Methods and system are described for changing a driveline gear range from a higher gear range to a lower gear range. The driveline may include two electric machines and four clutches in a four wheel drive configuration. The methods and systems permit a driveline to change from a higher gear range to a lower gear range without stopping a vehicle.

Methods of controlling a tandem axle assembly in a vehicle, the tandem axle assembly including an inter-axle differential (IAD), one or more side gears, and a front tandem axle assembly having a pair of front tandem axle half shafts selectively connected to a pair of front tandem axle wheel hub assemblies. When a determined speed of the vehicle is greater or equal to a predetermined speed, the IAD may be locked, the tandem axle wheel hub assemblies may be disconnected from their respective tandem axle shafts, and/or the IAD may be moved out of engagement with the one or more side gears. When a determined speed of the vehicle is less than a predetermined speed, the IAD may be unlocked, the tandem axle wheel hub assemblies may be connected to their respective tandem axle shafts, and/or the IAD may be engaged with the one or more side gears.

A utility vehicle includes: a power unit that outputs drive power; a drive shaft that receives the drive power transmitted from the power unit; a front axle that receives the drive power transmitted from the drive shaft; a right front wheel connected to the front axle; a left front wheel connected to the front axle; a right clutch configured to disable power transmission from the drive shaft to the right front wheel; a left clutch configured to disable power transmission from the drive shaft to the left front wheel; a clutch actuator that actuates the left clutch and the right clutch; and a controller that controls the clutch actuator.

A driving force distribution apparatus includes an orthogonal gear pair constituted by a pinion gear shaft and a ring gear member, a casing that houses the orthogonal gear pair, an intermediate rotational member coaxially rotatable relative to the ring gear member, a clutch member configured to couple the ring gear member and the intermediate rotational member to each other, and first and second driving force adjustment mechanisms configured to adjust a driving force to be transmitted from the intermediate rotational member to first and second output rotational members. The ring gear member has a ring gear portion and a tubular portion. At two positions between which the ring gear portion is interposed in an axial direction, the tubular portion) is rotatably supported by a pair of bearings.

Methods of controlling axle torque distribution of a vehicle during steering through a curve include collecting, via a controller: input data which is representative of a plurality of vehicle inputs; vehicle data which is representative of axle torque of the front axle and axle torque of the rear axle; and constraint data which is representative of real-time constraints of the vehicle. The collected input data, vehicle data and constraint data are communicated to a predictive model. Determining, using the predictive model, whether torque adjustments are necessary. The distribution of the axle torque of the front axle and the axle torque of the rear axle is controlled, via the controller, when the torque adjustments are necessary as determined via the predictive model.

A vehicle includes a differential gear that transmits rotation of a propeller shaft to an axle. A differential lock switches the differential gear between a locked state and an unlocked state. A clutch is provided in a power transmission path between a prime mover and wheels of the vehicle. A controller controls an engaging force of the clutch during a moving start of the vehicle in accordance with which of the locked state and the unlocked state is selected by the differential gear.

A vehicle includes a differential gear that transmits rotation of a propeller shaft to an axle. A differential lock switches the differential gear between a locked state and an unlocked state. A clutch is provided in a power transmission path between a prime mover and wheels of the vehicle. A controller controls an engaging force of the clutch during a moving start of the vehicle in accordance with which of the locked state and the unlocked state is selected by the differential gear.

A vehicle control device includes a first calculator configured to calculate a first operation amount, a second calculator configured to calculate a second operation amount, and a controller configured to cause the operation amount of one driving force control to be changed to zero in a predetermined time, causes the operation amount of the other driving force control to be increased to a target operation amount in the predetermined time, and controls a driving force of the vehicle on the basis of the operation amount of one driving force control and the operation amount of the other driving force control during the predetermined time.

A vehicle includes a front-wheel motor, a rear-wheel motor, a temperature detector, and a distribution ratio controller. The front-wheel motor drives a front wheel. The rear-wheel motor drives a rear wheel. The temperature detector detects a temperature of the front-wheel motor and a temperature of the rear-wheel motor. If one of the temperature of the front-wheel motor and the temperature of the rear-wheel motor exceeds a second temperature, the distribution ratio controller decreases a torque of one of the front-wheel motor and the rear-wheel motor the temperature of which is higher than the other and increase a torque of the other. The second temperature is a value set lower than a first temperature that is a threshold used for determination as to whether output of the front-wheel motor or output of the rear-wheel motor is to be restricted.

A vehicle driveline including a first axle assembly having a first drive ratio. A second axle assembly in selective driving engagement with the first axle assembly, the first and second axle assemblies having a second drive ratio when in driving engagement. A control system in electrical communication with the first and second axle assemblies, wherein the control system selectively engages the second axle assembly with the first axle assembly.