Trailer-based energy capture and management

An apparatus comprising:

• a towed vehicle for use in combination with a towing vehicle, the towed vehicle having an electrically powered drive axle configured to supply supplemental torque to one or more wheels of the towed vehicle and to thereby supplement, while the towed vehicle travels over a roadway and in at least some modes of operation, primary motive forces applied through a separate drivetrain of the towing vehicle;
• an energy store on the towed vehicle, the energy store configured to supply the electrically powered drive axle with electrical power and further configured to receive energy recovered using the electrically powered drive axle in a regenerative braking mode of operation, and wherein the energy store on the towed vehicle includes a battery or battery array;
• an auxiliary power unit (APU) interface to supply electrical power from the energy store to the towing vehicle;
• and
• an electrical cable for transferring electrical power from the energy store on the towed vehicle to the towing vehicle and for bidirectionally conveying data between the towing vehicle and at least a battery management system of the towed vehicle.

A method comprising:

• supplying supplemental torque to one or more wheels of a towed vehicle using an electrically powered drive axle on the towed vehicle to supplement, while the towed vehicle travels over a roadway and in at least some modes of operation, primary motive forces applied through a separate drivetrain of a towing vehicle;
• supplying the electrically powered drive axle with electrical power from an energy store on the towed vehicle, the energy store configured to receive and store energy recovered using the electrically powered drive axle in a regenerative braking mode of operation, and wherein the energy store on the towed vehicle includes a battery or battery array;
• supplying electrical power to the towing vehicle from the energy store on the towed vehicle by way of an auxiliary power unit (APU) interface;
• and
• using an inverter coupled between the battery or battery array and the APU interface to supply AC power to the towing vehicle.

A method comprising:

• supplying supplemental torque to one or more wheels of a towed vehicle using an electrically powered drive axle on the towed vehicle to supplement, while the towed vehicle travels over a roadway and in at least some modes of operation, primary motive forces applied through a separate drivetrain of a towing vehicle;
• supplying the electrically powered drive axle with electrical power from an energy store on the towed vehicle, the energy store configured to receive and store energy recovered using the electrically powered drive axle in a regenerative braking mode of operation, and wherein the energy store on the towed vehicle includes a battery or battery array;
• supplying electrical power to the towing vehicle from the energy store on the towed vehicle by way of an auxiliary power unit (APU) interface;
• transferring electrical power from the energy store on the towed vehicle to the towing vehicle via an electrical cable;
• and
• bidirectionally conveying data between the towing vehicle and at least a battery management system of the towed vehicle via the electrical cable.