Electric vehicle extended range hybrid battery pack system

• US 8,450,974 B2
• Filed: 12/08/2010
• Issued: 05/28/2013
• Est. Priority Date: 08/10/2010
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Tesla Inc.
• Original Assignee: Tesla Motors Incorporated (Tesla Inc.)
• Inventors: Stewart, Sarah G., Kohn, Scott Ira, Kelty, Kurt Russell, Straubel, Jeffrey Brian
• Primary Examiner(s): Muralidar, Richard V
• Application Number:
  US12/962,851
• Publication Number:
  US 20120041624A1
• Time in Patent Office: 902 Days
• Field of Search: 320/132, 702/22, 702/63, 903/903, 903/907, 180/65.1, 180/65.21, 180/65.29, 180/65.31
• US Class Current: 320/132
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 1/003 to auxiliary motors, e.g. for pumps, compressors
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 1/02 to electric heating circuits
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 2210/30 AC to DC converters
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 2240/12 Speed
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 2240/14 Acceleration
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 2240/36 Temperature of vehicle components or parts
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 2240/421 Speed
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 2240/545 Temperature
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 2240/547 Voltage
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 2240/662 Temperature
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 2250/12 by confirmation, e.g. of the input
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 3/003 relating to inverters
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 3/0046 relating to electric energy storage systems, e.g. batteries or capacitors
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 3/0061 relating to electrical machines
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 50/51 characterised by AC-motors
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 50/64 Constructional details of batteries specially adapted for electric vehicles
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 53/14 Conductive energy transfer
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 53/65 involving identification of vehicles or their battery types
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 58/12 responding to state of charge [SoC]
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 58/16 responding to battery ageing, e.g. to the number of charging cycles or the state of health [SoH]
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 58/20 : having different nominal voltages
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 58/21 : having the same nominal voltage
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 58/24 : for controlling the temperature of batteries
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 58/26 : by cooling
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 58/27 : by heating
• CPC Class Codes: H01M 10/0525 : Rocking-chair batteries, i.e. batteries with lithium insertion or intercalation in both electrodes; Lithium-ion batteries
• CPC Class Codes: H01M 10/30 : Nickel accumulators H01M10/34 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: H01M 10/32 : Silver accumulators H01M10/34 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: H01M 10/345 : Gastight metal hydride accumulators
• CPC Class Codes: H01M 10/443 : in response to temperature
• CPC Class Codes: H01M 10/486 : for measuring temperature
• CPC Class Codes: H01M 10/613 : Cooling or keeping cold
• CPC Class Codes: H01M 10/633 : characterised by algorithms, flow charts, software details or the like
• CPC Class Codes: H01M 10/6561 : Gases
• CPC Class Codes: H01M 10/6567 : Liquids
• CPC Class Codes: H01M 12/06 : with one metallic and one gaseous electrode
• CPC Class Codes: H01M 12/08 : composed of a half-cell of a fuel-cell type and a half-cell of the secondary-cell type
• CPC Class Codes: H01M 16/00 : Structural combinations of different types of electrochemical generators
• CPC Class Codes: H01M 16/006 : of fuel cells with rechargeable batteries
• CPC Class Codes: H01M 2200/10 : Temperature sensitive devices
• CPC Class Codes: H01M 2200/20 : Pressure-sensitive devices
• CPC Class Codes: H01M 2220/20 : Batteries in motive systems, e.g. vehicle, ship, plane
• CPC Class Codes: H01M 50/204 : Racks, modules or packs for multiple batteries or multiple cells
• CPC Class Codes: H01M 50/253 : adapted for specific cells, e.g. electrochemical cells operating at high temperature
• CPC Class Codes: H01M 50/317 : Re-sealable arrangements
• CPC Class Codes: H01M 50/375 : Vent means sensitive to or responsive to temperature
• CPC Class Codes: H02J 7/0029 : with safety or protection devices or circuits
• CPC Class Codes: H02J 7/14 : for charging batteries from dynamo-electric generators driven at varying speed, e.g. on vehicle
• CPC Class Codes: Y02E 60/10 : Energy storage using batteries
• CPC Class Codes: Y02E 60/50 : Fuel cells
• CPC Class Codes: Y02T 10/64 : Electric machine technologies in electromobility
• 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 10/72 : Electric energy management in electromobility
• CPC Class Codes: Y02T 90/12 : Electric charging stations
• CPC Class Codes: Y02T 90/14 : Plug-in electric vehicles
• CPC Class Codes: Y02T 90/16 : Information or communication technologies improving the operation of electric vehicles
• CPC Class Codes: Y02T 90/167 : Systems integrating technologies related to power network operation and communication or information technologies for supporting the interoperability of electric or hybrid vehicles, i.e. smartgrids as interface for battery charging of electric vehicles [EV] or hybrid vehicles [HEV]
• CPC Class Codes: Y04S 30/14 : Details associated with the interoperability, e.g. vehicle recognition, authentication, identification or billing

Abstract

A power source comprised of a first battery pack (e.g., a non-metal-air battery pack) and a second battery pack (e.g., a metal-air battery pack) is provided, wherein the second battery pack is only used as required by the state-of-charge (SOC) of the first battery pack or as a result of the user selecting an extended range mode of operation. Minimizing use of the second battery pack prevents it from undergoing unnecessary, and potentially lifetime limiting, charge cycles. The second battery pack may be used to charge the first battery pack or used in combination with the first battery pack to supply operational power to the electric vehicle.

