Hybrid vehicle provided with an electronically controlled transmission

1. A hybrid vehicle ( 1 ) comprising:

at least one pair of drive wheels ( 2 );

an internal combustion heat engine ( 5 );

an electronically controlled transmission ( 11 ), which transmits a torque from the heat engine ( 5 ) to the drive wheels ( 2 );

at least one electric machine ( 8 , 9 ), which can be connected to the drive wheels ( 2 );

an electronic power converter ( 14 , 15 ), which controls the electric machine ( 8 , 9 );

an electronic control unit ( 17 ) of the heat engine ( 5 ), which supervises the operation of the heat engine ( 5 ) and controls the heat engine ( 5 ) to pursue a torque objective and/or an rpm objective;

an electronic control unit ( 18 ) of the transmission ( 11 ), which supervises the operation of the transmission ( 11 ) and controls the transmission ( 11 ) to perform, if required, a gear shift;

an interior provided with a plurality of controls, which can be operated by a driver and comprise a steering wheel ( 20 ), an accelerator pedal ( 21 ), a brake pedal ( 22 ) and transmission control lever ( 23 );

an electronic control unit ( 19 ) of the transmission control lever, which is physically installed in the interior close to the transmission control lever ( 23 ) and fulfils the function of acquiring the current position of the transmission control lever ( 23 ) by directly receiving and thus processing the raw signals coming from at least one position sensor coupled to the transmission control lever ( 23 ); and

a vehicle management unit, which receives orders given by the driver and provides the control unit ( 17 ) of the heat engine ( 5 ), the control unit ( 18 ) of the transmission ( 11 ) and the electronic power converter ( 14 , 15 ) with the corresponding objectives to follow the driver's orders;

wherein a vehicle control unit is integrated in the electronic control unit ( 19 ) of the transmission control lever so that the electronic control unit ( 19 ) of the transmission control lever also fulfils the function of vehicle management unit by receiving the orders given by driver and by providing the electronic control unit ( 17 ) of the heat engine ( 5 ), the electronic control unit ( 18 ) of the transmission ( 11 ) and the electronic power converter ( 14 , 15 ) with the corresponding objectives to meet the driver's needs.

2. The vehicle ( 1 ) according to claim 1 , wherein the electronic control unit ( 19 ) of the transmission control lever comprises:

a hardware device ( 24 ) provided with a memory and with at least one microprocessor;

a first software ( 25 ), which is run by the hardware device ( 24 ) and fulfils the function of acquiring the position of the transmission control lever ( 23 ) by processing the raw signals provided by the position sensor coupled to the transmission control lever ( 23 ), so as to safely and precisely obtain the position of the transmission control lever ( 23 ); and

a second software ( 26 ), which is run by the hardware device ( 24 ) in parallel with the first software ( 25 ) and fulfils the function of vehicle management unit, namely the second software ( 26 ) directs and coordinates the heat engine ( 5 ), the transmission ( 11 ) and the electric machine ( 8 , 9 ).

3. The vehicle ( 1 ) according to claim 1 , wherein the vehicle management unit integrated in the electronic control unit ( 19 ) of the transmission control lever determines driver's motion needs based on the position of the accelerator pedal ( 21 ), the position of the brake pedal ( 22 ) and the position of the transmission control lever ( 23 ), namely the electronic control unit ( 19 ) of the transmission control lever translates these positions into a longitudinal speed objective and into a longitudinal acceleration objective for the vehicle ( 1 ).

4. The vehicle ( 1 ) according to claim 3 , wherein the vehicle management unit integrated in the electronic control unit ( 19 ) of the transmission control lever establishes how to pursue the longitudinal speed objective and the longitudinal acceleration objective by coordinating the heat engine ( 5 ), the transmission ( 11 ) and the electric machine ( 8 , 9 ).

5. The vehicle ( 1 ) according to claim 3 , wherein the vehicle management unit integrated in the electronic control unit ( 19 ) of the transmission control lever establishes the torque objective and the rpm objective for the heat engine ( 5 ), a gear ratio objective for the transmission ( 11 ) and a torque objective and an rpm objective for the electric machine ( 8 , 9 ).

6. The vehicle ( 1 ) according to claim 1 , wherein the electronic control unit ( 19 ) of the transmission control lever is physically installed in a central tunnel ( 27 ) supporting the transmission control lever ( 23 ).

7. The vehicle ( 1 ) according to claim 1 , wherein:

the electronic control unit ( 17 ) of the heat engine ( 5 ) is physically installed in an engine compartment to be arranged close to the heat engine ( 5 ) and communicates with the vehicle management unit integrated in the electronic control unit ( 19 ) of the transmission control lever through a CAN network; and

the electronic control unit ( 18 ) of the transmission ( 11 ) is physically installed close to the transmission ( 11 ) and communicates with the vehicle management unit integrated in the electronic control unit ( 19 ) of the transmission control lever through the CAN network.