One or more examples provide an electric vehicle charging system with a charging plug system having concentrically arranged magnetic and electrical surface contacts which improve the ease of connection between a charging station and an EV and readily enable hands-free EV charging systems.

A method is provided that aids the driver of an electric vehicle (EV) in optimizing their car's driving range by allowing the driver to request range optimization help from the EV's control system. In response to the request, the system provides the driver with one or more recommendations as to how to increase vehicle range, recommendations such as lowering top speed, altering the temperature settings of the car's HVAC system, etc. Additionally, the system provides the driver with real time driving range feedback, thereby helping the driver to evaluate the various recommendations and determine which approach is best suited to the current conditions.

A method of managing the energy consumed by a motor vehicle, uses: a simulation unit incorporating a vehicle model predicting behavior of the vehicle and a driver model predicting behavior of the driver of the vehicle, the driver model receiving a speed setpoint and the speed of the vehicle measured at successive instants, and supplying a motor torque setpoint to the vehicle model which is a function of the speeds and of the modelled driver behavior; an optimization algorithm interacting with the simulation unit; the method including trajectories composed of the trajectory of the speed setpoint and the trajectory of a setpoint for controlling an item of auxiliary equipment, the trajectory of a setpoint describing the variation of the setpoint as a function of the position of the vehicle, the trajectories being calculated with respect to given objectives according to the optimization algorithm whose variables are formed from the setpoints.

In a method for providing a reminder regarding charging an electric vehicle, a device determines, based on a habitual-charging battery level range of a user and a user type, whether the user needs to be reminded to perform charging. The habitual-charging battery level range has a minimum battery level and a maximum battery level. The user type includes a home charging user or a non-home charging user. The charging device then sends a proper charging reminder notification to the user when it is determined that the user needs to be reminded to perform charging.

A battery management system for batteries, such as, but not limited to, electric vehicle battery packs and cells, lithium iron phosphate batteries, lead acid batteries, gel batteries, and absorbed gel mat batteries, in engine start applications is disclosed. The battery management system is configured to control the charge and charging of each cell individually. The battery management system may be configured to control the charge of a battery which may consist of a plurality of cells, such as, but not limited to, lithium iron phosphate cells, and in at least one embodiment, the battery may consist of, but is not limited to being formed from, four lithium iron phosphate cells connected in series and a battery management system to ensure proper charge and safe operation.

Some embodiments include apparatuses providing control over movement of motorized transport units at a retail facility, comprising: multiple self-propelled motorized transport units; a wireless communication network; and a central computer system, wherein the central computer system comprises: a transceiver; a control circuit; and a memory storing computer instructions that when executed cause the control circuit to: receive an override command, from a worker associated with the retail facility, to cause a first motorized transport unit of the multiple motorized transport units to implement one or more actions; confirm a valid authorization of the worker to override one or more operating limits of the first motorized transport unit; and override the one or more operating limits and communicate one or more instructions to the first motorized transport unit configured to cause the first motorized transport unit to implement the one or more actions in accordance with the override command.

An operation controller of a fuel cell and an operation control method thereof in a system for generating a drive output through a fuel cell and a battery includes a processor for selectively performing a driving stop control of the fuel cell through an operation variable including a required drive output and a load weight.

A battery management system for batteries, such as, but not limited to, electric vehicle battery packs and cells, lithium iron phosphate batteries, lead acid batteries, gel batteries, and absorbed gel mat batteries, in engine start applications is disclosed. The battery management system is configured to control the charge and charging of each cell individually. The battery management system may be configured to control the charge of a battery which may consist of a plurality of cells, such as, but not limited to, lithium iron phosphate cells, and in at least one embodiment, the battery may consist of, but is not limited to being formed from, four lithium iron phosphate cells connected in series and a battery management system to ensure proper charge and safe operation.

This application discloses a method for controlling an electric utility vehicle and an electric utility vehicle. The method includes: detecting a work load by the electric utility vehicle and establishing a communication connection between the electric utility vehicle and a mobile electronic device; the mobile electronic device receiving load information, prompting a user to change a work gear, or automatically matching an appropriate gear based on the load information in an automatic mode; the electric utility vehicle receiving a gear adjustment operation command sent by the mobile electronic device to adjust the work motor; and upon determining that the user has adjusted the gear of the electric utility vehicle by means of an operation assembly on the electric utility vehicle, an information transmission unit synchronizing the adjusted gear information to the mobile electronic device and providing feedback to the user.

Briefly, example methods, apparatuses, and/or articles of manufacture may include a vehicle assistance controller to convey content to one or more display devices. The vehicle assistance controller may operate to access a user input device to determine an assistance topic for charging and/or discharging one or more energy storage elements (e.g., one or more batteries) of the vehicle. The vehicle assistance controller may additionally operate to determine a delivery mode for the content, which is applicable to the assistance topic, based on the access of the user input device, and to deliver the content to the one or more display devices via the determined delivery mode.