Determining a minimum state of charge for an energy storage means of a vehicle

A controller comprising at least one electronic processor and at least one electronic memory device electrically coupled with the electronic processor and having instructions stored therein, the at least one electronic memory device and the instructions configured to, with the at least one electronic processor, cause a vehicle system to perform a method for determining a minimum state of charge for a traction battery of a vehicle, the method comprising:

• determining a routine of use of charge of the traction battery;
• determining a user requirement for future driving of the vehicle;
• predicting a reduction in the state of charge of the traction battery associated with the user requirement based on the determined routine;
• determining a minimum state of charge for the traction battery for enabling the user requirement to be satisfied based on the predicted reduction;
• providing an output to the user indicative of a time requirement for increasing the state of charge of the traction battery to a value at or above the determined minimum state of charge;
• determining a second user requirement for future driving of the vehicle, and for the second user requirement:
• predicting a reduction in the state of charge of the traction battery associated with the second user requirement based on the determined routine;
• determining a second minimum state of charge for the traction battery for enabling the second user requirement to be satisfied based on the predicted reduction;
• and
• providing a second output to the user indicative of a time required for increasing the state of charge of the traction battery to a value at or above the second minimum state of charge,
• wherein the output and the second output are provided together and are each user-selectable, enabling charging of the traction battery to the corresponding value to be performed when selected.

A vehicle comprising a controller and at least one output device, the controller comprising at least one electronic processor and at least one electronic memory device electrically coupled with the electronic processor and having instructions stored therein, the at least one electronic memory device and the instructions configured to, with the at least one electronic processor, cause a vehicle system to perform a method for determining a minimum state of charge for a traction battery of the vehicle, the method comprising:

• determining a routine of use of charge of the traction battery;
• determining a user requirement for future driving of the vehicle;
• predicting a reduction in the state of charge of the traction battery associated with the user requirement based on the determined routine;
• determining a minimum state of charge for the traction battery for enabling the user requirement to be satisfied based on the predicted reduction;
• providing an output to the user indicative of a time requirement for increasing the state of charge of the traction battery to a value at or above the determined minimum state of charge;
• determining a second user requirement for future driving of the vehicle, and for the second user requirement:
• predicting a reduction in the state of charge of the traction battery associated with the second user requirement based on the determined routine;
• determining a second minimum state of charge for the traction battery for enabling the second user requirement to be satisfied based on the predicted reduction;
• and
• providing a second output to the user indicative of a time required for increasing the state of charge of the traction battery to a value at or above the second minimum state of charge,
• wherein the output and the second output are provided together and are each user-selectable, enabling charging of the traction battery to the corresponding value to be performed when selected, and wherein the output device is configured to receive the provided output and the second output, and to present the output and the second output to a user.