A towing device operably provided on a trailer for powering and controlling the trailer. The towing device has an actuator operably connected with the trailer during a towing operation. The towing device also has at least one switch provided in the actuator and operable to variably control at least one motor/generator provided on the trailer. The at least one switch is also operable to send a first signal to the at least one motor/generator via a first force exerted on the actuator by a vehicle, and wherein a first torque is applied to at least one wheel on the trailer via the at least one motor/generator being operably engaged with the at least one wheel. In addition, the towing device may include a controller operably connected to the at least one switch and to the at least one motor/generator, to control the torque applied by the at least one motor/generator.

The vehicle system can include: a set of vehicle couplings (e.g., a tractor interface, a trailer interface, etc.); a chassis, a battery pack, an electric powertrain, a sensor suite, and a controller. The modular vehicle system can optionally include landing gear, a suspension, and any other suitable set of components. The vehicle system functions to structurally support and/or tow a trailer—such as a Class 8 semi-trailer—and/or to augment/supplement a tractor propulsive capability (e.g., via a diesel/combustion engine) with a supplementary electric drive axle(s).

A system and method are disclosed for retrofitting mechanical workover rigs with electric motors to create a hybrid mechanical and electric drive. The process involves the replacement of the combustion engine with one or more electric motors to drive various components of the rig. The retrofit design allows for cleaner, more precise, and more efficient operations while eliminating the need for hydrocarbons as fuel and thus reducing associated greenhouse gas emissions. It also enables the installation of a computer control which, among other benefits, allows more precise control of the rig's operations than is possible with a mechanical transmission. The electric motors may be driven by a battery energy storage system.

A vehicle control unit for an electrically powered vehicle unit, the vehicle control unit comprising at least one input port arranged to receive data associated with a status of one or more electrical system components , the vehicle control unit comprising an output port arranged to trigger a warning signal by an acoustic vehicle alerting system, AVAS, wherein the vehicle control unit is arranged to detect onset of an electrical system fault condition based on the received data, and to trigger a warning signal by the AVAS in case an electrical system fault condition is detected.

A battery pack maneuvering system for a vehicle with a fifth wheel that includes a battery pack and an actuator. The battery pack is provided with a fifth wheel coupling member that removably couples the battery pack to a fifth wheel of a vehicle. The actuator is mounted onto the vehicle, removably couples to the battery pack, and lifts the battery pack to remove the battery pack from the fifth wheel.

Systems and methods for coordinating and providing braking assistance between towing vehicles and towed vehicles during towing events, such as bidirectional charging towing events, are provided. The towing braking assistance may be provided by the towed vehicle in the form of an assistive braking torque output to assist the towing vehicle with meeting a target deceleration rate during the towing event. The assistive braking torque output may be provided to account for mutual vehicle deceleration events, brake compensation or brake fade events, and stability events of the coupled vehicles during the towing events, for example.

One aspect of the present invention pertains to a method of charging electric storage devices such as batteries. Another aspect of the present invention pertains to a system for charging electric storage devices such as batteries. Another aspect of the present invention pertains to a mobile apparatus for charging electric storage devices such as batteries.

Disclosed in embodiments of the utility model is a tractor power supply system, used for supplying power to a power system of a tractor. The tractor power supply system is provided above or below a transport trailer connected to the tractor. The tractor power supply system is provided above or below the transport trailer, and the tractor power supply system can be configured with battery modules of different capacities according to use conditions of the tractor by utilizing the characteristic of a large installation space of the transport trailer, thereby ensuring the endurance mileage and the working time of the tractor.

A modular electric vehicle comprising a single module(s) with an electric driving system and a vehicle control unit, the modular vehicle is configured to be selectively articulated to a master vehicle and to be controlled from a selectable control source via the vehicle control unit either in a first, articulated mode, or in a second, autonomous mode. The control source may be selected to be in communication with a first gateway installed at the master vehicle or a second gateway installable at the modular vehicle. The modular electric vehicle may comprise a pair of single modules coupled to one another in tandem and in data and control communication with one another. The modules may each be configured to serve a master or a slave vehicle, so that any of the modules may serve a master vehicle, whenever required for the autonomous mode.

A removably attachable vehicle battery charger includes a housing having an engine (e.g., a high efficiency diesel engine) therein to charge a battery of an electric vehicle. The housing includes a tongue that may be received by a receiver hitch on the electric vehicle. The tongue may have charging components (e.g., wires and electrical contacts) that interact with electrical components (e.g., electrical contacts and wires) in the receiving hitch to provide charge to the batteries of the vehicle. The engine runs to charge the batteries of the electric vehicle, as needed or as programmed by a user.