Multi-mode charging system for an electric vehicle

• US 7,622,897 B2
• Filed: 01/29/2009
• Issued: 11/24/2009
• Est. Priority Date: 06/15/2007
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Tesla Motors Incorporated (Tesla Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Tesla Motors Incorporated (Tesla Inc.)
• Inventors: Kohn, Scott Ira, Straubel, Jeffrey Brian, Berdichevsky, Eugene Michael, Hermann, Weston Arthur, Eberhard, Martin Forest, Kelty, Kurt Russell, Carlson, Craig Bruce, Simpson, Andrew Gregory
• Primary Examiner(s): Tso; Edward
• Assistant Examiner(s): Berhanu; Samuel
• Application Number:
  US12/322,221
• Publication Number:
  US 20090167254A1
• Time in Patent Office: 299 Days
• Field of Search: 320/150, 320/104, 320151-152
• US Class Current: 320/150
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 1/08 Methods and devices for control or regulation
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 2240/545 Temperature
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 2250/12 by confirmation, e.g. of the input
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 2250/16 by display
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 3/0046 relating to electric energy storage systems, e.g. batteries or capacitors
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 50/51 characterised by AC-motors
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 53/14 Conductive energy transfer
• 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 58/26 by cooling
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 58/27 by heating
• CPC Class Codes: H02J 7/007194 of the battery
• CPC Class Codes: H02J 7/04 Regulation of charging current or voltage
• CPC Class Codes: H02J 7/1492 by means of controlling devices between the generator output and the battery
• 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 10/92 Energy efficient charging or discharging systems for batteries, ultracapacitors, supercapacitors or double-layer capacitors specially adapted for vehicles
• CPC Class Codes: Y02T 90/14 Plug-in electric vehicles

Abstract

A method and apparatus that allows the end user to optimize the performance of an all-electric or hybrid vehicle and its charging system for a desired mode of operation is provided. The system of the invention includes multiple charging/operational modes from which the user may select. Each charging/operational mode controls the cut-off voltage used during charging and the maintenance temperature of the battery pack.

Claims

1. An electric vehicle multi-mode battery charging and operating system, comprising:

a battery charging system for charging a battery pack of an electric vehicle, said battery charging system utilizing a cut-off voltage selected from at least a first cut-off voltage, a second cut-off voltage, and a third cut-off voltage;

a battery cooling system for cooling said battery pack of said electric vehicle, wherein said battery cooling system has at least two modes of operation, wherein said battery cooling system in a first mode of said at least two modes of operation maintains said battery pack within a first preset temperature range when said battery charging system is not coupled to an external charging power source, wherein said battery cooling system in a second mode of said at least two modes of operation maintains said battery pack within a second preset temperature range when said battery charging system is coupled to an external charging power source, wherein said first preset temperature range is selected from at least a first temperature range and a second temperature range, and wherein said second preset temperature range is selected from at least a third temperature range, a fourth temperature range and a fifth temperature range; and

means for selecting a preferred mode from a plurality of charging/operational modes, wherein said selecting means is accessible by a user of said electric vehicle, wherein a first mode of said plurality of charging/operational modes utilizes said first cut-off voltage, said first temperature range and said third temperature range, wherein a second mode of said plurality of charging/operational modes utilizes said second cut-off voltage and said third temperature range, and wherein a third mode of said plurality of charging/operational modes utilizes said third cut-off voltage, said second temperature range and said fourth temperature range, and wherein a fourth mode of said plurality of charging/operational modes utilizes said third cut-off voltage, said second temperature range and said fifth temperature range.

2. The electric vehicle multi-mode battery charging and operating system of claim 1, wherein said first cut-off voltage is approximately 4.10 volts, said second cut-off voltage is approximately 3.80 volts, said third cut-off voltage is at least 4.15 volts, said first temperature range is approximately 30°

C. to 35°

C., said second temperature range is approximately 37°

C. to 40°

C., said third temperature range is approximately 20°

C. to 25°

C., said fourth temperature range is approximately 15°

C. to 17°

C., and said fifth temperature range is approximately 35°

C. to 40°

C.

