Runaway prevention systems and methods for electric vehicles
AssigneeTaiga Motors Inc.
InventorsGabriel Bernatchez, Amin Zabihinejad
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
Systems and methods of stopping propulsion of an electric vehicle in an emergency situation are provided. One method includes receiving a command to stop propulsion of the electric vehicle while the electric vehicle is in motion, and in response to the command, attempting to regulate an operation of an electric motor of the electric vehicle toward a no-load operating state of the electric motor while the electric vehicle is in motion. When the operation of the electric motor is outside a prescribed range of the no-load operating state after attempting to regulate the operation of the electric motor toward the no-load operating state, the method includes causing braking of the electric motor.
Claims20
A method of stopping propulsion of an electric powersport vehicle in an emergency situation, the method comprising:
- causing an electric motor of the electric powersport vehicle to propel the electric powersport vehicle;
- receiving, via an emergency shutoff switch of the electric powersport vehicle or via a tether switch of the electric powersport vehicle, a command to stop propulsion of the electric powersport vehicle while the electric powersport vehicle is in motion;
- in response to the command, attempting to regulate an operation of the electric motor toward a no-load operating state of the electric motor while the electric powersport vehicle is in motion and as a speed of the electric powersport vehicle is decreasing, wherein in the no-load operating state, the electric motor is controlled so that substantially no torque is output from the electric motor or is input into the electric motor operating as a generator;
- and
- when the operation of the electric motor is outside a prescribed range of the no-load operating state after attempting to regulate the operation of the electric motor toward the no-load operating state, causing braking of the electric motor via a power inverter while the electric powersport vehicle is in motion.
An electric powersport vehicle with vehicle runaway prevention, the electric powersport vehicle comprising:
- an electric motor for propelling the electric powersport vehicle;
- one or more sensors operatively connected to sense one or more parameters indicative of an operation of the electric motor;
- a switch to initiate a command during an emergency situation while the electric powersport vehicle is in motion;
- a controller operatively connected to the electric motor, to the switch and to the one or more sensors, the controller being configured to:
- in response to the command, attempt to regulate, while the electric powersport vehicle is in motion and as a speed of the electric powersport vehicle is decreasing, the operation of the electric motor toward a no-load operating state of the electric motor, wherein in the no-load operating state, the electric motor is controlled so that substantially no torque is output from the electric motor or is input into the electric motor operating as a generator;
- and
- when the operation of the electric motor is outside a prescribed range of the no-load operating state after attempting to regulate the operation of the electric motor toward the no-load operating state, cause braking of the electric motor via a power inverter while the electric powersport vehicle is in motion.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.