Dynamically limiting vehicle operation for best effort economy

A vehicle, comprising:

• a prime mover coupled to drive at least one wheel of the vehicle;
• a main electrical power storage device that stores power;
• a power supply coupled and operable to selectively transfer electrical power between the main electrical power storage device and the prime mover;
• and
• a controller communicatively coupled to control the power supply, wherein the controller receives a determination made by a backend system located remotely from the vehicle to not limit an operational characteristic of the prime mover of the vehicle based at least in part on a result of a comparison of a determined travel distance and a determined estimated range made by the backend system located remotely form the vehicle, wherein comparison of the determined travel distance with the determined estimated range includes a determination of whether the estimated range is within a defined threshold of the determined travel distance, the defined threshold determined based on one or more of:
• operation or condition of the vehicle at the present time and operation or condition of a driver of the vehicle at the present time, wherein the controller limits at least one operational characteristic of the prime mover of the vehicle in response to a result of a determination by the backend system located remotely from the vehicle to limit the operational characteristic of the prime mover of the vehicle based on a determination made of a new estimated range of the vehicle based at least in part on a historical profile for the main electrical power storage device and a comparison by the backend system located remotely from the vehicle of the new determined estimated range of the vehicle at a present time and a new determined travel distance between a present location of the vehicle and at least one destination.

A method in a backend system for limiting vehicle operation located remotely from the vehicle, the method comprising:

• comparing, by a controller in the backend system for limiting vehicle operation located remotely from the vehicle, a determined estimated range of the vehicle with a determined travel distance between a present location of the vehicle and at least one destination of the vehicle, wherein comparing the determined travel distance with the determined estimated range includes determining whether the estimated range is within a defined threshold of the determined travel distance, the defined threshold determined based on one or more of:
• operation or condition of the vehicle at the present time and operation or condition of a driver of the vehicle at the present time;
• and
• determining, by the controller in the backend system for limiting vehicle operation located remotely from the vehicle, to not limit an operational characteristic of the prime mover of the vehicle based at least in part on a historical profile for a-the main electrical power storage device of the vehicle and a result of the comparison of the determined estimated range and the determined travel distance;
• sending, by the controller in the backend system for limiting vehicle operation located remotely from the vehicle, the determination made by the backend system to not limit the operational characteristic of the prime mover of the vehicle;
• comparing, by the controller in the backend system for limiting vehicle operation located remotely from the vehicle, a new determined estimated range of the vehicle with a new determined travel distance between a new present location of the vehicle and at least one destination of the vehicle;
• determining, by the controller in the backend system for limiting vehicle operation located remotely from the vehicle, to limit the operational characteristic of the prime mover of the vehicle based at least in part on the historical profile for a main electrical power storage device of the vehicle and a result of the comparison of the new determined estimated range and the new determined travel distance;
• and
• limiting, by the controller in the backend system for limiting vehicle operation located remotely from the vehicle, at least one operational characteristic of the prime mover of the vehicle in response to the determination made by the backend system to limit the operational characteristic of the prime mover of the vehicle.

A method of operating a vehicle having a prime mover powered by a main electrical power storage device, the method comprising:

• determining a current status of the main electrical power storage device;
• and
• determining whether to limit an operational characteristic of the prime mover of the vehicle based at least in part on a result of the determined current status of the main electrical power storage device and a determination of whether an estimated range of the vehicle at a present time is within a defined threshold of a determined travel distance, the defined threshold determined based on one or more of:
• operation or condition of the vehicle at the present time and operation or condition of a driver of the vehicle at the present time, wherein the determination of whether to limit an operational characteristic of the prime mover of the vehicle is a determination made by a backend system located remotely from the vehicle to not limit the operational characteristic of the prime mover of the vehicle.