Vehicle with electric motor and method for designing said vehicle

• US 20100018784A1
• Filed: 12/28/2007
• Published: 01/28/2010
• Est. Priority Date: 01/12/2007
• Status: Abandoned Application

• Current Assignee: Clean Mobile AG
• Original Assignee: Clean Mobile AG
• Inventors: Hoebel, Rudolf
• Application Number:
  US12/522,712
• Publication Number:
  US 20100018784A1
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 180/2.200
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 2200/12 Bikes
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 2200/34 Wheel chairs
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 50/40 using propulsion power supplied by capacitors
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 58/20 having different nominal voltages
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 58/40 for controlling a combination of batteries and fuel cells
• CPC Class Codes: Y02T 10/70 Energy storage systems for electromobility, e.g. batteries
• CPC Class Codes: Y02T 10/7072 Electromobility specific charging systems or methods for batteries, ultracapacitors, supercapacitors or double-layer capacitors
• CPC Class Codes: Y02T 90/40 Application of hydrogen technology to transportation, e.g. using fuel cells

Abstract

A vehicle operated by an electric motor (16) comprises an energy generating unit (11, 12, 16) for generating electric energy for the electric motor (16) and an energy storage device (8, 9) for storing electric energy, wherein the energy storage device (8, 9) is connected to the electric motor (16) for supplying the electric motor (16) with electric energy in addition to the energy supplied by the energy generating unit (11, 12, 16). The maximum power which can be provided by the energy generating unit (11, 12, 16) is higher, but by no more then 15%, than an average motor power in the operation of the vehicle.

Claims

1. Vehicle with the following features:

an electric motor (16) connected for drive to at least one wheel of the vehicle;

an energy generating unit (11, 12, 16) for generating electric energy for the electric motor (16);

an energy storage device (8, 9) for storing electric energy, wherein the energy storage device (8, 9) is connected to the electric motor (16) to supply the electric motor with electric energy in addition to the electric energy provided by the energy generating unit (11, 12, 16);

wherein the maximum power which can be provided by the energy generating unit (11, 12, 16) is higher, but by no more than 15%, than an average motor power P in the operation of the vehicle.

2. Vehicle according to claim 1, wherein the maximum power which can be provided by the energy generating unit (11, 12, 16) is higher, but by no more than 10%, than an average motor power P in the operation of the vehicle.

3. Vehicle according to claim 1, wherein the maximum power which can be provided by the energy generating unit (11, 12, 16) is higher, but by no more than 5%, than an average motor power P in the operation of the vehicle.

4. Vehicle according to claim 1, wherein the maximum power which can be provided by the energy generating unit (11, 12, 16) is higher, but by no more than 1%, than an average motor power P in the operation of the vehicle.

5. Vehicle according to claim 1, wherein the energy storage device (8, 9) is connected to and can be charged by the energy generating unit (11, 12, 16).

6. Vehicle according to claim 5, wherein the electric motor (16) recovers energy when braking in a recuperative mode and stores the recovered energy in the energy storage device (8, 9).

7. Vehicle according to claim 1, wherein the energy generating unit (11, 12, 16) is designed as a fuel cell.

8. Vehicle according to claim 1, wherein the energy generating unit (11, 12, 16) is designed as an internal combustion engine with a generator.

9. Vehicle according to claim 1, wherein the energy generating unit (11, 12, 16) is designed as a photovoltaic cell.

10. Vehicle according to claim 1, wherein the energy storage device is designed as a capacitor (9).

11. Vehicle according to claim 1, wherein the energy storage device is designed as a battery (8).

12. Vehicle according to claim 1, wherein the energy storage device comprises a battery (8) and at least one capacitor (9) connected in parallel with the battery (8).

13. Vehicle according to claim 1, wherein the vehicle is designed as a wheelchair and comprises at least two wheels and a frame with a seat for a user.

14. Vehicle according to claim 1, wherein the vehicle is designed as a two-wheeled vehicle with a front wheel and a rear wheel and comprises a frame with a seat for a user and a handle bar.

15. Vehicle according to claim 1, wherein the vehicle is designed as a three-wheeled vehicle with a front wheel and two rear wheels and comprises a frame with a seat for a user and a handle bar.

16. Vehicle according to claim 1, wherein the vehicle is designed as a three-wheeled vehicle with two front wheels and a rear wheel and comprises a frame with a seat for a user and a handle bar.

17. Vehicle according to claim 13, wherein the vehicle includes a device for generating additional energy by the mechanical effort of the operator.

18. Method for designing a vehicle with an electric motor (16), an energy generating unit (11, 12, 16) for generating electric energy for the electric motor (16) and an energy storage device (8, 9) for storing electric energy, the method comprising the following process steps:

the determination of a typical power profile for the operation of the vehicle;

the calculation of an average power P to be provided by the electric motor (16);

the dimensioning of the energy generating unit (11, 12, 16) such that the maximum power of the energy generating unit (11, 12, 16) lies within the range of the average power P.

19. Method according to claim 18, wherein the energy generating unit (11, 12, 16) is dimensioned such that its maximum power is higher, but by no more than 15%, than the average power P.

20. Method according to claim 18, wherein the energy generating unit (11, 12, 16) is dimensioned such that its maximum power is higher, but by no more than 10%, than the average power P.

21. Method according to claim 18, wherein the energy generating unit (11, 12, 16) is dimensioned such that its maximum power is higher, but by no more than 5%, than the average power P.

22. Method according to claim 18, wherein the energy generating unit (11, 12, 16) is dimensioned such that its maximum power is higher, but by no more than 1%, than the average power P.

23. Method according to claim 18, wherein the typical power profile is determined from the typical route and a desired speed profile.

24. Method according to claim 18, wherein the method comprises the following additional steps:

the determination of a peak power of the power profile occurring in the operation of the vehicle and of the additional energy required for the operation of the electric motor (16) at peak power in addition to the energy supplied by the energy generating unit (11, 12, 16); and

the dimensioning of the energy storage device (8, 9) such that its capacity is at least equal to the required additional energy.