An electric vehicle may include a battery, a drive axle, a drive wheel coupled to the drive axle, and a combined motor and brake unit. The combined motor and brake unit may be electrically coupled to the battery and mechanically coupled to the drive axle. The combined motor and brake unit may include a housing, an electric motor inside the housing and electrically coupled to the battery, a transmission inside the housing, a motor output shaft, a braking mechanism, and a motor input shaft. The transmission may transmit rotation of the electric motor to the drive axle and the drive wheel. The motor output shaft may couple the electric motor to the transmission. The braking mechanism may be coupled to the housing. The motor input shaft may couple the electric motor to the braking mechanism and input, to the electric motor, a braking force applied by the braking mechanism.

A power management system includes a sensor interface that receives sensor data samples during operation of a vehicle. A storage device stores the sensor data samples for multiple points in time along a route segment traveled by the vehicle. One or more processors analyze the sensor data samples to detect a historical pattern of the vehicle. The one or more processors determine time efficient operational parameters for the vehicle in response to a destination and an estimated travel time to the destination. The estimated travel time may be based on predicted conditions of the vehicle indicated by the historical pattern. The time efficient operational parameters may be selected to decrease the estimated travel time. At least one of the sensor data samples may include telemetry data.

A power management system includes a sensor interface that receives sensor data samples during operation of a vehicle. A storage device stores the sensor data samples for multiple points in time along a route segment traveled by the vehicle. One or more processors analyze the sensor data samples to detect a historical pattern of the vehicle. The one or more processors determine time efficient operational parameters for the vehicle in response to a destination and an estimated travel time to the destination. The estimated travel time may be based on predicted conditions of the vehicle indicated by the historical pattern. The time efficient operational parameters may be selected to decrease the estimated travel time. At least one of the sensor data samples may include telemetry data.

A method for controlling a vehicle includes automatically controlling vehicle brakes to decelerate the vehicle at a braking deceleration rate in response to an anticipated stop at a traffic signal and an adaptive cruise control system being active. The method further includes, in response to the vehicle decelerating to an intermediate speed, releasing the vehicle brakes. The intermediate speed is determined such that, at the intermediate speed, a coasting distance to a full stop is approximately equal to a distance to the traffic signal.

A method for controlling a vehicle includes automatically controlling vehicle brakes to decelerate the vehicle at a braking deceleration rate in response to an anticipated stop at a traffic signal and an adaptive cruise control system being active. The method further includes, in response to the vehicle decelerating to an intermediate speed, releasing the vehicle brakes. The intermediate speed is determined such that, at the intermediate speed, a coasting distance to a full stop is approximately equal to a distance to the traffic signal.

A method of recycling motor power of a movable object is provided to recycle and redistribute power from at least one motor in a decelerating state. The method comprises determining whether an operating state of at least one motor of the movable object is a decelerating state, and recycling power from the at least one motor having a decelerating state. The method also comprises redistributing the recycled power to other power consuming components of the movable object. The method of present invention increases the energy efficiency and a battery life of the movable object. The movable object may be an unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV).

A vehicle includes an auxiliary battery and one or more accessory loads. An accessory load command is modulated such that the auxiliary battery outputs a discharge current to an accessory load. The discharge current has, in addition to a current component for driving the accessory load, an alternating current (AC) component to cause a temperature of the auxiliary battery to increase.

A vehicle includes an auxiliary battery and one or more accessory loads. An accessory load command is modulated such that the auxiliary battery outputs a discharge current to an accessory load. The discharge current has, in addition to a current component for driving the accessory load, an alternating current (AC) component to cause a temperature of the auxiliary battery to increase.

A vehicle with electric drive can employ a pulse width modulation technique to govern the amount of drive power provided to the vehicles wheels while also governing the charging power supplied to the storage device. For example, an electric motor, generator, and a drive shaft can all be linked such that when one spins, they all spin. The disclosed technique provides for rapidly switching from powering a wheel to charging the battery. In fact, the switching can be done rapidly enough that the battery can be charged between every pulse provided to the motor. This rapid switching provides for advanced capabilities in energy harvesting and vehicle weight distribution.

An apparatus comprises a power electronic energy conversion system comprising a first energy storage device configured to store DC energy and a first voltage converter configured to convert a second voltage from a remote power supply into a first charging voltage configured to charge the first energy storage device. The apparatus also includes a first controller configured to control the first voltage converter to convert the second voltage into the first charging voltage and to provide the first charging voltage to the first energy storage device during a charging mode of operation and communicate with a second controller located remotely from the power electronic energy conversion system to cause a second charging voltage to be provided to the first energy storage device during the charging mode of operation to rapidly charge the first energy storage device.