The invention relates to a method for assisting a driver of a motor vehicle, in particular of an electric vehicle, during a driving process for overcoming an obstacle which is close to the ground and has a slow speed. In this context, the method has the following steps: transmission (S1) of a torque to the wheels which are to be driven in order to overcome the obstacle, detection (S6) that the obstacle has been overcome, and automatic reduction in the torque and/or automatic generation (S7) of a braking torque in order to decelerate the motor vehicle directly after the detection.

An electric power transmission device includes an electric power transmission portion, a first communication portion, and a first control device controlling the electric power transmission portion and the first communication portion. A vehicle includes an electric power reception portion, a second communication portion, and a second control device controlling the electric power reception portion and the second communication portion. The first control device and the second control device determine whether or not to cause the electric power transmission portion to transmit electric power based on an instruction from a user which is provided after the user is notified of a status of electric power reception in the electric power reception portion or an estimated status of electric power reception in the electric power reception portion.

A capacitor module includes at least one capacitor element (101) and a cooling structure (103) for cooling the capacitor element. The electrical terminals (102a, 102b) of the capacitor element are mechanically connected to the cooling structure to be in heat-conductive relations with the cooling structure so that at least one of the electrical terminals of the capacitor element is mechanically connected to the cooling structure via a flexible connection element (104a, 104b) made of electrically conductive material. The flexible connection element allows the corresponding electrical terminal to move with respect to the cooling structure when the distance (D) between the electrical terminals is changing because of changes in load and/or temperature, and/or because of ageing.

An apparatus for pre-conditioning a vehicle comprises a battery in the vehicle configured to store and supply electric power; a wireless power receiver configured to wirelessly receive electric power from an external power supply device; a power controller configured to transfer the electric power received at the wireless power receiver to the battery and to control charging and discharging of the battery; and a pre-conditioner connected to the battery and configured to pre-condition a device which needs to be operated before the vehicle is operated by using off-board energy of the battery.

A number of variations may include a product comprising: an extended range battery system for an electric bicycle comprising a first battery system and a second battery system, and wherein direct current biasing is utilized between the first battery system and the second battery system to extend the range of the extended range battery system.

A control system for a hybrid vehicle configured to reduce frequency of establishing an engine braking force is provided. The control system is configured to operate a first motor as a motor to increase torque of an output member while halting the output shaft of the engine by a brake, and to increase the deceleration torque of the second motor, if a state of charge of the battery is higher than a predetermined threshold level when deceleration of the hybrid vehicle is demanded.

The arrangement for disconnecting at least one of a plurality of battery modules in an automotive battery comprises a device arranged to detect that at least one battery module is to be disconnected, and a bypass switch arranged at each battery module, wherein the bypass switch arranged at the detected at least one battery module is controllable to bypass the at least one detected battery module via a bypass path. The arrangement further comprises a disconnect switch arranged at each battery module, wherein the disconnect switch arranged at the at least one bypassed battery module is controllable to disconnect the at least one detected battery module from remaining battery modules, either simultaneously as, or after, the bypassing of the detected battery module.

An apparatus and a method are provided for controlling a mode change of a hybrid electric vehicle that change a mode of the hybrid electric vehicle at an optimal reference point of mode change when a demand power of a driver is stably maintained to be greater than a predetermined level. The method includes calculating a demand power or a demand torque of a driver and determining whether the demand power or the demand torque is maintained to be equal to or greater than a first predetermined value for a first predetermined time. A mode change hysteresis line is raised when the demand power or the demand torque is maintained to be equal to or greater than the first predetermined value for the first predetermined time and then a mode change is executed based on the raised mode change hysteresis line.

A method is provided for notifying a driver that charging is required determined by utilizing the calculated remaining travel distance of the vehicle, the position information of the charging station and the position information about the destination. In particular, the method determines when the total travel distance in consideration of the destination exceeds the remaining travel distance of the vehicle. The driver is notified of the necessity for charging during the initial traveling, and before traveling beyond the rechargeable returning distance.

A power conversion circuit is mounted in a vehicle and controls an output torque of the rotating machine based on a requested command torque. A driving apparatus of a switching element controls a current flowing to the rotating machine. The driving apparatus sets at least one of a turn-on speed and a turn-off speed for the switching element to a plurality of switching speeds that are discretely determined, based on a parameter that is correlated with the output torque and has a controllable value. The driving apparatus turns on or off the switching element at the switching speeds. The switching speeds are allocated to the respective magnitudes of the parameter at uneven intervals, and determined such that the number of allocated switching speeds is greater in a range in which an occurrence frequency of the parameter is high, compared to a range in which the occurrence frequency is low.