Controlling an electric brake of a utility vehicle which has a lithium battery management system

A utility vehicle, comprising:

• a utility vehicle body;
• a lithium battery supported by the utility vehicle body;
• a motor supported by the utility vehicle body;
• and
• a motion control system configured to control movement of a utility vehicle, the motion control system including:
• an electric brake configured to (i) provide mechanical resistance which inhibits the motor from turning when the electric brake is unpowered and (ii) remove the mechanical resistance to allow the motor to turn when power is provided to the electric brake,
• a lithium battery management system (BMS) having a contactor configured to close to provide electrical access to the lithium battery and open to remove electrical access to the lithium battery, and
• control circuitry coupled with the electric brake and the lithium BMS, the control circuitry being configured to direct the lithium BMS to maintain closure of the contactor to provide power from the lithium battery to the electric brake in response to receipt of a tow signal.

In a utility vehicle, a method of controlling lithium battery access, the method comprising:

• signaling a lithium battery management system (BMS) to provide an electric brake with electrical access to a lithium battery of the utility vehicle in response to a tow signal from a tow switch of the utility vehicle, the electric brake being configured to (i) provide mechanical resistance which inhibits a motor of the utility vehicle from turning when the electric brake is unpowered and (ii) remove the mechanical resistance to allow the motor of the utility vehicle to turn when power is provided to the electric brake;
• signaling the lithium BMS to continue providing electrical access to the lithium battery of the utility vehicle while sensing motion of the utility vehicle;
• and
• signaling the lithium BMS to discontinue providing electrical access to the lithium battery when no motion of the utility vehicle has been sensed for a predefined amount of time.