Power systems and methods for electric vehicles
AssigneeNIO USA, Inc.
InventorsXiaodong Liu, Bo Guo
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
Embodiments include a power device for an electric vehicle. The power device includes a first bus associated with a first voltage, and a second bus associated with a second voltage, different than the first voltage. The power device includes a plurality of switching elements coupled to a first battery, a second battery, the first bus and the second bus. On/off states of the plurality of switching elements control electrical connections to the first bus, the second bus, the first battery and the second battery according to an operation mode.
Claims20
A power device for an electric vehicle, comprising:
- a first bus associated with a first voltage;
- a second bus associated with a second voltage, different than the first voltage;
- and
- a plurality of switching elements coupled to a first battery, a second battery, the first bus and the second bus, on/off states of the plurality of switching elements controlling electrical connections to the first bus, the second bus, the first battery and the second battery according to an operation mode.
A system for an electric vehicle, comprising:
- a voltage converter to convert a first voltage to a second voltage;
- a first battery;
- a second battery;
- a power device, including:
- a first bus associated with the first voltage;
- a second bus associated with the second voltage;
- and
- a plurality of switching elements coupled to the first battery, the second battery, the first bus and the second bus;
- a powertrain coupled to the first bus;
- and
- at least one controller that controls on/off states of the plurality of switching elements to establish different electrical connections between the first bus, the second bus, the first battery and the second battery according to an operation mode.
A method of operating an electric vehicle, comprising:
- determining an operation mode of the electric vehicle;
- and
- controlling on/off states of a plurality of switching elements that are coupled to a first battery, a second battery, and a powertrain according to the determined operation mode such that i) in a first driving mode, the on/off states of the plurality of switching elements such that the first battery and the second battery power the powertrain according to a first voltage, ii) in a second driving mode, the on/off states of the plurality of switching elements are such that the first battery powers the powertrain according to a second voltage, iii) in a third driving mode, the on/off states of the plurality of switching elements are such that the second battery powers the powertrain according to the second voltage, and iv) in a charging mode, the on/off states of the plurality of switching elements are such that the first battery and the second battery charge with the first voltage from an external power source,
- wherein the first voltage is greater than the second voltage.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.