Power generation system for physically-coupled vehicles and method of operation thereof
A system for coupling a towing vehicle to a towed vehicle and/or for controlling charging/braking by the towed vehicle. The system may include a coupler coupling to the towing vehicle; and first and second tow bars having first and second ends and a rotational joint situated between the first and second ends, the first and second tow bars coupled to the coupler at the first ends and being non-parallel in at least one plane with the second ends located further apart from each other than the first ends. The rotational joint providing for the first and second tow bars to be positioned in an open and a folded position. The second ends of the first and second tow bars are configured to be coupled to the towed vehicle. For charging, a trip distance and charge of a towed vehicle battery is utilized to determine a charging rate for the trip.
1. An electric vehicle, comprising:
at least one traction motor configured to provide a motive force to rotate at least one wheel of the electric vehicle to propel the electric wheeled vehicle;
at least one battery pack comprising a plurality of battery cells and configured to power the at least one traction motor; and
at least one controller circuit configured to:
determine trip distance information (TDI) corresponding to a predetermined distance to be traveled by the electric vehicle when under tow by another vehicle,
determine charge amount information (CAI) for the battery pack based upon a capacity of the battery pack and a current charge of the battery pack,
determine rate of charge information (RCI) to be generated by the at least one traction motor in accordance with the TDI and CAI, the RCI determining a rate of charge of the at least one battery pack over the predetermined distance, and
control charging of the at least one battery pack in accordance with the RCI.
2. The electric vehicle of claim 1 , wherein the at least one traction motor is situated in a hub of at least one wheel of the electric vehicle.
3. The electric vehicle of claim 1 , wherein the electric vehicle further comprises a foldable tow bar assembly configured to be coupled to the other vehicle when in an open position and stored for travel by the electric vehicle independently of the other vehicle when in a folded position.
4. The electric vehicle of claim 3 , wherein the foldable tow bar assembly is configured to substantially form an “A” like shape when in the open position and an “M” like shape when in the folded position.
5. The electric vehicle of claim 1 , wherein the at least one controller circuit controls a charger of the electric vehicle to charge the at least one battery pack substantially equally over the predetermined distance.
6. The electric vehicle of claim 1 , wherein the RCI is determined such that the battery pack is charged substantially at an equal rate by distance over the predetermined distance.
7. The electric vehicle of claim 1 , wherein the at least one controller circuit is configured to control the at least one traction motor to substantially run in a regenerative mode to generate power to charge the at least one battery equally over the predetermined distance when the electric vehicle is towed by the other vehicle.