A two-wheel, self-balancing personal vehicle having independently movable foot placement sections. The foot placement sections have an associated wheel, sensor and motor and are independently self-balancing which gives the user independent control over the movement of each platform section by the magnitude and direction of tilt a user induces in a given platform section. Various embodiments are disclosed including those with a continuous housing, discrete platform sections and/or tapering platform sections.

A performance enhancement system for an electric vehicle includes a battery pack, a pump system, and a control module. The battery pack contains electrolyte fluid, and the pump system is operable to redistribute the electrolyte fluid within the battery pack. The control module may be configured to identify a vehicle usage event. The vehicle usage event may be a payload event, a pitching event, a rolling event, and/or a yawing event. In response to identifying the vehicle usage event, the control module may be configured to operate the pump system to redistribute the electrolyte fluid within the battery pack to change a static center of mass of the vehicle, a dynamic center of mass of the vehicle, and/or a moment of inertia of the vehicle.

A method, system and apparatus for carrying a user including a board for supporting the user, a ground-contacting member coupled with the board, a motorized drive assembly coupled with the ground-contacting member and one or more sensors coupled with the drive assembly. In operation, the drive assembly adjusts the velocity of the ground-contacting member based on one or more distances of the board from a surface below the board as detected by the sensors. As a result, the system is able to maintain a desired velocity when ascending, descending or traversing uneven ground without the need for excessive and sometimes impossible tilting of the board.

A powered unicycle device has a hub motor and a tyre around the motor. A motor casing around the motor defines side walls (300,305) and an outer annular rim (301,306), and the tyre is mounted around the outer annular rim (301,306). The motor casing is formed of only two side walls (300,305) each having a rim portion (301,305), and the rim portions (301,305) connect to each other, together defining the outer annular rim (301,305).

An apparatus controller for prompting a rider to be positioned on a vehicle in such a manner as to reduce lateral instability due to lateral acceleration of the vehicle. The apparatus has an input for receiving specification from the rider of a desired direction of travel, and indicating means for reflecting to the rider a propitious instantaneous body orientation to enhance stability in the face of lateral acceleration. The indicating may include a handlebar that is pivotable with respect to the vehicle and that is driven in response to vehicle turning.

An electric vehicle may comprise a board including first and second deck portions each configured to receive a left or right foot of a ride, a wheel assembly disposed between the deck portions and including a ground-contacting element, a motor assembly mounted to the board and configured to rotate the ground-contacting element around an axle to propel the electric vehicle, at least one sensor configured to measure orientation information of the board, and a motor controller configured to receive orientation information measured by the sensor and to cause the motor assembly to propel the electric vehicle based on the orientation information. The electric vehicle may include exactly one ground-contacting element, and the motor may be a hub motor.

A self-balancing powered unicycle (100) is disclosed. The unicycle comprises: a single primary wheel (120) adapted to rotate about a primary axis of rotation (125); a balance control system adapted to maintain fore-aft balance of the unicycle device by controlling rotation of the primary wheel; a foot platform (165) for supporting a user of the unicycle device; and at least one auxiliary support (195) adapted to rotate about an auxiliary axis of rotation, wherein the auxiliary axis of rotation is adapted to be angled with respect to the primary axis of rotation.

A self-propelled, one-wheeled vehicle may include a suspension system configured to provide arcuate, generally vertical motion of a board relative to an axle of a central wheel assembly when the vehicle encounters obstacles and bumps on a riding surface. Illustrative suspension systems may include a shock absorber and a swingarm that couple the wheel assembly to the board.

A self-propelled, one-wheeled vehicle may include a suspension system configured to provide arcuate, generally vertical motion of a board relative to an axle of a central wheel assembly when the vehicle encounters obstacles and bumps on a riding surface. Illustrative suspension systems may include a shock absorber and a swingarm that couple the wheel assembly to the board.

A motorized, fore-aft self-balancing transportation device that may include a single wheel structure with a drive motor, a battery and first and second foot platforms located on opposite sides of the wheel. The device may be uniquely be arranged such that the motor and battery are positioned such that there is space within the wheel envelope for a portion of the foot platform (positioned near or within the envelope), thereby placing the weight of the rider low and close to the center of gravity of the device. Various battery and motor arrangements are disclosed, as are different drive mechanisms and component redundancy to assure safe operation in the event of failure.