A vehicle charging system which comprises a electric cord and vehicle connector assembly, a sensor for determining the thermal buildup in the electric cord and vehicle connector assembly, and the processor monitors and modifies the pilot signal so as to limit the level of current being supplied to the electric vehicle.

A battery charging assembly includes a load management system, a charging cord with a battery connector, and circuitry for detecting cord removal or damage. The load management system monitors the heat buildup in a coiled portion of the charging cord and issues a corresponding signal to control the current flowing through the cord.

A battery cell is made more thermally efficient with the addition of an integrated vapor chamber that extends out from the cell and into an external heat exchange interface. The integrated vapor chamber can contain a working fluid which undergoes phase changes between liquid and vapor phases when there is a temperature differential between the interior and exterior of the cell. The integrated vapor chamber can include a wicking material to transfer the working fluid to the exterior wall of the vapor chamber. The integrated vapor chamber allows for both heating and cooling of the battery cell.

A battery charging assembly includes a load management system, a charging cord with a battery connector, and circuitry for detecting thermal buildup. The load management system monitors the heat buildup in a coiled portion of the charging cord and issues a corresponding signal to control the current flowing through the cord.

A torque control apparatus is provided which facilitates a positioning between a position of the vehicle and a predetermined parking position when the vehicle is parked. The torque control apparatus according to the present invention includes: accelerator opening angle detecting means for detecting an accelerator opening angle; torque setting means for setting a torque to drive the vehicle (100) on a basis of an accelerator opening angle detected by the accelerator opening angle detecting means; and torque control means for correcting the torque set by the torque setting means in accordance with the relative position between the predetermined parking position and the position of vehicle (100), and driving the vehicle (100) according to the corrected torque.

Aspects described herein include an apparatus for charging an autonomous ground vehicle (AGV). The apparatus includes a plurality of first electrical contacts coupled to a power supply and that project upwardly from a base, and a plurality of receiver sections dimensioned to retain portions of a plurality of axially-aligned wheels of the AGV. The first electrical contacts are arranged relative to the plurality of receiver sections such that when the axially-aligned wheels roll into the plurality of receiver sections, second electrical contacts of the AGV are contacted to the first electrical contacts. After a plurality of the second electrical contacts are contacted with power contacts of the first electrical contacts, at least one other of the second electrical contacts is contacted with a control contact of the first electrical contacts to enable power delivery to the AGV through the power contacts.