A power control system is disclosed for a utility vehicle having position sensors configured to collect vehicle position data. The system includes a propulsion system having electric drive motors powered by a battery, and the drive motors are configured to recharge the battery via regenerative braking. The battery has a maximum charge capacity and a regenerative capacity, wherein the regenerative capacity is a portion of the maximum charge capacity reserved for regenerative braking. Memory is configured to store terrain data indicative of terrain types for a plurality of locations. A processor is configured to determine a location of the utility vehicle based on the position data, identify a current terrain type based on vehicle location and stored terrain data, and generate a command signal to adjust the regenerative capacity of the battery based on the current terrain type.

Systems and methods for providing locked rotor protection for powertrains of electric vehicles are provided. One method for operating an electric vehicle includes receiving a command for propelling the electric vehicle, driving an electric motor of the powertrain of the electric vehicle, and determining that the powertrain is obstructed. After determining that the powertrain is obstructed, an output is generated to initiate one or more actions intended to protect the powertrain.

A through the road (TTR) hybridization strategy is proposed to facilitate introduction of hybrid electric vehicle technology in a significant portion of current and expected trucking fleets. In some cases, the technologies can be retrofitted onto an existing vehicle (e.g., a trailer, a tractor-trailer configuration, etc.). In some cases, the technologies can be built into new vehicles. In some cases, one vehicle may be built or retrofitted to operate in tandem with another and provide the hybridization benefits contemplated herein. By supplementing motive forces delivered through a primary drivetrain and fuel-fed engine with supplemental torque delivered at one or more electrically-powered drive axles, improvements in overall fuel efficiency and performance may be delivered, typically without significant redesign of existing components and systems that have been proven in the trucking industry.

A vehicle may include a controller configured to, in response to an accelerator pedal release and an expected regenerative braking event, increase an engagement pressure of a torque converter clutch prior to occurrence of the event to a threshold that is based on a regenerative braking torque estimate associated with the event such that during the event, the clutch transfers more torque than the converter. The regenerative braking torque estimate may be based on a difference between an average road grade and a current road grade. The regenerative braking torque estimate may be based on a headway range and a rate of change thereof. The regenerative braking torque estimate may be based on a predicted deceleration rate.

A vehicle control system determines an upper non-zero limit on deceleration of a vehicle to prevent rollback of the vehicle down a grade being traveled up on by the vehicle. The upper non-zero limit on deceleration is determined by the controller based on a payload carried by the vehicle, a speed of the vehicle, and a grade of a route being traveled upon by the vehicle. The controller is configured to monitor the deceleration of the vehicle, and to automatically prevent the deceleration of the vehicle from exceeding the upper non-zero limit by controlling one or more of a brake or a motor of the vehicle. The controller also is configured to one or more of actuate the brake or supply current to the motor of the vehicle to prevent rollback of the vehicle while the vehicle is moving up the grade at a non-zero speed.

A control device for electric motor vehicle is configured to decelerate by a regenerative braking force of the motor when an accelerator operation amount decreases or becomes zero. The control device detects the accelerator operation amount, calculates a motor torque command value, and controls the motor on the basis of the motor torque command value calculated. The control device detects a speed parameter proportional to a traveling speed and calculates a feedback torque for stopping the vehicle on the basis of the speed parameter detected. The control device also estimates a disturbance torque acting on the motor and converges, as the speed parameter is reduced, the motor torque command value to the disturbance torque on the basis of the feedback torque when the accelerator operation amount decreases or becomes zero and the electric motor vehicle stops shortly. The control device adjusts the feedback torque according to the disturbance torque.

In one aspect, a controller for driving a motor of the present invention includes a driving control unit that controls driving of a motor, and a regenerative control unit that instructs the driving control unit to start regeneration when a signal from a pedal rotation sensor that detects a rotation direction of a pedal indicates that the rotation direction of the pedal is backwards, the regenerative control unit controlling an amount of the regeneration in accordance with a rotation amount of the pedal while the rotation direction of the pedal is backwards, the rotation amount being obtained by the pedal rotation sensor.

In the case where a virtual vehicle speed selection means selects one of a first virtual vehicle speed and a second virtual vehicle speed so as to perform switching from the other one to said one of the first virtual vehicle speed and the second virtual vehicle speed, the rotation speed of an electric motor is decelerated to a threshold value with which travel of the vehicle stabilizes and the deceleration of the electric motor is stopped when the rotation speed of the electric motor becomes lower than the threshold value, and then traction of the vehicle is controlled based on the selected virtual vehicle speed.

A control apparatus for a vehicle including a three-phase AC motor and a power converter, the control apparatus includes an ECU. The ECU is configured to determine whether a rotation speed of the three-phase AC motor is equal to or less than a predetermined threshold and whether a stopping operation of the vehicle is performed, to determine that the vehicle stops when the rotation speed is equal to or less than the predetermined threshold and the stopping operation is performed, to determine whether the vehicle skids, and to switch a state of the power converter to a state where all on one side of the first and second switching elements are turned off and at least one on the other side of the first and second switching elements is turned on when the ECU determines that the vehicle stops and that the vehicle does not skid.

Systems, methods, and apparatuses for storing energy in a mining machine. One embodiment provides a haulage vehicle including a bi-directional electrical bus, a power source coupled to the bi-directional electrical bus, a motor coupled to the bi-directional electrical bus and operating a drive mechanism included in the haulage vehicle, a kinetic energy storage system coupled to the bi-directional electrical bus, and a controller configured to communicate with the kinetic energy storage system and the power source. The kinetic energy storage system includes a flywheel and a switched reluctance motor. The controller is configured to operate the kinetic energy storage system as a primary power source for the bi-directional electrical bus and to operate the power source as a secondary power source for the bi-directional electrical bus when the kinetic energy storage system cannot satisfy an energy demand on the bi-directional electrical bus.