Systems and methods for reducing inertial forces of a reciprocating piston internal combustion engine are described. The systems and methods may provide for counterweights in a form of pistons in cylinders that are moved via electromagnets. The counterweights may be moved at a frequency that corresponds to engine speed via an alternating current.

A method for altering at least one driving parameter of a vehicle during travel. The method includes a step of reading in a traffic-sign signal, in which a traffic-sign signal is read in, the traffic-sign signal representing an altered traffic zone, indicated by a traffic sign, at one position. In a step of reading in a map signal, a map signal is read in which represents a traffic zone, indicated by a map, at the position. In a comparing step, the traffic-sign signal is compared to the map signal. In a last step of providing, an alteration signal is provided for altering at least the driving parameter, if a predetermined relationship exists between the traffic-sign signal and the map signal.

A control unit of a hybrid vehicle derives maximum assisting electric power and maximum chargeable electric power of a battery, and permits a shift to an engine direct coupled drive in the event that an imaginary operation point of an internal combustion engine where the maximum assisting electric power is supplied to a motor and an imaginary operation point of the internal combustion engine where the maximum chargeable electric power is stored in the battery, at a rotational speed of the internal combustion engine which corresponds to a required driving force required on the hybrid vehicle when the hybrid vehicle executes the engine direct coupled drive, are positioned inside an area where energy efficiency of the hybrid vehicle becomes higher when the hybrid vehicle executes the engine direct coupled drive than when the hybrid vehicle executes a series drive.

A utility vehicle with regenerative braking is disclosed. The utility vehicle includes a system power bus, a battery coupled to the system power bus, at least one electric drive motor configured to generate power through the regenerative braking and supply the power onto the system power bus, and a first controller configured to decrease a maximum travel speed to reduce an amount of the power generated through the regenerative braking when the battery is fully charged and the power is greater than a power consumption limit.

Methods and systems for an electric vehicle (EV). The EV system includes an electric drive axle that includes a first electric motor configured to transfer mechanical power to a first drive wheel, a second electric motor configured to transfer mechanical power to a second drive wheel, and a motor coupling clutch configured to selectively rotationally couple the first electric motor to the second electric motor. The EV system further includes a controller configured to selectively rotationally couple the first electric motor to the second electric motor via operation of the motor coupling clutch based on vehicle load.

A fire fighting vehicle includes a chassis, a front axle, a rear axle, a fluid tank having a maximum fluid capacity of at least about 6,000 liters, a battery pack, and an electromechanical transmission coupled to the battery pack and at least one of the front axle or the rear axle. The electromechanical transmission includes one or more electric motors configured to receive power from the battery pack to facilitate accelerating the fire fighting vehicle from 0 to 50 miles-per-hour in 30 seconds or less while the fluid tank is at the maximum fluid capacity.

A control apparatus is configured to control a vehicle. The vehicle includes an engine, a generator, and a drive motor. The generator is configured to generate electric power by using motive power to be outputted from the engine. The drive motor is coupled to a drive wheel. The engine, the generator, and the drive motor are coupled to each other via a planetary gear mechanism. The control apparatus includes a processor configured to control an operating point of the engine by controlling respective operations of the generator and the drive motor. The processor is configured to change a fuel consumption characteristic of the engine on the basis of traveling characteristic data, and to control the operating point of the engine on the basis of the fuel consumption characteristic. The traveling characteristic data indicates a traveling characteristic in the past of the vehicle driven by a driver of the vehicle.

A braking/driving force control method includes detecting an accelerator stroke amount being the stroke amount of an accelerator pedal, calculating a driving force to be generated by a vehicle driving force source when the accelerator stroke amount is larger than a predetermined first stroke amount, calculating a deceleration driving force to be generated by the vehicle driving force source when the accelerator stroke amount is smaller than a second stroke amount set to a value smaller than or equal to the first stroke amount, controlling the vehicle driving force source to generate the calculated driving force and deceleration driving force, and generating a braking force on wheels according to a depressing operation of a brake pedal by a driver and controlling a brake stroke amount being the stroke amount of the brake pedal according to the calculated deceleration driving force.

An electrified fire fighting vehicle includes a chassis, a cab, a body, a front axle, a rear axle, an energy storage system, a water pump, and an electromagnetic device electrically coupled to the energy storage system. The electromagnetic device is coupled to the water pump and at least one of the front axle or the rear axle. The electromagnetic device is configured to receive stored energy from the energy storage system and provide a mechanical output to selectively drive the water pump and the at least one of the front axle or the rear axle.

A vehicle drive includes a gear set, a first motor/generator coupled to a sun gear of the gear set, a second motor/generator selectively coupled to at least one of (a) a planetary gear carrier of the gear set and (b) a ring gear of the gear set, an engine coupled to the ring gear of the gear set and selectively coupled to the second motor/generator, and a clutch configured to selectively engage the second motor/generator to the engine. The first motor/generator and the second motor/generator are electrically coupled without an energy storage device configured to at least one of (a) provide electrical energy to the first motor/generator or the second motor/generator to power the first motor/generator or the second motor/generator and (b) be charged by electrical energy from the first motor/generator or the second motor/generator.