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 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.

A hydraulic control device for a vehicle is provided wherein a determination of “base neutral” is made when a difference between a command hydraulic pressure and an actual hydraulic pressure of a hydraulic clutch is within a predetermined minute value range, and when the difference is out of the minute value range, a determination of “base raising” is made if the command hydraulic pressure is larger than the actual hydraulic pressure, and a determination of “base lowering” is made if the command hydraulic pressure is smaller than the actual hydraulic pressure. The determination of “sub raising” is made when an inclination of command torque subjected to low-pass filter processing is positive for a predetermined time or more, and the determination of “sub lowering” is made when the inclination is negative for the predetermined time or more, whereby a rising or dropping tendency of the command torque is determined.

A transfer case includes a primary output shaft, a secondary output shaft, a clutch, and a hub. The clutch includes a plurality of interleaved plates for selectively rotationally coupling the primary output shaft to the secondary output shaft. The hub rotationally couples the primary output shaft and the clutch. The hub includes an outer annular member and an inner annular member. The inner annular member is rotatable within the outer annular member for the hub to selectively release oil into the 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.

A transfer for a four wheel drive vehicle includes first and second distribution mechanisms. The first distribution mechanism includes a first clutch and is configured to distribute a portion of power from a power source to a second transmission mechanism through the first clutch. The second distribution mechanism includes a planetary gear set and a second clutch, and is configured to distribute a portion of power from the power source to a second transmission mechanism through the planetary gear set and the second clutch in order. The first and second clutches are configured to be controlled to a half-engaged state between engagement and disengagement. An input shaft of the first distribution mechanism and an input shaft of the planetary gear set are unitized.

A vehicle power transfer unit assembly comprises an input shaft, an intermediate shaft at least partially surrounding the input shaft, a central shaft adjacent the input shaft, a peripheral shaft at least partially surrounding the central shaft, a first shift collar, and a second shift collar. The first shift collar is operable between a first position where torque is transferred from the input shaft to the intermediate shaft and a second position where torque is not transferred from the input shaft to the intermediate shaft. The second shift collar is operable between a third position where torque is transferred from the input shaft to the peripheral shaft and a fourth position where torque is transferred from the input shaft to the central shaft.

Systems and methods are provided herein for operating an electric vehicle in a vehicle yaw mode. The electric vehicle includes a normal driving mode where the electric vehicle is steered by turning the steerable wheels (e.g., left or right) and vehicle yaw mode where the vehicle controls the torque applied to each wheel. In response to receiving input to initiate vehicle yaw mode and yaw direction, the system determines the inner wheels and the outer wheels and provides forward torque to the outer wheels of the vehicle and backward torque to the inner wheels of the vehicle to rotate the vehicle.