A method for controlling torque reduction of a hybrid vehicle includes: determining a discharging torque control factor of a motor and a charging torque control factor of the motor based on a current state of charge of a battery that supplies electric power to the motor and a threshold state of charge of the battery; calculating a torque of the motor corresponding to driving torque reduction request of a traction control system (TCS) based on a discharging limit torque of the motor that the discharging torque control factor is reflected in and a charging limit torque of the motor that the charging torque control factor is reflected in; and calculating a torque of the engine corresponding to the driving torque reduction request based on the calculated torque of the motor and a request torque of the traction control system.

A first method of predicting the range of an electric vehicle comprises, determining a range value during a current vehicle operating cycle using a first range model, wherein the first range model is dependent on an energy consumption rate value recorded during a previous vehicle operating cycle. A second method of predicting the range of an electric vehicle comprises, monitoring a trailer detecting means of the vehicle; and determining a first range value if the trailer detecting means detects that a trailer is attached to the vehicle.

A method for assisting with the positioning of a motor vehicle for inductive charging of a battery of the motor vehicle comprises reading a number plate associated with the motor vehicle using the number plate information to produce a location on the vehicle of a vehicle inductive coupling point (VICP) with reference to at least one reference point on the motor vehicle, comparing a predicted current position of the VICP to a fixed inductive coupling point (ICP) located in or on a road surface upon which the motor vehicle is to be positioned, and providing feedback to one of the driver and the motor vehicle indicative of the required action required to produce alignment of the VICP with the ICP. The method may further comprise energizing the ICP to charge the battery of the motor vehicle when the VICP is predicted to be aligned with the ICP.

An external power supply connector attached to a vehicle-side connecting portion and control unit controlling the supply power to the vehicle-side connecting portion, supplying power from the vehicle to outside. The external power supply connector includes a body including an external connecting portion to an electric plug supplying power to a connected external device; a restricting member enables switching between restricting state wherein the electric plug is restricted from being attached and detached to and from the external connecting portion, and allowing state enabling the electric plug to attach and detach to and from the external connecting portion. A signal outputting portion outputs a signal to the control unit and detecting portion. The detecting portion detects the restricting state and allowing state of the restricting member. In allowing state, the signal outputting portion outputs a prohibiting signal from being supplied to the external power supply connector to the control unit.

A vehicle is configured to carry out external charging operation in which an in-vehicle battery is charged with electric power from a device outside the vehicle. The vehicle includes the in-vehicle battery, a charger and a control device. The charger is configured to output electric power from the device outside the vehicle to the in-vehicle battery. The control device is configured to control the charger so that the external charging operation is completed by time set by a user. Furthermore, the control device is configured to preferentially allocate a period of time during which the external charging operation is carried out in order of a priority time period set by the user, an immediate time period immediately after the priority time period and a preceding time period immediately before the priority time period.

An EHC is configured to electrically heat a catalyst that purifies exhaust gas from an exhaust path of an internal combustion engine mounted on an electrically-powered vehicle, when a current passes through the EHC. A charger converts AC electric power supplied from an external power supply to a charging port into charging power of a power storage device by a power conversion path including an insulating transformer. The EHC is electrically connected to power lines which are provided on the primary side of the insulating transformer on the power conversion path, and to which a DC voltage is output. In a case where the EHC is operated when the vehicle travels, the charger converts the electric power from the power storage device into the DC voltage output to the power lines connected to the EHC, by a part of inverse conversion of power conversion at the time of external charging.

A charge/discharge system includes: first and second electric chargers that supplies electric power to a motor generator and charges electric power generated by a motor generator; an electric power converter; and a controller. The controller controls the electric power converter such that electric power charged in the first electric charger is supplied to the motor generator, electric power charged in the second electric charger is charged in the first electric charger when a charging capacity of the first electric charger is lower than a second predetermined value. The driving force of the motor generator is reduced depending on the charging capacity when the charging capacity of the first electric charger is lower than the first predetermined value.

An apparatus includes a multi-channel DC bus assembly comprising a first channel and a second channel, a first electromechanical device coupled to a positive DC link of the first channel, and a second electromechanical device coupled to a positive DC link of the second channel. A first DC-to-AC voltage inverter is coupled to the positive DC link of the first channel and a second DC-to-AC voltage inverter is coupled to the positive DC link of the second channel. The apparatus further includes a bi-directional voltage modification assembly coupled to the positive DC link of the second channel and a first energy storage system electrically coupled to the first electromechanical device.

A vehicle is a hybrid vehicle including an engine driven by fuel, and the vehicle includes a motor-generator driven by electric power and a charge plug to which a connector is removably connected, the charge plug being capable of at least one of being supplied with electric power from the connector and supplying electric power to the connector. An engine is arranged to be offset toward one side surface and the charge plug is provided in the other side surface.

A non-contact power reception device includes a load such as a power storage device identified as a subject of power feeding, and a secondary self-resonant coil receiving electric power to be supplied to said load from an external primary self-resonant coil. The secondary self-resonant coil is configured so as to be switchable between a first state and a second state. The first state is selected in a power reception mode in which the secondary self-resonant coil is magnetically coupled with the primary self-resonant coil through resonance of a magnetic field. The second state is selected in a power non-reception mode in which the magnetic coupling of the secondary self-resonant coil with the primary self-resonant coil through resonance is weaker than in the first state.