a computer-implemented method capable of maximising the energy recovery of a hybrid vehicle during its travel without using a navigator is achieved. A further object achieved by the invention is to define a computer-implemented method capable of maximising the energy recovery of the hybrid vehicle without requiring the driver intervention.

Claims

1 ) Computer-implemented method (1 ) for managing the propulsion sources of a hybrid vehicle (HEV) in order to maximize the energy recovery of said hybrid vehicle (HEV) during its travel without using a navigator, said hybrid vehicle (HEV) being provided with an electric engine (EE), with a battery pack (B) for powering said electric engine (EE), with a thermal engine (TE) and with a regenerative braking system (RB), characterized in that it executes, in real time during said travel, for each predefined instant of time t_x belonging to a plurality of consecutive instants of time t_x, with 0 < x < t_n_-i, the following steps: a) detecting the latitude, longitude and altitude data of said hybrid vehicle (HEV) by means of at least one GPS system without using a navigator; b) calculating the value of the slope a of the stretch that said vehicle is travelling, said calculation being performed by processing said data detected during said predefined instant of time t_x and the data detected during at least one previous predefined instant of time t_x.j, c) checking whether said stretch is a downhill stretch with a slope a higher than a predefined slope threshold value at, d) in the affirmative case of said step c), checking whether at said predefined instant of time t_x said downhill stretch has started; d.1 ) in the affirmative case of said step d): d.1.1 ) increasing a counter ct of the stored downhill stretches; d.1.2) storing the latitude, longitude and altitude data detected at said predefined instant of time corresponding to the start of said downhill stretch; d.1.3) initialising to value 0 a variable relative to the amount of recoverable energy AE associated with said downhill stretch; d.1.4) calculating the amount of recoverable energy E_x during said downhill stretch up to said predefined instant of time t_x d.1.5) updating the value of said variable relative to the amount of recoverable energy AE associated with said downhill stretch, by adding said amount of recoverable energy E_x calculated at step d.1.4); d.1.6) returning to step a); d.2) in the negative case of said step d), carrying out steps d.1.4) to d.1.6); e) in the negative case of said step c), checking whether at said predefined instant of time t_x a previously started downhill stretch has been completed; f) in the affirmative case of said step e), checking whether the travelled downhill stretch has already been previously stored; f.1 ) in the affirmative case of said step f), updating the value of the amount of recoverable energy AE during said downhill stretch; f.2) in the negative case of said step f), storing the data relative to the latitude, longitude and altitude of the end point of said downhill stretch and the datum relative to the amount of recoverable energy AE during said downhill stretch; g) identifying among all the stored downhill stretches the downhill stretch with the starting point nearest to the position of said hybrid vehicle (HEV) at said predefined instant of time f_x; h) extracting the amount of recoverable energy AE associated with said nearest downhill stretch identified during said step g); i) checking whether the distance between the starting point of said nearest downhill stretch and said position of said hybrid vehicle (HEV) at said predefined instant of time t_x is less than a predefined value; l) in the affirmative case of said step i), activating the propulsion of said hybrid vehicle (HEV) by means of said electric engine (EE) so as to release at least an amount of energy from said battery pack (B) egual to said amount of recoverable energy AE associated with said downhill stretch and deactivating the recharging mode managed by means of said thermal engine (TE); m) returning to step a); n) in the negative case of said step e), carrying out the operations g) to m).

2) Method (1 ) according to claim 1 , characterized in that during said step b) also the speed value v of said hybrid vehicle (HEV) is calculated.

3) Method (1) according to any one of the preceding claims, characterized in that said predefined instant of time t_x and said previous predefined instant of time t_x-i are two consecutive instants of time f_xand t_x.i.

4) Method (1) according to any one of the preceding claims, characterized in that said predefined slope threshold value at is chosen greater than 1 degree, preferably greater than 2 degrees.

5) Method (1) according to any one of the preceding claims, characterized in that said step d) and said step e) provides to compare said slope value a calculated during step b) for said predefined instant of time t_x with the slope value a calculated during said previous predefined instant of time t_x-i.

6) Method (1) according to any one of the preceding claims, characterized in that between the execution of said step d.1.4) and said step d.1.6) it is provided to calculate and update also the distance d travelled by said hybrid vehicle (HEV) from the start of said downhill stretch up to said predefined instant of time t_x.

7) Method (1) according to any one of the preceding claims, characterized in that:

- during said step f.1 ) it is also provided to increase a variable vt relative to the number of times said downhill stretch has been travelled by said hybrid vehicle (HEV);

- during said step f.2) it is also provided to initialise said variable vt relative to the number of times said downhill stretch has been travelled by said hybrid vehicle (HEV) to the value 1 .

8) Method (1) according to any one of the preceding claims, characterized in that during said step f.2) it is provided to store the datum relative to the length of said downhill stretch.

9) Method (1) according to any one of the preceding claims, characterized in that said calculation of the amount of recoverable energy AE during said downhill stretch according to step d.1.4) is implemented by means of the equation (4) in consideration of a model of said hybrid vehicle for estimating the braking force according to the equation (1 ) and the braking power according to the equations (2) and (3), hereinafter indicated:

Fb = fogsenfa) + 1/2 Apc_xv + gmfocosfa)

Pb = min(FbV', Pb,max) (2)

Se Pb < 0, Pb - 0 (3)

AE = f Pb dt (4), wherein m represents the mass of the hybrid vehicle (HEV), A represents the front section of the hybrid vehicle (HEV), c_x represents the aerodynamic penetration coefficient of the hybrid vehicle (HEV), f₀ represents the drag coefficient of the hybrid vehicle (HEV), v (m/s) represents the speed of the hybrid vehicle (HEV), p (kg/m³) represents the density of the air, a represents the slope of the downhill stretch, P_b represents the instantaneous power storable in said battery pack (B) and Pb,max represents the maximum power compatible with the characteristics of said battery pack (B) and of said electric engine (EE).

10) Method (1 ) according to claim 9, characterized in that said density of the air p is calculated starting from the external temperature and from the altitude of the hybrid vehicle (HEV) for each predefined instant of time t_x.

11 ) Method (1 ) according to any one of the preceding claims, characterized in that the update executed in said step f.1 ) of the value of the amount of recoverable energy AE during said downhill stretch provides to calculate the average of the values of the amount of recoverable energy AE calculated for said downhill stretch.

12) Processing program directly loadable into the memory of a processing device, comprising a portion of software code capable of executing the steps of the method (1 ) according to any one of claims 1 to 11 when said program is being executed in said electronic processing device.

13) Electronic device (100) comprising:

- processing means (102);

- storage means (103), operatively associated with said processing means (102);

- at least one GPS system (104) capable of detecting the latitude, longitude and altitude data;

- at least one exit port (101 ) configured to be operatively connected to a control unit (C) of a hybrid vehicle (HEV); characterized in that said processing program according to claim 12 is loaded into said storage means (103) and in that said processing means (102) are configured to execute said processing program so as to execute the method (1 ) according to claims 1 to 11.