Embodiments of the present invention provide control means for a vehicle, the control means being operable to control charging of tractive energy storage means of the vehicle, the control means being configured to allow charging of the energy storage means in dependence on a location of the vehicle and a time of day, wherein if the location of the vehicle corresponds to one or more prescribed locations the control means is operable to permit charging only during one or more prescribed periods of the day.

Electrical charging station that includes the following: A first socket to deliver electrical power to an electric vehicle. A casing to be fastened to the ground or to a wall. A holder in which the first socket is fastened or integrated. The holder is movable with respect to the casing between a protected position and an exposed position, in which positions access to the first socket, from outside the casing, is prevented and permitted. Structure to drive the holder between the protected and exposed positions. A control module for controlling the driving structure. The casing includes an aperture that is blocked in the protected position and that defines an access to the first socket in the exposed position. The holder is movable in the casing between the protected and exposed positions. The holder is arranged so as to block the aperture in the exposed position.

A system and method for predicting and avoiding degradation of an electrical drive component in a vehicle. A determination unit determines road attributes of a planned route of the vehicle. A prediction unit continuously predicts a type of degradation of an electrical drive component in the vehicle with respect to the determined road attributes. In response to the prediction unit predicting the type of degradation of the drive component, a control unit anticipatorily controls the drive component such that the predicted type of degradation of the drive component does not occur.

Embodiments of the present invention provide control means for a vehicle, the control means being operable to control charging of tractive energy storage means of the vehicle, the control means being configured to allow charging of the energy storage means in dependence on a location of the vehicle and a time of day, wherein if the location of the vehicle corresponds to one or more prescribed locations the control means is operable to permit charging only during one or more prescribed periods of the day.

A railroad system includes a first vehicle and a second vehicle. The first vehicle includes a drive-part, an inverter, an electric storage device, and a control part. The control part controls feasibility of charge or discharge of the electric storage device based on a detection value of any of a charge accumulation amount of the electric storage device, a distance between the first vehicle and the second vehicle, or a voltage value of a power line. When it is assumed that the detection value when charge or discharge of the electric storage device is switched from an allowable state to a prohibited state is a first set value, and the detection value when charge or discharge of the electric storage device is switched from a prohibited state to an allowable state is a second set value, the first set value and the second set value are different from each other.

A method for starting a motor vehicle with a fuel cell system for providing electrical drive power in the vehicle is disclosed. A starting procedure can be started by a remote control unit independently of the presence of the user in the immediate vicinity of the vehicle. The starting procedure only takes place by the remote control unit if a start signal from the remote control unit exists, and if simultaneously a sensed temperature in the vehicle, the fuel cell system and/or the surroundings of the vehicle is below a predetermined temperature threshold value.

Methods and systems for monitoring and optimizing utilization of batteries for electric vehicles are described. Data of battery usage of electric vehicles are monitored using battery monitoring sensors at the electric vehicles for a plurality of users who share use of electric vehicles. Battery usage metrics are determined for the batteries of the electric vehicles based on the data of battery usage and determining user impact metrics based on measured quantities relating to driving of the electric vehicles for the plurality of users, the user impact metrics being indicative of degrees of driving severity placed on the vehicles associated with use habits of particular users. The battery usage metrics and the user impact metrics for the plurality of users are analyzed at a computer processing system to determine a particular user to assign to a particular electric vehicle in a given time period to counteract battery degradation of the battery in a particular electric vehicle, and a particular user is paired with the particular electric vehicle.

A train tracking system includes a train tracking module, a plurality of input sources providing train related information, and one or more interface(s) associated with the train tracking module, wherein the train tracking module is configured via computer executable instructions and through operation of a processor to receive the train related information from the plurality of input sources via the one or more interface(s), determine a position of a train within a train track map, the position of the train corresponding to a track location of the train in a track network, and wherein the train tracking module further comprises a learning algorithm, the train tracking module being configured to, utilizing the learning algorithm, determine an unexpected occupancy of the track location.

A train tracking system includes a train tracking module, a plurality of input sources providing train related information, and one or more interface(s) associated with the train tracking module, wherein the train tracking module is configured via computer executable instructions and through operation of a processor to receive the train related information from the plurality of input sources via the one or more interface(s), determine a position of a train within a train track map, and determine a location attribute for the position of the train.

A battery temperature adjustment system includes: a temperature adjustment device adjusts a temperature of a power storage device; and a processor. A setting mode of the temperature adjustment device includes: a first mode in which, in response to a travel route of includes a charging facility, the temperature is adjusted within a first temperature range suitable for charging at a time of arrival at the facility; and a second mode in which, in response to receiving a predetermined operation for adjusting the temperature within a second temperature range suitable for charging or traveling, the temperature is adjusted within the second temperature range. The processor controls the temperature adjustment device to adjust the temperature according to the setting mode; and when the setting mode is the first mode, rejects the predetermined operation and maintain the first mode in a case where the predetermined operation is received.