Battery system comprising first and second electrical energy stores and a voltage conversation unit having multiple voltage conversion functionalities that share circuitry

A battery system having an output for supplying electrical energy to an electric drive motor of a vehicle, the battery system comprising:

• a first electrical energy store having a first nominal voltage and being configured to provide a first electrical energy output at a first voltage, the first electrical energy store being connected to a voltage conversion unit;
• a second electrical energy store having a second nominal voltage, the second nominal voltage being greater than the first nominal voltage, and being configured to provide a second electrical energy output at a second voltage, the second electrical energy store being connected to the output of the battery system;
• and
• the voltage conversion unit connecting the first electrical energy store and the second electrical energy store, the voltage conversion unit being connected to the output of the battery system such that the first electrical energy store is connected to the output of the battery system via the voltage conversion unit, and the voltage conversion unit being configured to:
• perform a first voltage conversion functionality, in which the voltage conversion unit is configured to convert between the first voltage and the second voltage;
• and
• perform a second voltage conversion functionality, in which the voltage conversion unit is configured to:
• receive an electrical energy input from an external electrical energy source at a third voltage;
• convert the electrical energy input at the third voltage to an electrical energy output at the first voltage or the second voltage;
• and
• provide the electrical energy output at the first voltage to the first electrical energy store;
• or
• provide the electrical energy output at the second voltage to the second electrical energy store;
• wherein the first voltage conversion functionality and the second voltage conversion functionality share circuitry of the voltage conversion unit;
• and
• the voltage conversion unit being further configured to perform a third voltage conversion functionality, in which the voltage conversion unit is configured to convert from the first and/or second voltage to a fourth voltage.

A vehicle comprising at least one wheel configured to be driven by an electric drive motor connected to the output of a battery system having an output for supplying electrical energy to the electric drive motor of the vehicle, the battery system comprising:

• a first electrical energy store having a first nominal voltage and being configured to provide a first electrical energy output at a first voltage, the first electrical energy store being connected to a voltage conversion unit;
• a second electrical energy store having a second nominal voltage, the second nominal voltage being greater than the first nominal voltage, and being configured to provide a second electrical energy output at a second voltage, the second electrical energy store being connected to the output of the battery system;
• and
• the voltage conversion unit connecting the first electrical energy store and the second electrical energy store, the voltage conversion unit being connected to the output of the battery system such that the first electrical energy store is connected to the output of the battery system via the voltage conversion unit, and the voltage conversion unit being configured to:
• perform a first voltage conversion functionality, in which the voltage conversion unit is configured to convert between the first voltage and the second voltage;
• and
• perform a second voltage conversion functionality, in which the voltage conversion unit is configured to:
• receive an electrical energy input from an external electrical energy source at a third voltage;
• convert the electrical energy input at the third voltage to an electrical energy output at the first voltage or the second voltage;
• and
• provide the electrical energy output at the first voltage to the first electrical energy store;
• or
• provide the electrical energy output at the second voltage to the second electrical energy store;
• and
• wherein the first voltage conversion functionality and the second voltage conversion functionality share circuitry of the voltage conversion unit;
• and
• wherein the first voltage is in a first range between a first undervoltage and a first overvoltage, the first nominal voltage being within the first range, and wherein the second voltage is in a second range between a second undervoltage and a second overvoltage, the second nominal voltage being within the second range.