The present invention relates to all terrain vehicles having at least a pair of laterally spaced apart seating surfaces. More particularly, the present invention relates to trail compliant side-by-side all terrain vehicles.

A method for controlling the safe operation of a rear axle of a set of combined axles powered by a motor vehicle, particularly for a vehicle designed to carry loads and which have 6×4, 8×4 or 10×4 type traction configurations, or tridem models formed by three drive axles. The method includes a set of steps and activities that ensure proper and safe operation of systems and mechanisms for uncoupling and raising a rear axle of a vehicle, and more specifically checking a status of certain operating parameters of the rear axle and of the vehicle itself in order to permit or prevent uncoupling and coupling, as well as raising and lowering of the rear axle of the vehicle.

A method for controlling the safe operation of a rear axle of a set of combined axles powered by a motor vehicle, particularly for a vehicle designed to carry loads and which have 6×4, 8×4 or 10×4 type traction configurations, or tridem models formed by three drive axles. The method includes a set of steps and activities that ensure proper and safe operation of systems and mechanisms for uncoupling and raising a rear axle of a vehicle, and more specifically checking a status of certain operating parameters of the rear axle and of the vehicle itself in order to permit or prevent uncoupling and coupling, as well as raising and lowering of the rear axle of the vehicle.

Methods and systems for a vehicle transmission are provided. In one example, a vehicle transmission system is provided that includes a first planetary gear set rotationally coupled to a second planetary gear set, a first electrical machine rotationally coupled to a sun gear in the first planetary gear set, and a second electrical machine rotationally coupled to a sun gear in the second planetary gear set. The transmission system also includes an inter-axle differential including a third planetary gear set rotationally coupled to a first axle and a second axle and selectively rotationally coupled to the first planetary gear set and the second planetary gear set, wherein the inter-axle differential is configured to selectively enable and disable speed differentiation between the first and the second axles.

A drive device for all-wheel-drive motor vehicles, includes a primary axle driven by a drive unit via an axle differential and a secondary axle driven via the left and right output elements of the axle differential and via transmitting means. The transmitting means are formed by at least two switching elements, which are arranged coaxial to the axle differential of the primary axle and which act on the left and right drive shaft of the secondary axle via belt or chain transmissions.

A drive device for all-wheel-drive motor vehicles, includes a primary axle driven by a drive unit via an axle differential and a secondary axle driven via the left and right output elements of the axle differential and via transmitting means. The transmitting means are formed by at least two switching elements, which are arranged coaxial to the axle differential of the primary axle and which act on the left and right drive shaft of the secondary axle via belt or chain transmissions.

Example methods for distributing torque in a driveline, and driveline systems are disclosed. In one approach, a baseline torque split may be employed, e.g., in a drive unit. The method may further include detecting a first gradient of a first driving surface that exceeds a threshold amount while the driveline is traversing the first gradient using the baseline torque split. The method may further include modifying the second share of torque with respect to the first share of torque in response to the detection of the first gradient. In some examples, a modification may include increasing an amount of torque being distributed to a secondary axle of the vehicle, while in others a torque bias between the primary and secondary axle may be reduced.

Example methods for distributing torque in a driveline, and driveline systems are disclosed. In one approach, a baseline torque split may be employed, e.g., in a drive unit. The method may further include detecting a first gradient of a first driving surface that exceeds a threshold amount while the driveline is traversing the first gradient using the baseline torque split. The method may further include modifying the second share of torque with respect to the first share of torque in response to the detection of the first gradient. In some examples, a modification may include increasing an amount of torque being distributed to a secondary axle of the vehicle, while in others a torque bias between the primary and secondary axle may be reduced.

A vehicle includes a chassis, a front axle coupled to the chassis, a rear axle coupled to the chassis, a powertrain coupled to the chassis, a cab coupled to the chassis, a rear module coupled to the chassis behind the cab. The powertrain is configured to drive at least one of the front axle or the rear axle. The rear module is selectively reconfigurable between a plurality of configurations.

A vehicle includes a chassis, a front axle coupled to the chassis, a rear axle coupled to the chassis, a powertrain coupled to the chassis, a cab coupled to the chassis, a rear module coupled to the chassis behind the cab. The powertrain is configured to drive at least one of the front axle or the rear axle. The rear module is selectively reconfigurable between a plurality of configurations.