Electrically powered trailer system with regenerative braking

An electrically powered trailer, comprising:

• a hitch configured to connect the electrically powered trailer to a tractor;
• a plurality of motor/generators comprising an at least one right side motor/generator and an at least one left side motor/generator, each such motor/generator providing torque while consuming a motive electrical power when configured as motor and further providing braking while generating a braking electrical power when configured as generator;
• at least two drive wheels comprising a right drive wheel and a left drive wheel, the right drive wheel configured to be driven by the at least one right side motor/generator and the left drive wheel configured to be driven by the at least one left side motor/generator;
• an electrical power storage bank electrically connected to the plurality of motor/generators, the electrical power storage bank configured controllably to release charge to provide the motive electrical power consumed by the plurality of motor/generators, the electrical power storage bank further configured to receive and store the charge from the braking electrical power generated by the plurality of motor/generators;
• a plurality of sensors, comprising:
• a left wheel velocity sensor and a right wheel velocity sensor;
• at least one right load sensor configured with the right wheel and configured to measure a right forward drag and/or a right rear drag on the right wheel and at least one left load sensor configured with the left wheel and configured to measure a left forward drag and/or a left rear drag on the left wheel;
• a towing load sensor configured to provide data measuring towing tension between the tractor and the electrically powered trailer at the hitch;
• a hitch angle sensor configured to provide data measuring angular displacement between the electrically powered trailer and the tractor;
• and
• a trailer control system, comprising:
• a controller configured to receive input from the plurality of sensors;
• a plurality of effectors under control of the controller, comprising:
• a torque/braking selector effector configured differentially to select each of the plurality of motor/generators as either motor or generator;
• a power control effector configured differentially to control the motive electrical power from the electrical power storage bank consumed by the motor/generator when the motor/generator is selected as motor;
• a braking control effector configured differentially to apply braking to the motor/generator when the motor/generator is selected as generator;
• the controller further configured to apply the torque or braking differentially to the plurality of motor/generators by way of the plurality of effectors in response to the input from the plurality of sensors.