Electric drive mechanism for vehicles

An electrical drive mechanism for a vehicle comprising, a drive mechanism adapted to be fed with electrical energy from an electrical main supply means and including an energy storage means in the form of a flywheel, at least two electrical motors adapted to be switched from a prime mover mode of operation to a generator mode of operation and being effective as a Ward-Leonard drive during a flywheel operation, a first of said drive motors being adapted to provide about one half of a maximum drive power for the vehicle, a second of said drive motors being adapted to provide about one half of the maximum drive power for the vehicle, means for electrically connecting said first and second motors in parallel during operation of the vehicle from the electrical main supply means, first transmission means for connecting the drive shaft of said first motor with driven wheels of the vehicle, second transmission means having an input connected to the drive shaft of said second motor and an output connected to said flywheel, third transmission means interconnected between the output of said second transmission means and the drive shaft of said first motor, and selectively actuatable clutch means interposed between the output of said second transmission means and said flywheel.