A drive switching mechanism of a utility vehicle includes: a two-wheel drive and four-wheel drive switching device that switches between two-wheel drive and four-wheel drive of the utility vehicle; and a control unit that controls the drive switching mechanism. The two-wheel drive and four-wheel drive switching device switches between two-wheel drive and four-wheel drive by using a first clutch. The control unit permits the two-wheel drive and four-wheel drive switching device to switch from two-wheel drive to four-wheel drive when a rotation difference of the first clutch becomes equal to or smaller than a predetermined value.

A four-wheel drive force distribution apparatus for distributing drive forces to the wheels of a four-wheel drive vehicle, in which the distribution of drive force to the front inside wheel (2a) and the distribution of drive force to the rear inside wheel (3a) are adjusted based on a ground load of the front inside wheel (2a) and a ground load of the rear inside wheel (3a) when the vehicle is turning, and the distribution of drive force to the front inside wheel (2a) compared with distribution of drive force to the rear inside wheel (3a) is reduced the smaller the ratio of the ground load of the front inside wheel (2a) to the ground load of the rear inside wheel (3a) during turning.

A vehicle torque processing method, apparatus, and a vehicle controller are provided. The method includes allocating torque to the first power drive system and a second power drive system based on required torque, where a sum of first torque output by the first power drive system and second torque output by the second power drive system is equal to the required torque. At a current vehicle speed, if an intrinsic frequency of the first power drive system is a frequency in a resonance frequency range corresponding to the first power drive system, based on the required torque and peak torque of the second power drive system, the torque output by the first power drive system and the torque output by the second power drive system are adjusted.

A vehicle includes a power source configured to provide drive torque, a front axle, a rear axle, and a transfer case configured to distribute drive torque from the power source between the front axle and the rear axle. The vehicle additionally includes a clutch arranged between the front axle and the transfer case. The clutch has a disengaged state and an engaged state drivingly coupling the transfer case and the front axle. The vehicle also includes a regenerative braking system configured to, in response to a braking request, provide regenerative braking torque to the rear axle. The vehicle further includes a controller. The controller is configured to, in response to a braking request and the clutch being in the disengaged state, control the clutch to shift into the engaged state to couple the regenerative braking system to the front axle and provide regenerative braking torque to the front axle.

A four-wheel drive force distribution apparatus for distributing drive forces to the wheels of a four-wheel drive vehicle, in which the distribution of drive force to the front inside wheel (2a) and the distribution of drive force to the rear inside wheel (3a) are adjusted based on a ground load of the front inside wheel (2a) and a ground load of the rear inside wheel (3a) when the vehicle is turning, and the distribution of drive force to the front inside wheel (2a) compared with distribution of drive force to the rear inside wheel (3a) is reduced the smaller the ratio of the ground load of the front inside wheel (2a) to the ground load of the rear inside wheel (3a) during turning.

A method of controlling an axle assembly includes providing an axle assembly in a first state. A first controller is provided in electrical communication with the axle assembly. The first controller determines if a source of power has an available amount of electrical energy that is within a predetermined range and a predetermined period of time has elapsed. If the available amount of electrical energy is within the predetermined range and the predetermined period of time has elapsed, then electrical energy is transferred from the source of power to an electric motor generator and an axle disconnect clutch is engaged to provide the axle assembly in another state.

A method of controlling an axle assembly includes providing an axle assembly in a first state. A first controller is provided in electrical communication with the axle assembly. The first controller determines if a source of power has an available amount of electrical energy that is within a predetermined range and a predetermined period of time has elapsed. If the available amount of electrical energy is within the predetermined range and the predetermined period of time has elapsed, then electrical energy is transferred from the source of power to an electric motor generator and an axle disconnect clutch is engaged to provide the axle assembly in another state.

Aspects of the present invention relate to a control system for controlling torque distribution between a first axle (110) and a second axle (120) in a vehicle (100), the control system comprising one or more controllers. The control system is configured to detect that the vehicle is in overrun and detect the vehicle speed. When the vehicle is in overrun and the vehicle speed is below a first speed threshold then the torque distribution is controlled to reduce overrun torque to the first axle and to increase overrun torque to the second axle. The vehicle may be a hybrid vehicle comprising an internal combustion engine (ICE) (201), a belt integrated starter generator (B-ISG) (205) and an electric rear axle drive (ERAD) (204).

Aspects of the present invention relate to a control system for controlling torque distribution between a first axle (110) and a second axle (120) in a vehicle (100), the control system comprising one or more controllers. The control system is configured to detect that the vehicle is in overrun and detect the vehicle speed. When the vehicle is in overrun and the vehicle speed is below a first speed threshold then the torque distribution is controlled to reduce overrun torque to the first axle and to increase overrun torque to the second axle. The vehicle may be a hybrid vehicle comprising an internal combustion engine (ICE) (201), a belt integrated starter generator (B-ISG) (205) and an electric rear axle drive (ERAD) (204).

A vehicle control apparatus includes a steering device, a steering controller, a steering input member, a front-rear driving force distribution unit, and a behavior controller. The steering device steers front wheels of a vehicle. The steering controller controls and causes the steering device to perform steering automatically. The steering input member receives a steering operation inputted by a driver. The front-rear driving force distribution unit changes a front-rear driving force distribution ratio. The behavior controller predicts, if a steering operation is performed via the steering input member during the automatic steering, a behavior of the vehicle to be exhibited after steering corresponding to the steering operation, and causes, if an oversteer behavior is predicted to occur, the front-rear driving force distribution unit to change the driving force distribution ratio to a front-wheel biased distribution ratio as compared with a case where the oversteer behavior is not predicted to occur.