3. The electric vehicle multi-mode battery charging and operating system of claim 1, further comprising a battery heating system for preventing a battery pack temperature from falling below a preset temperature threshold when said battery charging system is coupled to said charging power source and when said fourth mode is selected by said selecting means.

4. The electric vehicle multi-mode battery charging and operating system of claim 3, wherein said preset temperature is approximately 33°

C.

5. The electric vehicle multi-mode battery charging and operating system of claim 1, further comprising a battery heating system for preventing a battery pack temperature from falling below a preset temperature threshold when said battery charging system is not coupled to said external charging power source and when said third mode is selected by said selecting means.

6. The electric vehicle multi-mode battery charging and operating system of claim 5, wherein said preset temperature is approximately 35°

C.

7. The electric vehicle multi-mode battery charging and operating system of claim 1, wherein said selecting means is comprised of a touch-sensitive screen.

8. The electric vehicle multi-mode battery charging and operating system of claim 7, wherein said touch-sensitive screen is associated with a vehicle user interface system.

9. The electric vehicle multi-mode battery charging and operating system of claim 1, wherein said selecting means is comprised of a display system and a plurality of switching means.

10. The electric vehicle multi-mode battery charging and operating system of claim 9, wherein said switching means are selected from the group consisting of push-buttons, toggle switches, rotating switches and slide switches.

11. The electric vehicle multi-mode battery charging and operating system of claim 1, wherein said selecting means is comprised of a plurality of switching means.

12. The electric vehicle multi-mode battery charging and operating system of claim 11, wherein said switching means are selected from the group consisting of push-buttons, toggle switches, rotating switches and slide switches.

13. The electric vehicle multi-mode battery charging and operating system of claim 1, wherein said selecting means is a rotating switch.

14. The electric vehicle multi-mode battery charging and operating system of claim 1, wherein said selecting means is a voice recognition system.

15. The electric vehicle multi-mode battery charging and operating system of claim 1, further comprising a communication interface in communication with a network, wherein said selecting means is a remote mode selector in communication with said network, wherein said remote mode selector is separate from said electric vehicle.

16. The electric vehicle multi-mode battery charging and operating system of claim 1, further comprising an RF communication interface, wherein said selecting means is an RF remote mode selector separate from said electric vehicle.

17. The electric vehicle multi-mode battery charging and operating system of claim 1, further comprising at least one mode indicator, wherein said at least one mode indicator indicates which mode of said plurality of charging/operational modes is selected by said selecting means.

18. The electric vehicle multi-mode battery charging and operating system of claim 1, wherein said first mode of said plurality of charging/operational modes is a default mode, said electric vehicle multi-mode battery charging and operating system further comprising means for switching from said preferred mode to said default mode upon the occurrence of a preset condition.

19. The electric vehicle multi-mode battery charging and operating system of claim 18, wherein said preset condition is changing from an operational vehicle mode to a charging mode.

20. The electric vehicle multi-mode battery charging and operating system of claim 18, wherein said preset condition is changing from a charging mode to an operational vehicle mode.

21. The electric vehicle multi-mode battery charging and operating system of claim 18, wherein said preset condition is a preset period of time.

22. The electric vehicle multi-mode battery charging and operating system of claim 1, further comprising means for selecting a default mode from said plurality of charging/operational modes, wherein said default mode selecting means is accessible by a user of said electric vehicle, and wherein said electric vehicle multi-mode battery charging and operating system further comprises means for switching from said preferred mode to said default mode upon the occurrence of a preset condition.

23. The electric vehicle multi-mode battery charging and operating system of claim 1, further comprising means for prompting said user to select said preferred mode from said plurality of charging/operational modes using said selecting means.

