| abstract |
A hybrid vehicle comprising an internal combustion engine controllably coupled to road wheels of the vehicle by a clutch, a traction motor coupled to road wheels of said vehicle, a starting motor coupled to the engine, both motors being operable as generators, a battery bank for providing electrical energy to and accepting energy from said motors, and a microprocessor for controlling these components, is operated in different modes, depending on its instantaneous torque requirements, the state of charge of the battery bank, and other operating parameters. The mode of operation is selected by the microprocessor in response to a control strategy. The vehicle may further comprise a controllable inverter/charger connected between the motor and the battery bank. To reduce the risk of accidental electrocution, the battery bank may be configured as two separate battery sub-banks, or as a number of batteries connected by normally-open switching devices. |