A power transmission device includes a selective rotation transmission mechanism for keeping the current drive mode of a vehicle. The selective rotation transmission mechanism includes a magnetized yoke, and a pressure receiving plate opposed to the yoke in the axial direction. In order to improve the stability of operation of the selective rotation transmission mechanism, the yoke and the pressure receiving plate are configured such that separated regions are defined between the yoke and the pressure receiving plate when the latter is attracted to the former such that at the separated regions, the yoke is not in contact with the pressure receiving plate.

In accordance with one aspect of the techniques described herein, there is provided a vehicle comprising an engine, an automatic, robotic, or continuously variable transmission mechanically coupled to the engine, a four-wheel drive system, a vehicle control system coupled to the engine, the four-wheel drive system and the transmission, a breaking system, a gas pedal for controlling the operation of the engine, a break pedal for controlling the operation of the breaking system, the gas pedal and the break pedal being disposed in the vehicle for control by a right foot of the driver, the vehicle further comprising an additional pedal being disposed in the vehicle for control by a left foot of the driver and coupled to the vehicle control system, wherein the additional pedal is separate and distinct from the break pedal and the gas pedal and wherein additional pedal controls the four-wheel drive system of the vehicle.

A drive system for a vehicle having a rear drive assembly having a first pair of axles drivingly engaged to a pair of rear wheels, a single front drive assembly in selective electrical communication with a power source and having a second pair of axles drivingly engaged to a pair of front wheels, a selector switch having a first position which prevents electrical communication between the front drive assembly and the power source and a second position which places the front drive assembly in electrical communication with the power source, where the rear drive assembly can power the vehicle when the selector switch is in the first position, and both the rear drive assembly and the front drive assembly can power the vehicle when the selector switch is in the second position.

Some embodiments of the present invention provide a control system configured to control a driveline of a motor vehicle to operate in a selected one of a plurality of configurations, the system being configured to receive a signal indicative of a location of the vehicle, the system being configured to cause the driveline to operate in a configuration selected in dependence at least in part on the signal indicative of the location of the vehicle.

An off-road utility vehicle includes a frame, an engine, a continuously variable transmission, a transaxle comprising a rear differential, an intermediate drive assembly comprising an intermediate differential, and a front drive assembly comprising a front differential. The intermediate drive assembly and transaxle are coupled via an intermediate driveshaft and the front drive assembly and the intermediate drive assembly are coupled via a front drive shaft. The front drive shaft and the intermediate drive shaft are counter rotating.

Some embodiments of the present invention provide a control system configured to control a driveline of a motor vehicle to operate in a selected one of a plurality of configurations, the system being configured to receive a signal indicative of a location of the vehicle, the system being configured to cause the driveline to operate in a configuration selected in dependence at least in part on the signal indicative of the location of the vehicle.

A system for and method of shifting a drive configuration of an all-terrain vehicle (ATV) is provided. The system includes a shifter assembly, a gear case, and a linkage assembly extending therebetween. The shifter assembly includes a trigger lever for receiving a mechanical user input, thereby moving the shifter assembly between a locked configuration and an unlocked configuration. The linkage assembly translates the user input to the gear case, thereby causing the gear case to shift between an engaged configuration and a disengaged configuration, respectively. A linkage biasing member provides mechanical flexibility between the shifter assembly and the gear case, facilitating shifting on the fly. The trigger lever is operated by toggling it from a rest position to a deployed position. Upon user release, the trigger lever is automatically returned to its rest position for future engagement by the user.

A drive switching apparatus includes an output member connected to a drive switching member and displacing the drive switching member to three shift positions by being rotated, a deceleration mechanism decelerating rotation of an input portion connected to an electric motor and outputting the rotation to an output portion, a rotation absorption mechanism including an elastic member interposed between an input element connected to the output portion and an output element connected to the output member, the rotation absorption mechanism absorbing rotation of the input element in a case where rotation of the output element is restricted during the rotation of the input element, and a switch operation portion provided at the output element, the switch operation portion turning a switch on and off according to a rotational position of the output member in order to detect the shift positions of the drive switching member.

A multi-purpose vehicle is disclosed that includes a mode change switch for operating a travel mode of a vehicle body and a mode control device for switching the travel mode of the vehicle body in response to an operation of the mode change switch. The mode control device switches the travel mode of the vehicle body between a two-wheel engine driving mode in which only an engine is driven, a two-wheel motor driving mode in which only a motor is driven, a four-wheel hybrid driving mode in which both of the engine and the motor are driven, and an OFF-mode in which none of the engine and the motor is driven.

Some embodiments are directed to a control system for use with a vehicle having handlebars that are configured to enable vehicle steering. The handlebars define a pair of grasping portions that are disposed to facilitate grasping by a vehicle operator's hands. The vehicle also includes a powertrain and an accessory. The control system includes a manually actuable primary selector disposed adjacent one of the grasping portions to enable manual actuation while one of the vehicle operator's hands grasps the one grasping portion. The primary selector is configured to operate in a powertrain mode to control an aspect of the powertrain, and to operate in a separate accessory mode to control an aspect of the accessory. A manually actuable override selector is disposed adjacent the one grasping portion. The override selector is configured to be manually actuable to switch the primary selector between the powertrain mode and the accessory mode.