Real-Time Energy Management of a Dual-Stack Fuel Cell Hybrid Electric Vehicle Based on a Commercial SUV Platform Using a CompactRIO Controller

This study presents the design, real-time implementation, and full-scale experimental validation of a novel rule-based Energy Management Strategy (EMS) for a dual-stack Fuel Cell Hybrid Electric Vehicle (FCHEV) developed on a Jeep Wrangler platform. Unlike previous studies limited to simulations or single-stack configurations, this work experimentally demonstrates, for the first time, a deterministic real-time EMS for a dual fuel cell system in an SUV class vehicle. The control algorithm, deployed on a National Instruments CompactRIO embedded controller, ensures real-time energy distribution and stable hybrid operation under dynamic load conditions. Simulation analysis performed over eight consecutive WLTC cycles confirmed that both fuel cell stacks operated within their optimal efficiency range (25–35 kW), achieving an average DC efficiency of 68% and a hydrogen consumption of 1.35 kg/100 km. Experimental validation on the Wrangler FCHEV demonstrator yielded an equivalent hydrogen consumption of 1.67 kg/100 km, corresponding to 1.03 kg/100 km·m² after aerodynamic normalization (Cd·A = 1.624 m²), comparable to commercial fuel cell vehicles. The results demonstrate that the proposed EMS maintains over 80% of operating time within high-efficiency zones, reducing fuel cell cycling and enhancing durability. This work bridges the gap between theoretical EMS design and real-world embedded validation, establishing a scalable benchmark for future hydrogen powertrain control systems.