Beta Hybrid Citybus 8.0.0

• Updated to Arcanox Core 5.0 (see the changelog for Arcanox Core for more details on everything this includes).
• Re-tuned hybrid system parameters for all Citybus hybrid configurations to balance the power and improve drive quality, as well as greatly improve the MPG of the bus (relatively speaking, of course).
• Added a new hybrid variant of the game's new "Metro" skin, and made it the default...

• Increase required Arcanox Core version to incorporate fixes for 0.21 update
• Improve startup and responsiveness of bus engine; throttle response should be much better now

This update requires the Arcanox Core mod in order to work now! All of the hybrid system code has been moved into that mod, and this mod no longer includes it. The mod should function essentially identically to before as long as the Core mod is installed.

If you had the "Hybrid UI Apps" mod installed previously, simply ensure that it updates to the latest version. That mod was renamed to "Arcanox Core", and the...

This update fixes a couple torque allocation issues which, for the bus, will mainly affect the race configuration. There will also be an update notice when the bus spawns reminding everybody that a new core/common mod will be required for the next update to function. I'm moving the Lua code for the hybrid system to its own mod that this mod, the ETK hybrid mod, and any future hybrid mods can all share without each mod needing to ship its own copy of the code.

This update includes a complete rewrite of the hybrid system! (Okay, some of the code is just moved around, but still)

I took the time to properly organize a lot of code that was sort of tossed together in my initial versions of the hybrid system, and made it much easier to maintain and read. I also spent a lot of time researching hybrid gearboxes and doing a ton of algebra to perfect the equations and simulation logic the mod uses to simulate a hybrid powertrain, and the...

• Tweaked performance parameters to make the bus a little smoother and more efficient
• Fixed the regenerative/friction brake blending system so it's more accurate and doesn't cause "NaN' on the "Pedals and Axes" app anymore

This is another pretty major update. I have studied the efficiency of the system a lot since 4.0, and have managed to greatly improve the fuel efficiency of both the etk800 and the citybus. Many thanks to @default0.0player for their help with engine efficiency curves and tips on how I could improve usage of the engine!

In addition to that:

• Brand new sounds! The inverter and motor sounds have been redesigned, and the air conditioning/compressor...

This is a fairly major update. I rewrote a huge part of the eCVT and Hybrid Controller code to support a different gearing configuration such as in the newer Prius drivetrains as well as other recent eCVT hybrids (Pacifica Hybrid, etc). While doing this, I revamped a good bit of the logic to manage power availability and passive battery charging to maximize both efficiency as well as performance under high-demand situations.

The system now tries to get the battery to 50% (by default). This...

- Fixes for compatibility with BeamNG 0.16
- Brake lights now turn on in "L" if regeneratively braking hard enough (even with foot off brake pedal)
- Changed engine dynamics a bit (simulating an engine tuned for slightly higher RPM operation)
- New "torque demand" logic which results in much smoother transitions between EV/engine modes. Throttle pedal maps to "torque on wheels" and everything else is determined from there.
- More consistent engine startup behavior (smoother/quicker)
-...

After studying planetary gearboxes and the transmission of a particular well-known real-life hybrid vehicle a bit more, I was able to analyze several issues that people were finding with the new eCVT transmission and I've now fixed them in this update. The transmission is now even smoother and does not produce "magic power" at high speeds.

The battery state management is better as well, meaning more of the "working range" of the battery can be used and the hybrid system will pull more power...