MINI REVIEW article
Front. Mech. Eng.
Sec. Engine and Automotive Engineering
This article is part of the Research TopicTechnical Briefs in Mechanical Engineering: Volume 2View all 3 articles
A Review of the Lightweight and Smart McPherson Suspension for New-Energy Vehicles
Provisionally accepted
- 1Shandong Huayu University of Technology, Dezhou, China
- 2Beijing Institute of Technology, Beijing, China
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The rapid proliferation of new energy vehicles (NEVs), including battery electric vehicles (BEVs) and hybrid electric vehicles (HEVs), has fundamentally transformed automotive chassis design paradigms. The McPherson strut suspension, renowned for its compact architecture and cost-effectiveness, has emerged as a predominant configuration for NEV front axles. This review systematically examines the adaptation, optimization, and challenges of McPherson suspension systems in the context of electrified powertrains. We analyze the unique requirements imposed by NEV weight distributions, battery integration, and noise vibration harshness (NVH) characteristics, synthesizing recent advances in lightweight design, multi objective optimization algorithms, and active control integration. Key discussion areas include kinematic performance optimization through genetic algorithms and AI-driven methods, material innovations enabling mass reduction, NVH mitigation strategies, and the evolution toward semi active and energy-regenerative variants. Through critical analysis of over 30 representative studies and industrial applications, this review identifies that while McPherson suspension remains viable for NEVs, its successful implementation necessitates sophisticated parameter optimization, advanced materials, and intelligent control systems to address inherent limitations in roll stiffness and camber control. Future trajectories emphasize synergy with autonomous driving architectures and electromagnetic energy-harvesting technologies, positioning McPherson-derived systems as foundational components of next-generation intelligent electric chassis.
Keywords: active control, Lightweighting, MacPherson strut suspension, multi-objective optimization, New energy vehicles
Received: 14 Jan 2026; Accepted: 16 Feb 2026.
Copyright: © 2026 Liu, Wang and Tan. This is an open-access article distributed under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution License (CC BY). The use, distribution or reproduction in other forums is permitted, provided the original author(s) or licensor are credited and that the original publication in this journal is cited, in accordance with accepted academic practice. No use, distribution or reproduction is permitted which does not comply with these terms.
* Correspondence: Jianwei Tan
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