A wheel hub configured to be used with an electric vehicle. The wheel hub includes a hollow cylindrical body, a direct drive motor, a hollow axle, a battery, and a tire. The hollow cylindrical body includes a first end surface and a second end surface that is axially opposite and spaced apart from the first end surface. The direct drive motor is disposed within the hollow cylindrical body and is configured to rotate the cylindrical body about a central axis of the motor. The hollow axle has a central axis that is coaxial with the motor central axis and is at least partially disposed within the cylindrical body. The battery is disposed within the hollow cylindrical body and is in electrical communication with the direct drive motor. The tire is fixedly coupled and disposed on an external surface of the hollow cylindrical body.

When an electric vehicle is traveling downhill, experiencing regenerative braking, or otherwise forcing the vehicle motor to turn faster than the commanded motor torque, the vehicle motor produces electrical energy that can be used to recharge a vehicle battery. However, if the vehicle battery is already nearly or fully charged, the excess electrical energy produced may damage the battery. Control systems described herein may reduce and/or dispose of the excess energy by manipulating the motor flux (i.e., direct) current and quadrature current independently.

A personal vehicle system including a control system and at least one wheel motor coupled to the personal vehicle system and subject to control by the control system. A control system for a personal vehicle system including steps for calibrating the control system, where the control system includes a sensor system having load sensors incorporated into the personal vehicle system and also having lean forward and lean backward outputs, a user interface that prompts a user to lean forward and backward and allows a user to input a sensitivity value, and an electronic hardware component for calculating a normalization value where the wheel motor current is controlled as a function of the normalization value.

A wheeled board device with forward and rearward in-line wheel structures attached to a user platform. The forward wheel may have a forward tilt axle or be otherwise direction-biased to permit lean-based turning. The rear wheel may be singular or comprise two tires or the like and be motorized or not. The wheels are preferably large to more readily handle surface irregularities. A self-balancing wheelie mode is disclosed in one embodiment. Other embodiments include placement of the forward tilt axle within or without the envelope of the front wheel. The user platform is below the top of the rear wheel and preferably near the axis of the rear wheel, among other features.

An electric skateboard is disclosed. In one aspect, the electric skateboard comprises a foot placement section. The electric skateboard comprises a wheel suspension truck connected to the foot placement section. The electric skateboard comprises a first wheel and a second wheel, wherein the first wheel and the second wheel are spaced apart and substantially parallel to one another and wherein the first wheel and the second wheel are connected to the wheel suspension truck. The electric skateboard comprises a deformation sensor module attached to the wheel suspension truck, the deformation sensor module configured to generate a weight signal and a gravity angle signal associated with the electric skateboard. The electric skateboard comprises a control logic configured to output control signals that control a movement of the electric skateboard in response to the weight signals, and the gravity angle signals.

A self-stabilizing, one-wheeled electric skateboard may include improved features. In some examples, the vehicle includes a status indicator viewable through a slot formed in an upper surface of the board. In some examples, the vehicle includes a convertible carrying handle transitionable between stowed and deployed positions. In some examples, the vehicle includes an interchangeable fender and fender substitute that may be removably coupled to an upper surface of the board. In some examples, a motor controller of the vehicle may operate a field-oriented control (FOC) scheme configured to control the electric motor by manipulating a direct current aligned with a rotating rotor flux angle and a quadrature current defined at ninety degrees from the rotating rotor flux angle. In some examples, the motor controller may be configured to permit intuitive dismounting of the vehicle by tilting and/or moving the vehicle backward.

A split electric skateboard that includes a deck, a battery unit, a front bracket, a rear bracket, wheels, a main control module, hub motors, a heat dissipator, and a remote control module. The wheels include driven wheels and drive wheels. The split electric skateboard is rationally designed to guarantee the safety, reliability, and stability of the tire bead during high-speed use. The design makes it more convenient to remove and replace the tire bead. Additionally, even when then battery runs out of power, the skateboard may still be used as a common skateboard such that the regenerated energy during non-electric use may be absorbed by the battery unit to achieve a battery charging effect.

A powered skateboard having a powered wheel. The performance of the powered wheel can be modified based on one or more signals from one or more sensors on the powered vehicle and/or on a user of the powered vehicle.

An electrically powered vehicle having software to facilitate variable control of a motorized wheel. The software can modify the manner in which electricity is provided to phases of a motor of the motorized wheel. In some aspects, the modification of electricity provided to the phases can adjust a speed and/or a torque of the motor of the motorized wheel.

An electric skateboard with a hands free control mechanism includes weight sensors embedded in the front and rear truck base plates to measure both the total weight of the rider as well as their weight distribution on the deck. An advanced skate control circuit uses these weight signals from the base plate to control the motor power, and includes the ability to detect when the rider is kicking the board. During these kicking events, the skate control algorithm changes to a mode which minimises any rapid changes to the skateboard velocity so that the rider will remain stable with just one foot on the deck.