Multi-objective optimization with Q-learning for cruise and power allocation control parameters of connected fuel cell hybrid vehicles

Fuel cell hybrid vehicles (FCHVs) are significant for achieving zero carbon emissions. Connected FCHVs can leverage traffic information to collaboratively optimize cruise and power allocation control, enhancing various performance aspects. For urban driving scenarios, this paper introduces a multi-strategy series control architecture for longitudinal cruise and power allocation control in connected FCHVs. However, particle swarm optimization (PSO) algorithms face challenges in high-dimensional decision and objective spaces when optimizing multiple strategies. Additionally, manually preset PSO parameters hinder particle evolution from dynamically adapting to unknown multi-objective spaces, thereby limiting the development of multiple performance metrics. To address this issue, this paper proposes a Q-learning multi-objective PSO (QMOPSO) algorithm. This algorithm tackles high-dimensional optimization challenges by improving population initialization distribution and subpopulation division, and enables particles to dynamically adjust exploration strategies, thereby maximizing multiple objective performances. The results indicate that compared to a control scheme optimized with PSO under predefined driving conditions, the multi-strategy series control framework optimized with the QMOPSO algorithm improves tracking stability by 50.20%, driving comfort by 1.77%, fuel economy by 6.10%, and reduces power source degradation by 2.04% in urban driving scenarios. Compared to PSO and multi-objective PSO algorithms, the QMOPSO algorithm demonstrates superior trade-offs. This research provides a collaborative optimization solution for FCHVs in connected environments.