An electrified vehicle include a chassis, a front axle coupled to the chassis, a rear axle coupled to the chassis, an electric motor supported by the chassis, and a trailer coupled to a rear end of the chassis and configured to be towed by the electrified vehicle. The electric motor is configured to drive at least one of the front axle, the rear axle, or a component of the electrified vehicle. The trailer includes a trailer frame, a trailer axle coupled to the trailer frame, and an energy storage device supported by the trailer frame. The energy storage device includes a plurality of batteries. The energy storage device configured to power the electric motor.

An all-wheel-drive electric vehicle includes one or more front electric motors, one or more rear electric motors, an accelerator sensor, a vehicle speed sensor, and a control unit. The one or more front electric motors are configured to directly drive front wheels. The one or more rear electric motors are configured to directly drive rear wheels. The accelerator sensor is configured to determine an operation amount of an accelerator. The vehicle speed sensor is configured to determine vehicle speed. The control unit is configured to control drive of the one or more front and rear electric motors based on the operation amount of the accelerator and the vehicle speed. The control unit is configured to change an allocation of driving force between the one or more front electric motors and the one or more rear electric motors with a bias toward the rear wheels in a case where the operation amount of the accelerator is increased at or above a predetermined rate in a state in which the vehicle speed is higher than or equal to a predetermined speed.

A hybrid vehicle includes an engine that drives first wheel, and a motor that drives second wheel. The hybrid vehicle includes (1) a minute speed launch support mode where the hybrid vehicle is driven only by the motor as a drive source, (2) a sudden launch support mode where the hybrid vehicle is driven by the engine and motor as the drive source, and (3) a smooth launch support mode where the hybrid vehicle is driven only by the motor as the drive source in an early stage, is driven by the engine and motor in a middle stage, and is driven only by the engine in a late stage, and if an operation amount of an acceleration instruction unit is not 0 or is substantially not 0, any one of the support modes is executed according to an operation status of the acceleration instruction unit.

A hybrid vehicle includes an engine that drives first wheel, and a motor that drives second wheel. The hybrid vehicle includes (1) a minute speed launch support mode where the hybrid vehicle is driven only by the motor as a drive source, (2) a sudden launch support mode where the hybrid vehicle is driven by the engine and motor as the drive source, and (3) a smooth launch support mode where the hybrid vehicle is driven only by the motor as the drive source in an early stage, is driven by the engine and motor in a middle stage, and is driven only by the engine in a late stage, and if an operation amount of an acceleration instruction unit is not 0 or is substantially not 0, any one of the support modes is executed according to an operation status of the acceleration instruction unit.

A drive force distribution method and a drive force distribution control device is provided for a front and rear wheel drive vehicle provided with a drive force distribution device that controls a distribution of a drive force generated by a drive force source to main drive wheels and auxiliary drive wheels. A present distribution of the drive force to an auxiliary drive wheel side is increased by a first predetermined amount upon determining the rotational speed difference between the rotational speeds of the main drive wheels and the auxiliary drive wheels has been determined to not be smaller than a predetermined rotational speed difference. The present distribution of the drive force to the auxiliary drive wheel side is reduced by a second predetermined amount when the rotational speed difference has been determined to be smaller than the predetermined rotational speed difference.

Land vehicles and methods of operating land vehicles are disclosed. A land vehicle includes a frame structure, a plurality of wheels, and a brake system. The frame structure includes a front cage that at least partially defines an operator cabin and a rear compartment positioned rearward of the front cage in a longitudinal direction. The plurality of wheels are supported by the frame structure. Each of plurality of wheels is sized to permit direct integration of an electric motor therein.

Methods and systems are provided for selectively engaging an electric machine to an electric axle of a vehicle. In one example, a method may include engaging or disengaging the electric machine to a differential of the electric-axle by adjusting pressure in a piston coupled to an axle shaft of the electric-axle via a disconnect clutch.

Methods and systems are provided for selectively engaging an electric machine to an electric axle of a vehicle. In one example, a method may include engaging or disengaging the electric machine to a differential of the electric-axle by adjusting pressure in a piston coupled to an axle shaft of the electric-axle via a disconnect clutch.

An all-wheel-drive electric vehicle includes one or more front electric motors, one or more rear electric motors, an accelerator sensor, a vehicle speed sensor, and a control unit. The one or more front electric motors are configured to directly drive front wheels. The one or more rear electric motors are configured to directly drive rear wheels. The accelerator sensor is configured to determine an operation amount of an accelerator. The vehicle speed sensor is configured to determine vehicle speed. The control unit is configured to control drive of the one or more front and rear electric motors based on the operation amount of the accelerator and the vehicle speed. The control unit is configured to change an allocation of driving force between the one or more front electric motors and the one or more rear electric motors with a bias toward the rear wheels in a case where the operation amount of the accelerator is increased at or above a predetermined rate in a state in which the vehicle speed is higher than or equal to a predetermined speed.

A transfer for a four wheel drive vehicle includes first and second distribution mechanisms that respectively include first and second clutches configured to be controlled to a half-engaged state. The first and second distribution mechanisms distribute a portion of power outputted from a power source to a second transmission mechanism respectively through the first and second clutches. A first difference is different from a second difference. The first difference is a difference between a gear ratio from an input shaft of the first clutch to a first driving wheel and a gear ratio from an output shaft of the first clutch to a second driving wheel. The second difference is a difference between a gear ratio from an input shaft of the second clutch to the first driving wheel and a gear ratio from an output shaft of the second clutch to the second driving wheel.