There is provided a motor drive comprising: a temperature sensor arranged to sense a temperature of the drive; a braking resistor; switching means arranged when activated to cause current to flow to the braking resistor; and controlling means arranged to activate the switching means when the sensed temperature falls below a predetermined threshold. There is also provided a method of controlling a temperature of a motor drive comprising a braking resistor. The method comprising comprises: monitoring a temperature of the drive; and activating switching means to cause current to flow to the braking resistor when the monitored temperature falls below a predetermined threshold.

A combined heating system and occupant sensing system for a vehicle seat includes first and second electrodes connected in series and a controller configured to direct a heating current to the first and second electrodes. The controller is configured to isolate the first and second electrodes from the heating current and, at the same time, provide a sensing current to only one of the first and second electrodes.

A combined heating system and occupant sensing system for a vehicle seat includes first and second electrodes connected in series and a controller configured to direct a heating current to the first and second electrodes. The controller is configured to isolate the first and second electrodes from the heating current and, at the same time, provide a sensing current to only one of the first and second electrodes.

An electric power supply control apparatus for a vehicle decreases a first electric power prior to switching the modes, when a sum of a request value of a second electric power and the first electric power exceeds a total electric power upper limit value in the mode before the switching, and switches the modes after the sum of the decreased first electric power and the request value of the second electric power becomes equal to or smaller than the total electric power upper limit value.

An electric power supply control apparatus for a vehicle decreases a first electric power prior to switching the modes, when a sum of a request value of a second electric power and the first electric power exceeds a total electric power upper limit value in the mode before the switching, and switches the modes after the sum of the decreased first electric power and the request value of the second electric power becomes equal to or smaller than the total electric power upper limit value.

The system can include an on-board thermal management subsystem. The system 100 can optionally include an off-board (extravehicular) infrastructure subsystem. The on-board thermal management subsystem can include: a battery pack, one or more fluid loops, and an air manifold. The system 100 can additionally or alternatively include any other suitable components.

The system can include an on-board thermal management subsystem. The system 100 can optionally include an off-board (extravehicular) infrastructure subsystem. The on-board thermal management subsystem can include: a battery pack, one or more fluid loops, and an air manifold. The system 100 can additionally or alternatively include any other suitable components.

This patent application is directed to thermal management systems of vehicles with an electric powertrain. More specifically, the battery system and one or more powertrain components and/or cabin climate control components of a vehicle share the same thermal circuit as the battery module through which heat can be exchanged between the battery module and one or more powertrain or climate control components as needed.

A rotating electric machine unit includes a rotating electric machine, a high heat generation circuit and a low heat generation circuit both of which are electrically connected with the rotating electric machine, a first cooler, a first-coolant supplier, a second cooler and a second-coolant supplier. The first cooler is configured to cool both the high heat generation circuit and the low heat generation circuit with a first coolant. The first-coolant supplier is configured to supply the first coolant to the first cooler. The second cooler is configured to cool the rotating electric machine with a second coolant. The second-coolant supplier is configured to supply the second coolant to the second cooler. The second-coolant supplier is formed integrally with a low heat generation circuit-cooling part of the first cooler. The second-coolant supplier includes a heat exchanger via which heat is exchanged between the first coolant and the second coolant.

An ultra low cost electric vehicle heating apparatus, components thereof, and related method are herein described. A driver circuit operates a switching device at an intermediate state between fully-turned-off and fully-turned-on, in a high power dissipation heating mode, to efficiently produce heat energy for heating a passenger compartment, or energy storage system, of an electric vehicle. The driver circuit operates the switching device to have a fully-turned-off state and a fully-turned-on state in a main function mode for a traction inverter or an energy storage system charger of the electric vehicle. The driver circuit is operable to cycle the heating mode and the main function mode for combining such heating and such main function operation of the traction inverter, or the charger, without compromising the operation of the traction motor, or charger, while simultaneously eliminating many of the expensive resistive heating components in use by practitioners of the art.