A method for operating a drive train of a motor vehicle, which utilizes at least one permanent-magnet electric machine (EM) as a motor vehicle drive source, is provided. A transmission (G) with different gear ratios is arranged in a power path between the electric machine (EM) and driving wheels (DW) of the motor vehicle. A power converter (LE) is associated with the electric machine (EM) and can operate the electric machine (EM) in a field weakening condition. The method includes prematurely carrying out, delaying, or preventing a changeover of the gear step of the transmission (G) specified by a driving strategy depending on a temperature value of the electric machine (EM) in order to reduce, not increase, or increase with delay a rotational speed of the electric machine (EM). An electronic control unit (ECU) for carrying out the method and a motor vehicle with the control unit (ECU) are also provided.

An electric motor drive retrofit system (EMDRS) comprises a power system, an energy storage system (ESS), a cooling system, a vehicle control unit (VCU), and a user interface device (UID). A non-hybrid combustion engine drive vehicle with tight space constraints is retrofittable with the EMDRS to provide hybrid drive functionality. EMDRS includes a motor generator unit (MGU) coupled to a motor control unit that transfers charge between MGU and ESS. During retrofit, the MGU is coupled between a transmission and an internal combustion engine (ICE) of the vehicle without extending a powertrain length by more than five inches. VCU does not interfere with any pre-existing vehicle electronics. The VCU controls the EMDRS to add torque (discharging ESS) or to remove torque (charging the ESS) based on a selected operating mode and vehicle sensor information (for example, brake and throttle pressure). Operating modes are selected by driver via the UID.

An electric motor drive retrofit system (EMDRS) comprises a power system, an energy storage system (ESS), a cooling system, a vehicle control unit (VCU), and a user interface device (UID). A non-hybrid combustion engine drive vehicle with tight space constraints is retrofittable with the EMDRS to provide hybrid drive functionality. EMDRS includes a motor generator unit (MGU) coupled to a motor control unit that transfers charge between MGU and ESS. During retrofit, the MGU is coupled between a transmission and an internal combustion engine (ICE) of the vehicle without extending a powertrain length by more than five inches. VCU does not interfere with any pre-existing vehicle electronics. The VCU controls the EMDRS to add torque (discharging ESS) or to remove torque (charging the ESS) based on a selected operating mode and vehicle sensor information (for example, brake and throttle pressure). Operating modes are selected by driver via the UID.

In at least one embodiment, a system for a class 7 or 8 vehicle is provided. The system includes a first motor, a second motor, and a controller. The first motor is configured to generate torque for the vehicle. The second motor is configured to drive an engine of the vehicle such that the vehicle meets a desired speed as set forth by a driver. The controller is configured to drive at least one of the first motor and the second motor and to receive a first signal indicative of a speed of the vehicle. The controller is further configured to deactivate the first motor if the speed of the vehicle is greater than a predetermined speed limit.

A control device for a vehicle drive unit is configured to control, based on an operating state of a vehicle, a vehicle drive unit having one or more power sources. The control device includes a processor and a storage device. The storage device is configured to store a vehicle front-rear acceleration prediction model being a machine learning model that receives as an input a command torque and outputs predicted acceleration. The processor is configured to: execute a predicted acceleration calculation process using the vehicle front-rear acceleration prediction model; and execute a command torque calculation process to calculate the command torque that minimizes an evaluation function. The evaluation function minimizes a deviation of the predicted acceleration with respect to a target vehicle front-rear acceleration according to a target torque based on the operating state while reducing a deviation of the command torque with respect to the target torque.

A control device for a vehicle drive unit is configured to control, based on an operating state of a vehicle, a vehicle drive unit having one or more power sources. The control device includes a processor and a storage device. The storage device is configured to store a vehicle front-rear acceleration prediction model being a machine learning model that receives as an input a command torque and outputs predicted acceleration. The processor is configured to: execute a predicted acceleration calculation process using the vehicle front-rear acceleration prediction model; and execute a command torque calculation process to calculate the command torque that minimizes an evaluation function. The evaluation function minimizes a deviation of the predicted acceleration with respect to a target vehicle front-rear acceleration according to a target torque based on the operating state while reducing a deviation of the command torque with respect to the target torque.

In a hybrid vehicle control system, when a first traveling mode using torque of an electric motor is switched to a second traveling mode using torque of an engine, a controller performs an engine start control by applying an engagement pressure to a first clutch and by cranking the engine by the electric motor, so as to start the engine. Specifically, the controller obtains a predicted start time and an actual start time by the engine start control, and corrects the engagement pressure so as to decrease the engagement pressure applied to the first clutch at a subsequent time of starting the engine, when the actual start time is shorter than the predicted start time.

Vehicle designers are largely walking away from internal-combustion engines to battery and electric motors. Until infrastructure is developed to support total electrification, hybrid-electric vehicles (HEVs) which include both an internal combustion engine and an electric machine are a step toward electrification and higher system fuel efficiency while retaining the expected vehicle range. To obtain even higher system fuel efficiency combustion modes that provide higher efficiency than spark-ignition (SI) operation can be used in HEVs. A problem with such combustion modes is that they cannot be used over as wide an operating range as SI operation and transitions among modes is slow and cumbersome. By having the ICE installed into a HEV be a multi-combustion mode engine and having the EM to coordinate mode switches to be smooth, the high fuel-efficiency of alternative combustion modes can be exploited while providing smooth operation expected by vehicle users.

An electrified vehicle includes an engine configured to selectively apply propulsive torque to wheels of a first axle of the vehicle, a first electric machine configured to selectively apply propulsive torque to the wheels of the first axle of the vehicle, a second electric machine configured to selectively apply propulsive torque to wheels of a second axle of the vehicle, a traction battery electrically coupled to the first and second electric machines, and a controller configured to control engine torque, first electric machine torque, and second electric machine torque to provide a driver demand torque at the wheels of the first and second axles. The controller allocates torque between the first and second electric machines based on associated combined losses of the first and second electric machines and maintaining the torque of the first and second electric machines in the same direction.

A battery control device includes a processor that is configured to estimate a full charge capacity of a battery based on an amount of current supplied to the battery from a start of charging to an end of charging and voltages of the battery at the start of charging and the end of charging when the battery is charged from a state where a voltage of the battery is below a predetermined start voltage threshold value to a state where the voltage exceeds a predetermined end voltage threshold value, and the battery satisfies a predetermined permission condition.