IP Library › Granted Patent US 12,291,112
Granted Patent B2
US 12,291,112 · App. 18/301,791 · Granted May 6, 2025

High voltage battery conditioning for battery electric vehicle

Inventors: Tyler Chapman (San Tan Valley, AZ); Michael Corona (Loveland, CO); Mayank Darji (Chandler, AZ); Meet Kalola (Gujurat, IN); T. Neil McLemore (Phoenix, AZ); Varoujan Sarkissian (Scottsdale, AZ)
Assignee: Nikola Corporation
B60L50/66B60L50/64H02J7/0016H02J7/0029H02J7/0048
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Quick Facts
Patent No.
US 12,291,112
App. No.
18/301,791
Granted
May 6, 2025
Kind
B2
Abstract

Systems and methods provide for battery conditioning for high voltage (HV) electrical vehicles. Battery temperatures are monitored, and responsive to one or more battery temperatures falling within designated ranges, one or more battery temperatures may be increased via heating in order to provide for more uniform battery performance and conditioning.

Claims (44)

1. An electric vehicle, comprising:

a vehicle control module (VCM); and

a battery assembly communicatively coupled to the VCM,

wherein the battery assembly comprises at least two battery packs,

wherein each battery pack is electrically coupled in parallel with another battery pack,

wherein the battery assembly is configured to measure a temperature of each battery cell in each of the at least two battery packs of the battery assembly and send the measured battery cell temperatures to the VCM,

wherein the VCM is configured to determine if at least one of the measured battery cell temperatures received from the battery assembly is less than a first temperature threshold,

wherein, when the measured battery cell temperatures are determined to be greater than the first temperature threshold, the VCM is configured to close contactors in each battery pack of the battery assembly, and

wherein the VCM is further configured to heat condition a first battery pack of the battery assembly.

2. The electric vehicle of claim 1 , wherein, when at least one of the measured battery cell temperatures is determined to be less than the first temperature threshold, the VCM is configured to close contactors of the first battery pack.

3. The electric vehicle of claim 2 , wherein:

when at least one of the measured battery cell temperatures is determined to be less than the first temperature threshold, the VCM is further configured to determine if at least one of the measured battery cell temperatures is less than a second temperature threshold; and

when at least one of the measured battery cell temperatures is determined to be less than the second temperature threshold, the VCM is configured to first open contactors of the first battery pack and then close contactors of a second battery pack of the battery assembly.

4. The electric vehicle of claim 2 , wherein, when at least one of the measured battery cell temperatures is determined to be less than the first temperature threshold and greater than a second temperature threshold, the VCM is configured to close contactors of a second battery pack of the battery assembly and then open contactors of the first battery pack.

5. The electric vehicle of claim 2 , wherein the VCM is configured to close contactors of the first battery pack for a pre-determined amount of time.

6. The electric vehicle of claim 5 , wherein the pre-determined amount of time is one minute.

7. The electric vehicle of claim 1 , further comprising a thermal system communicatively coupled to the VCM, wherein the thermal system is thermally coupled to the battery assembly,

wherein, when the VCM starts heat conditioning the first battery pack, the thermal system is configured to heat a coolant liquid by operating a heating component, and

wherein the thermal system is configured to flow the heated coolant liquid through all the battery packs of the battery assembly.

8. The electric vehicle of claim 7 , wherein the VCM is further configured to limit 20 kW of power to the thermal system to heat condition the first battery pack.

9. An electric vehicle, comprising:

a vehicle control module (VCM); and

a battery assembly communicatively coupled to the VCM,

wherein the battery assembly comprises a first battery pack and a second battery pack,

wherein the battery assembly is configured to measure a first temperature of a first cell in the first battery pack and a second temperature of a second cell in the second battery pack and send the first temperature and the second temperature to the VCM,

wherein the VCM is configured to determine if at least one of the first temperature or the second temperature is less than a first temperature threshold,

wherein, when the first temperature and the second temperature are determined to be greater than the first temperature threshold, the VCM is configured to close contactors in each battery pack of the battery assembly, and

wherein the VCM is configured to heat condition the first battery pack.

10. The electric vehicle of claim 9 , wherein the first battery pack and the second battery pack are electrically coupled in parallel.

11. The electric vehicle of claim 9 , wherein, when at least one of the first temperature or the second temperature is determined to be less than the first temperature threshold, the VCM is configured to determine if at least one of the first temperature or the second temperature is less than a second temperature threshold.

12. The electric vehicle of claim 11 , wherein, when at least one of the first temperature or the second temperature is determined to be less than the second temperature threshold, the VCM is configured to first open contactors of the first battery pack and then close contactors of the second battery pack.

13. The electric vehicle of claim 9 , wherein the VCM is configured to close contactors for a pre-determined amount of time.

14. An electric vehicle, comprising:

a vehicle control module (VCM);

a battery assembly communicatively coupled to the VCM; and

a thermal system communicatively coupled to the VCM and thermally coupled to the battery assembly,

wherein the battery assembly comprises a first battery pack and a second battery pack,

wherein the battery assembly is configured to measure a first temperature of a first cell in the first battery pack and a second temperature of a second cell in the second battery pack and send the first temperature and the second temperature to the VCM,

wherein the VCM is configured to determine if at least one of the first temperature or the second temperature is less than a first temperature threshold,

wherein, when at least one of the first temperature or the second temperature is determined to be less than the first temperature threshold, the VCM is configured to determine if at least of the first temperature or the second temperature is less than a second temperature threshold, and

wherein the thermal system is configured to heat condition the battery assembly by heating a coolant liquid by operating a heating component and flowing the coolant liquid through the battery assembly.

15. The electric vehicle of claim 14 , wherein, when at least one of the first temperature of the second temperature is determined to be less than the first temperature threshold, the VCM is configured to close contactors of the first battery pack.

16. The electric vehicle of claim 14 , wherein the first battery pack and the second battery pack are electrically coupled in parallel.

17. The electric vehicle of claim 14 , wherein, when at least one of the first temperature or the second temperature is determined to be less than the second temperature threshold, the VCM is configured to first open contactors of the first battery pack and then close contactors of the second battery pack.

Assignments (3)
ASSIGNMENT OF ASSIGNOR'S INTEREST Recorded Nov 25, 2025
From: NIKOLA CORPORATION
To: HYROAD NETWORKS LLC
Reel/Frame 073706/0118 →
ASSIGNMENT OF ASSIGNOR'S INTEREST Recorded Apr 17, 2023
From: CHAPMAN, TYLER; DARJI, MAYANK; KALOLA, MEET
To: NIKOLA CORPORATION
Reel/Frame 063347/0640 →
ASSIGNMENT OF ASSIGNOR'S INTEREST Recorded Apr 17, 2023
From: ASHRAF, UMRAN; SARKISSIAN, VAROUJAN; CORONA, MICHAEL; MCLEMORE, T. NEIL
To: NIKOLA CORPORATION
Reel/Frame 063347/0760 →
Priority Claims (1)
IN 202311011989 · Feb 22, 2023 · national
Continuity (5)
Continuation In Part 17680694 · Feb 25, 2022
Continuation 17536687 · Nov 29, 2021
Continuation 17403179 · Aug 16, 2021
Provisional Application 63119401 · Nov 30, 2020
Related Publication 20230271512A1 · Aug 31, 2023
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