An access control device of a vehicle is configured to detect the spatial position of the access element of the vehicle safety unit relative to the vehicle via electromagnetically detecting the distances and angles between several low-frequency transmitting antennas of the vehicle safety unit and the low-frequency receiver of the access element. The access control device is also configured to detect the location position of an external induction charging unit relative to the vehicle via electromagnetically measuring the distance and angle between at least two transmitting antennas of several low-frequency transmitting antennas and at least one receiving antenna of the induction charging unit.

A vehicle includes a motor serving as a driving source configured to run the vehicle, and a high-power and high-capacity assembled batteries, each of the assembled batteries being formed to include secondary batteries configured to supply an electric power to the motor, the secondary batteries of the assembled batteries being housed in different cases. The high-power and high-capacity assembled batteries are arranged around a luggage space located in a rearward portion of the vehicle. The high-power assembled battery is chargeable and dischargeable with a current larger than a current in the high-capacity assembled battery. The high-capacity assembled battery has an energy capacity larger than an energy capacity of the high-power assembled battery. The high-capacity assembled battery is arranged above or below the high-power assembled battery in the vehicle, and at least a portion of the high-capacity assembled battery protrudes from the high-power assembled battery rearward in the vehicle.

A method and apparatus for creating one or more groups of electric vehicle charging objects includes receiving input from an organization to group a selected set of electric vehicle charging objects, creating the group in response to the received input, where the created group includes as its members the selected set of electric vehicle charging objects, and performing a set of acts for the members of the group as a whole.

A system (e.g., a monitoring device) for monitoring a first battery (e.g., a vehicle battery) provided in a vehicle is provided with a monitoring unit for monitoring the electric state of the first battery (e.g., the vehicle battery) capable of starting a motor of the vehicle; and a power supply unit that is a second battery for supplying electric power to the monitoring unit. The monitoring unit may determine whether or not the motor is stopped, and when the motor is stopped, the monitoring unit may monitor, as the electric state of the first battery, e.g., the voltage of the first battery.

A fuel cell system includes: an external load connected to a fuel cell; an electric power adjusting unit configured to adjust a generated electric power of the fuel cell in accordance with electric power consumption of the external load; a humidity control unit configured to control humidity of an electrolyte membrane in the fuel cell on the basis of the generated electric power of the fuel cell; an output voltage detecting unit configured to detect an output voltage of the fuel cell; and a cross leakage determining unit configured to cause the humidity control unit to increase the humidity of the electrolyte membrane when the fuel cell generates the electric power, the cross leakage determining unit being configured to determine whether a cross leakage amount increases or not on the basis of a change in the output voltage at that time.

A wireless power-supply system (1) performing a wireless power supply between a vehicle (10) and a stop station (20), wherein the wireless power-supply system includes a heat-transfer device (30). The heat-transfer device (30) transfers heat generated due to the wireless power supply to the stop station (20) having high heat capacity from the vehicle (10) having low heat capacity. The heat-transfer device (30) includes a flexible heat-transfer member (32), in which the flexible heat-transfer member has tiltability in a moving direction of the vehicle (10).

A vehicle body structure 100 according to an embodiment of the present invention includes a first cross member 1, a second cross member 2, and a third cross member 3 forming part of a framework of a vehicle and extending in a vehicle width direction. Further, the vehicle body structure 100 accommodates at least part of a battery portion 10a of a power storage device 10 in a space SP1R between a floor in a passenger compartment and a floor panel 4 and between the first cross member 1 and the second cross member 2. Further, the vehicle body structure 100 accommodates at least part of a controlling portion 10c of the power storage device 10 in a space SP2R between the first cross member 1 and the third cross member 3.

An operation mode selection unit selects an efficiency priority mode for minimizing the overall loss in a power supply system based on a load request voltage obtained in accordance with the condition of a load and on the conditions of DC power supplies, and generates a mode selection signal in accordance with the selection result. When SOC and/or output power have/has reached power supply restriction values in any DC power supply, an operation mode modification unit generates a final mode selection instructing signal so as to modify selection of the efficiency priority mode by the mode selection signal to select an operation mode in which power distribution between the DC power supplies can be controlled.

An electrical storage system includes a main battery, an auxiliary battery, a bidirectional DC-DC converter and a controller. The bidirectional DC-DC converter is provided between the auxiliary battery and a power supply path from the main battery to a driving motor. The bidirectional DC-DC converter steps down an output voltage from the power supply path to the auxiliary battery, and steps up an output voltage from the auxiliary battery to the power supply path. The controller controls charging and discharging of the auxiliary battery. The controller, when an allowable output power of the main battery decreases and an electric power becomes insufficient for a required vehicle output, supplies an electric power to the power supply path by discharging the auxiliary battery by using the bidirectional DC-DC converter. The controller, when an allowable input power of the main battery decreases and a regenerated electric power generated by the driving motor is not entirely charged into the main battery, charges part of the regenerated electric power into the auxiliary battery by using the bidirectional DC-DC converter.

A method for controlling a hybrid drive of a vehicle includes detecting a traffic and/or street situation ahead of the vehicle, and based on the detected situation, determining an upcoming increase of a performance requirement to be expected from the hybrid drive and increasing a withdrawal rate of an electrical energy source of the hybrid drive. This increase occurs before the performance requirement is realized. The performance requirement may be realized according to the increase of the withdrawal rate, e.g., in conformity with a performance requirement which may be entered via an interface, for example an accelerator pedal.