An integrated housing assembly can be mounted on a roof of a vehicle, such as a semi-trailer truck. The integrated housing assembly includes a main enclosure that includes four sides, a top panel, and a bottom panel. One of the four sides is a front panel that is inclined towards the ground. The main enclosure includes one or more cavities. A front panel of the integrated housing assembly includes one or more openings to allow cameras or sensors to be placed within the one or more cavities and behind the one or more opening. The cameras or sensors cameras can be clamped at a downward angle within multiple lock apparatus. The angled front panel and the inclined cameras or sensors within the lock apparatus allow the cameras or sensors to obtain images or sensor data from one or more regions of interest at some distance from the front of the vehicle.

CNG and/or other types of fuel can be placed in the space between the tractor and the front of the trailer or internal to the cargo volume of the trailer. The tanks can be mounted permanently on the front of the trailer or they could reside on the tractor and be transferred to the front of the trailer after hook up. After the tractor hooks up to a trailer, the tanks are lifted up via two jacks operating at two lift points near the top at each end of the tank module framework, the tanks are then translated backward by a single actuator operating on the midpoint of the horizontal jack support beam which is riding on the tractor frame rails. Then the tanks are lowered to rest on detachable cantilevers attached to the steel understructure near the front of the trailer.

The present invention relates to an electrically driven single-axle tractor for coupling with, and powering of, various pieces of equipment, comprising: a frame; a drive axle, connected to the tractor frame, provided with one pair of wheels; a primary electric motor coupled to the drive axle; at least a secondary electric motor coupled to an equipment drive shaft for releasable coupling with a piece of equipment; and, at least one electrical energy source, as power supply of the primary and secondary electric motor. The invention also provides an assembly of such a tractor and a piece of equipment as well as a method for driving such a tractor.

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.

An arrangement for improving manoeuvrability of a vehicle combination that includes a first vehicle unit, a second vehicle unit and a third vehicle unit interconnected by articulated joints, where the vehicle combination includes two driven axles and where each driven axle can be controlled independently, an arrangement for determining the articulation angel between the vehicle units, an arrangement for determining a steering wheel angle of the vehicle combination, an arrangement for determining the speed of the vehicle combination, an arrangement for determining the yaw rate of the vehicle units, and an arrangement for determining a delay value between the steering wheels of the vehicle combination and at least one articulated joint, where the arrangement is adapted to control a desired articulation angle of the articulated joints by coordinating the force ratio between the two driven axles by using the determined yaw rate of the vehicle units and the determined delay value.

An integrated housing assembly can be mounted on a roof of a vehicle, such as a semi-trailer truck. The integrated housing assembly includes a main enclosure that includes four sides, a top panel, and a bottom panel. One of the four sides is a front panel that is inclined towards the ground. The main enclosure includes one or more cavities. A front panel of the integrated housing assembly includes one or more openings to allow cameras or sensors to be placed within the one or more cavities and behind the one or more opening. The cameras or sensors cameras can be clamped at a downward angle within multiple lock apparatus. The angled front panel and the inclined cameras or sensors within the lock apparatus allow the cameras or sensors to obtain images or sensor data from one or more regions of interest at some distance from the front of the vehicle.

Vehicles with integrated power generation produced by rotation of the wheels are provided. In exemplary implementations, a vehicle includes a frame, a wheel assembly coupled to the frame, and a power generating unit. The wheel assembly includes a wheel defining a wheel axis. The wheel is configured to rotate about the wheel axis during operation of the vehicle. The wheel assembly further includes supporting components fixed about the wheel axis during operation of the vehicle. The power generating unit includes a rotating assembly rotatable with the wheel about the wheel axis, including at least one of a magnet assembly or a coil assembly, and, also includes a stationary assembly mounted to at least one of the supporting components of the wheel assembly or the frame and including the other of the magnet assembly or the coil assembly such that rotation of the wheel rotates the rotating assembly relative to the stationary assembly for generating electrical power.

In one aspect of the present disclosure, a method is provided for operating a vehicle system comprising a motor, a battery, and a controller. The vehicle system is configured to provide at least one of regenerative braking wherein the motor operates to charge the battery and propulsion wherein the motor uses electrical power from the battery to propel the vehicle. The method includes, at the controller, determining an effective motor power at a motor speed and a motor torque. The effective motor power is determined based at least in part on a calculated motor power and an electrical power loss of the motor corresponding to the motor speed and the motor torque. The method further includes causing the motor to apply the motor torque to a wheel of the vehicle upon the effective motor power satisfying an operating condition of the vehicle system.

A compressed natural gas fueling system includes a frame arrangement with at least one tank disposed therein and an inlet that can receive a compressed natural gas fueling nozzle to fill the at least one tank. The fueling system can be attached with and supported by frame rails behind a cabin of a vehicle such that the inlet is positioned above the frame rails.

A system and method is provided for calibrating a portable vehicle sensor which is releasably mountable to a vehicle at least at a first and a second position on the vehicle, wherein the first and second positions are offset from each other. The system includes inputting means configured to receive position information relating to the second position when or after the portable vehicle sensor has been moved from the first position to the second position; calibration means configured to calibrate the position of the portable vehicle sensor with respect to the second position by use of the received position information.