An alternator control device includes a battery state determination unit determining whether the state of a battery is a predetermined normal state, a vehicle speed determination unit determining whether the speed of a vehicle is within a predetermined low speed range, a position determination unit determining whether the position of the vehicle meets a predetermined positional condition, and an output voltage instruction unit gives an instruction relating to the output voltage of the alternator. The output voltage instruction unit gives an instruction to increase the output voltage of the alternator to a voltage that is greater than a reference voltage, if it is determined that the state of the battery is not the predetermined normal state, if it is determined that the speed of the vehicle is within the predetermined low speed range, and if it is determined that the position of the vehicle meets the positional condition.

Provided is a vehicle power source control device and system that supplies power from an auxiliary power source to an in-vehicle load while suppressing the consumption of power when a failure occurs in the main power source when a vehicle has not been started. When a drive signal generation unit generates an off-signal and a main power source has failed, a power source drive circuit in an in-vehicle power source control device controls a power source circuit such that power is supplied from an auxiliary power source to a control unit. If the drive signal generation unit is generating an off-signal and the main power source is in a failed state, the control unit uses power supplied from the auxiliary power source to control the relay to switch to the first stopped state, and controls the converter to switch to the second permissive state.

A storage battery (21) is configured of a plurality of cells (22A) to (22N) series-connected to each other. A battery controller (27) receives power supplied from a lead battery (31). The battery controller (27) executes balancing control that reduces variation in cell voltages (VcA) to (VcN) of the plurality of cells (22A) to (22N). The battery controller (27) executes the balancing control in a time range during which a voltage of the lead battery (31) becomes equal to or more than a predetermined given voltage value (V1) and a charging rate of the storage battery (21) becomes equal to or more than a predetermined given charging rate value (SOC1) after a key switch (16) is switched from an on state to an off state.

A system for coupling a towing vehicle to a towed vehicle and/or for controlling charging/braking by the towed vehicle. The system may include a coupler coupling to the towing vehicle; and first and second tow bars having first and second ends and a rotational joint situated between the first and second ends, the first and second tow bars coupled to the coupler at the first ends and being non-parallel in at least one plane with the second ends located further apart from each other than the first ends. The rotational joint providing for the first and second tow bars to be positioned in an open and a folded position. The second ends of the first and second tow bars are configured to be coupled to the towed vehicle. For charging, a trip distance and charge of a towed vehicle battery is utilized to determine a charging rate for the trip.

A battery control unit includes an estimation device, a setting device, and a control device. When an open circuit voltage of the battery falls within a range of a flat region, the setting device sets the control storage amount to a first storage amount determined from the lower limit voltage of the flat region, the control device charges the battery until the open circuit voltage becomes a first voltage exceeding the upper limit voltage of the flat region after a vehicle comes into a drivable state, and the setting device sets a storage amount estimated by the estimation device to a control storage amount until the open circuit voltage reaches the first voltage, and sets a second storage amount determined from the open circuit voltage to the control storage amount after the open circuit voltage reaches the first voltage.

An electrically powered vehicle comprises a DC bus and a plurality of batteries, each coupled in parallel to the DC bus. At least one switch is coupled in series between at least one battery of the plurality of batteries and the DC bus and a plurality of inverter circuits are each coupled in parallel to the DC bus. A plurality of motors are each coupled to a respective inverter circuit of the plurality of inverter circuits. In various embodiments the electrically powered vehicle further comprises a plurality of switches, each switch coupled in series between a respective battery of the plurality of batteries.

An electrically powered vehicle includes a plurality of batteries and a plurality of DC to DC converters, each coupled to a respective battery of the plurality of batteries. Each DC to DC converter transfers power from a respective battery to a common DC bus. The common DC bus is coupled to a plurality of inverter circuits that convert the DC power to AC power. A plurality of electric motors receive power from the plurality of inverter circuits to propel the vehicle. During a regenerative event, the DC to DC converters can transfer power from the motors back to the batteries. In response to the failure of a battery, the DC to DC converters can isolate the remainder of the system from the failure.

A vehicle power conversion apparatus is provided to reduce an overall system size by integrating a motor controller which generates power and a power supply apparatus which converts the power. The vehicle power conversion apparatus includes a driving motor which is connected to an engine and a power converter which selectively converts power in a plurality of modes to generate the power related to an operation of the driving motor. A first battery supplies the power for the conversion or receives the converted power.

A controller for a vehicle is configured to execute, when a state of charge of a battery is less than or equal to a threshold, a charging control to charge the battery with power that is generated by a motor generator using driving force of an internal combustion engine. The controller is also configured to obtain a temperature of the battery, set the threshold to a first threshold during a warm-up period, which is a period from a start of the internal combustion engine until the warm-up of the internal combustion engine is completed, set the threshold to a second threshold, which is greater than the first threshold, when the warm-up period ends, and set the second threshold to be greater when the temperature of the battery is a first temperature than when the temperature of the battery is a second temperature, which is higher than the first temperature.

A system controls charging of a rechargeable battery. The system includes a rechargeable battery configured to provide rechargeable battery power to a set of electrical loads (e.g., an electric motor of a utility vehicle). The system further includes a connector configured to connect to a charger, and control circuitry coupled with the rechargeable battery and the connector. The control circuitry is operative to (i) sense a charge management event, (ii) in response to the charge management event, connect the rechargeable battery to the connector and disconnect the rechargeable battery from the connector to provide a message to the charger through the connector (e.g., via opening and closing a contactor), and (iii) after communicating the message to the charger, manage connection between the rechargeable battery and the charger to control charging of the rechargeable battery through the connector (e.g., via opening and closing the contactor).