A drive apparatus for vehicle comprising a first power source, a first output rotating member, a second output rotating member, a second power source, a differential device, a first engagement device, a second engagement device, and a control device. The control device establishing, as drive modes driving a vehicle, a first drive mode putting the vehicle in all-wheel drive state by power from the second power source while fixing a torque distribution ratio between front wheels and rear wheels with both the first engagement device and the second engagement device kept in engaged state, and a second drive mode controlling the torque distribution ratio by putting the vehicle in all-wheel drive state by power from the first power source while controlling the second engagement device to be in slip state with the first engagement device kept in engaged state,

A first connector on a case front wall of a battery pack is connected to a first electric motor with a first power line interposed therebetween. A second connector on a case rear wall of the battery pack is connected to a second electric motor with a second power line interposed therebetween. A fuel tank is arranged behind the battery pack. A muffler is disposed on an exhaust pipe extending from an engine toward the rear along a side surface in a vehicle width direction of the battery pack and is inclined so as to be near the fuel tank behind the battery pack. The second power line is at least partially arranged in a space surrounded by the second connector, the fuel tank, and the muffler as seen in a vertical direction.

Methods and system are provided for generating regenerative braking torque at a front axle and a rear axle of a vehicle. In one example, the regenerative braking torque may be a function of a normal load applied to the front axle and a normal load applied to the rear axle.

A variable wheel drive electric vehicle comprises a chassis; a first axle disposed on the chassis comprising: a pair of opposed first axle ends; a pair of first axle hubs attached to the first ends, a pair of motive wheels configured for rotatable disposition on the first hubs, and a pair of electric hub motors each comprising a stator and a rotor, the rotors configured for reversible motive rotation of the motive wheels by and about the stators; a second axle disposed on the chassis comprising: a pair of opposed second axle ends; a pair of second axle hubs attached to the second ends; a pair of non-motive wheels configured for rotatable disposition on the second hubs; and a pair of hub motor blanks each comprising a stator blank and rotor blank, the rotor blanks configured for reversible non-motive rotation of the non-motive wheels by and about the stator blanks.

A transfer case for use in a vehicle, with the vehicle including a powertrain, includes an input shaft configured to be rotatably coupled to the powertrain. The transfer case also includes a primary output shaft rotatably coupled to the input shaft, and a secondary output shaft selectively rotatably coupled to the primary output shaft. The transfer case further includes a planetary gearset disposed between and rotatably coupled to the input shaft and the primary output shaft. The transfer case also includes an input member and an electric machine. The input member is rotatably coupled to the electric machine and the input shaft to provide rotational torque from the electric machine, to the input shaft, and to the primary output shaft.

When temperature of a second power source of a vehicle becomes higher than a threshold value during a first mode in which three rotating elements of a differential gear can make differential movement and when four-wheel drive is needed, switching is performed to a second mode in which the three rotating elements are unified, and when four-wheel drive is not needed even when the temperature of the second power source becomes higher than the threshold value during the first mode, output of the second power source is restricted, while the first mode is maintained.

When braking of the electric vehicle is performed, the braking is controlled based on a target braking split ratio which is a target value of the ratio of the braking force that is applied to the rear wheels to a total braking force that is applied to the front and rear wheels. In this case, an initial value of the target braking split ratio is set to a value within an allowable range about a transmission split ratio when braking of the electric vehicle is started while the electric vehicle is being braked by the motor, the transmission split ratio being the ratio of a braking force that is transmitted from a drive shaft to the rear wheels via a driving force split device to a total braking force that is transmitted from the drive shaft to the front and rear wheels via the driving force split device.

An acceleration slip regulation method and device for a four-wheel drive electric vehicle are disclosed. The method comprises the following steps: detecting wheel speeds of four wheels of an electric vehicle and a depth of depression of an accelerator pedal; estimating a vehicle speed of the electric vehicle according to the wheel speeds of the four wheels, determining a road condition at the location of the electric vehicle according to the wheel speeds of the four wheels and the vehicle speed, and acquiring a required torque of the electric vehicle according to the depth of depression of the accelerator pedal, wherein the road condition comprising a low adhesion starting road, a joint road, and a bisectional road; and performing acceleration slip regulation on the four wheels respectively according to the road condition and the required torque. The control method can ensure that the wheels do not slip, the electric vehicle does not undergo lateral displacement and a yaw rate is kept within a certain range after the electric vehicle activates acceleration slip. The control method can maximize the use of ground adhesion to improve the escape capability of the electric vehicle.

A rotatable drive axle assembly for an electric vehicle comprises a rotatable vehicle drive axle configured to be disposed along a transverse axis of an electric vehicle and having an axle end that is configured for attachment to a drive wheel. The rotatable drive axle assembly also comprises a selectively movable differential configured to be disposed on the rotatable vehicle drive axle and configured to operatively couple motive power of a selectively movable electric propulsion motor comprising a rotatable motor shaft rotatable about a motor axis to the rotatable vehicle drive axle and the drive wheel, the selectively movable electric propulsion motor and the motor axis configured to be oriented in a substantially vertical direction and movable with reference to the rotatable vehicle drive axle.

Methods and systems are provided for a vehicle system. In one example, the vehicle system includes a first electric drive axle assembly and a second electric drive axle assembly. Each of the first and second axle assemblies has a gear train with a planetary gear set axially offset from a motor-generator and each planetary gear set is rotationally coupled to a differential.