Claims

1. A method of extending driving range of an electric vehicle, the electric vehicle including at least a first battery pack and a second battery pack, wherein the first and second battery packs are comprised of different battery types, the method comprising the steps of:

a) determining a current state-of-charge (SOC) of the first battery pack;

b) comparing said current SOC of the first battery pack with a first preset minimum SOC, wherein if said current SOC of the first battery pack is less than said first preset minimum SOC said method skips to step d), and wherein if said current SOC of the first battery pack is greater than said first preset minimum SOC, vehicle operational power is supplied to the electric vehicle from the first battery pack;

c) comparing said current SOC of the first battery pack with a second preset minimum SOC, wherein said second preset minimum SOC is greater than said first preset minimum SOC, wherein if said current SOC of the first battery pack is greater than said second preset minimum SOC said method returns to step a), and wherein if said current SOC of the first battery pack is less than said second preset minimum SOC said method further comprises the step of

d) supplying vehicle operational power to the electric vehicle from both the first battery pack and the second battery pack.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein after step d) said method further comprises the steps of:

e) comparing said current SOC of the first battery pack with said first preset minimum SOC, wherein if said current SOC of the first battery pack is less than said first preset minimum SOC said method returns to step d), and wherein if said current SOC of the first battery pack is greater than said first preset minimum SOC, vehicle operational power is supplied to the electric vehicle from the first battery pack.

3. The method of claim 2, wherein after step e) said method further comprises the steps of:

f) comparing said current SOC of the first battery pack with a preset maximum SOC, wherein if said current SOC of the first battery pack is less than said preset maximum SOC said method returns to step d), and wherein if said current SOC of the first battery pack is greater than said preset maximum SOC, said method further comprises the steps of terminating use of the second battery pack to supply vehicle operational power to the electric vehicle and returning to step a).

4. The method of claim 1, wherein after step d) said method further comprises the steps of:

e) comparing said current SOC of the first battery pack with a preset maximum SOC, wherein if said current SOC of the first battery pack is less than said preset maximum SOC said method returns to step d), and wherein if said current SOC of the first battery pack is greater than said preset maximum SOC, said method further comprises the steps of terminating use of the second battery pack to supply vehicle operational power to the electric vehicle and returning to step a).

5. The method of claim 1, wherein prior to step d) said method further comprises the steps of:

c2) determining a current SOC of the second battery pack;

c3) comparing said current SOC of the second battery pack with a third preset minimum SOC, wherein if said current SOC of the second battery pack is greater than said third preset minimum SOC said method continues to step d), and wherein if said current SOC of the second battery pack is less than said third preset minimum SOC said method further comprises the steps of;

i) comparing said current SOC of the first battery pack with said first preset minimum SOC, wherein if said current SOC of the first battery pack is greater than said first preset minimum SOC said method returns to step a), and wherein if said current SOC of the first battery pack is less than said first preset minimum SOC said method further comprises the step of terminating vehicle operation.

6. The method of claim 5, wherein in step b) if said current SOC of the first battery pack is less than said first preset minimum SOC said method skips to step c2), and wherein in step c) if said current SOC of the first battery pack is less than said second preset minimum SOC said method skips to step c2).

7. The method of claim 5, wherein after step d) said method further comprises the steps of:

e) comparing said current SOC of said first battery pack with said first preset minimum SOC, wherein if said current SOC of said first battery pack is less than said first preset minimum SOC said method returns to step c2), and wherein if said current SOC of said first battery pack is greater than said first preset minimum SOC, vehicle operational power is supplied from said first battery pack to said electric vehicle.

8. The method of claim 7, wherein after step e) said method further comprises the steps of:

f) comparing said current SOC of the first battery pack with a preset maximum SOC, wherein if said current SOC of the first battery pack is less than said preset maximum SOC said method returns to step c2), and wherein if said current SOC of the first battery pack is greater than said preset maximum SOC, said method further comprises the steps of terminating use of the second battery pack to supply vehicle operational power to the electric vehicle and returning to step a).

9. The method of claim 5, wherein after step d) said method further comprises the steps of:

e) comparing said current SOC of the first battery pack with a preset maximum SOC, wherein if said current SOC of the first battery pack is less than said preset maximum SOC said method returns to step c2), and wherein if said current SOC of the first battery pack is greater than said preset maximum SOC, said method further comprises the steps of terminating use of the second battery pack to supply vehicle operational power to the electric vehicle and returning to step a).

10. The method of claim 1, wherein said first battery pack is comprised of a plurality of non-metal-air cells and said second battery pack is comprised of a plurality of metal-air cells.