24. A method of setting a charging/operational mode of an electric vehicle, the method comprising the steps of:

displaying a plurality of user accessible charging/operational modes;

selecting a preferred mode from said plurality of user accessible charging/operational modes;

displaying an indicator of said selected preferred mode;

adjusting a charging cut-off voltage to a first cut-off voltage in response to selecting a first mode as said preferred mode;

cooling a battery pack of said electric vehicle to a battery pack temperature within a first range of temperatures in response to selecting said first mode as said preferred mode, wherein said step of cooling said battery pack to said battery pack temperature within said first range of temperatures is performed while said electric vehicle is operating and when said electric vehicle is not coupled to an external charging power source;

cooling said battery pack of said electric vehicle to said battery pack temperature within a second range of temperatures in response to selecting said first mode as said preferred mode, wherein said step of cooling said battery pack to said battery pack temperature within said second range of temperatures is performed after said electric vehicle is coupled to said external charging power source;

adjusting said charging cut-off voltage to a second cut-off voltage in response to selecting a second mode as said preferred mode;

cooling said battery pack of said electric vehicle to said battery pack temperature within said second range of temperatures in response to selecting said second mode as said preferred mode, wherein said step of cooling said battery pack to said battery pack temperature within said second range of temperatures is performed after said electric vehicle is coupled to said external charging power source;

adjusting said charging cut-off voltage to a third cut-off voltage in response to selecting a third mode as said preferred mode;

cooling said battery pack of said electric vehicle to said battery pack temperature within a third range of temperatures in response to selecting said third mode as said preferred mode, wherein said step of cooling said battery pack to said battery pack temperature within said third range of temperatures is performed while said electric vehicle is operating and when said electric vehicle is not coupled to said external charging power source;

cooling said battery pack of said electric vehicle to said battery pack temperature within a fourth range of temperatures in response to selecting said third mode as said preferred mode, wherein said step of cooling said battery pack to said battery pack temperature within said fourth range of temperatures is performed after said electric vehicle is coupled to said external charging power source;

adjusting said charging cut-off voltage to said third cut-off voltage in response to selecting a fourth mode as said preferred mode;

cooling said battery pack of said electric vehicle to said battery pack temperature within a third range of temperatures in response to selecting said fourth mode as said preferred mode, wherein said step of cooling said battery pack to said battery pack temperature within said third range of temperatures is performed while said electric vehicle is operating and when said electric vehicle is not coupled to said external charging power source; and

cooling said battery pack of said electric vehicle to said battery pack temperature within a fourth range of temperatures in response to selecting said fourth mode as said preferred mode, wherein said step of cooling said battery pack to said battery pack temperature within said fifth range of temperatures is performed after said electric vehicle is coupled to said external charging power source.

25. The method of claim 24, further comprising the step of reverting to a default mode from said preferred mode after a preset period of time, wherein said default mode is one of said plurality of user accessible charging/operational modes.

26. The method of claim 24, further comprising the step of reverting to a default mode from said preferred mode after said electric vehicle cycles from an operational mode to a charging mode, wherein said default mode is one of said plurality of user accessible charging/operational modes.

27. The method of claim 24, further comprising the step of preventing said battery pack temperature from falling below a preset temperature threshold when said battery charging system is coupled to said charging power source and when said fourth mode is selected as said preferred mode.

28. The method of claim 24, further comprising the step of heating said battery pack of said electric vehicle to said battery pack temperature above a preset temperature threshold when said battery charging system is coupled to said charging power source and when said fourth mode is selected as said preferred mode.

29. An electric vehicle multi-mode battery charging and operating system, comprising:

a battery charging system for charging a battery pack of an electric vehicle, said battery charging system utilizing a cut-off voltage selected from at least a first cut-off voltage, a second cut-off voltage, and a third cut-off voltage, wherein said second cut-off voltage is higher than said first cut-off voltage, and wherein said third cut-off voltage is higher than said second cut-off voltage;

a battery cooling system for cooling said battery pack of said electric vehicle, wherein said battery cooling system has at least two modes of operation, wherein said battery cooling system in a first mode of said at least two modes of operation maintains said battery pack within a first preset temperature range when said battery charging system is not coupled to an external charging power source, wherein said battery cooling system in a second mode of said at least two modes of operation maintains said battery pack within a second preset temperature range when said battery charging system is coupled to an external charging power source, wherein said first preset temperature range is selected from at least a first temperature range and a second temperature range, and wherein said second preset temperature range is selected from at least a third temperature range, a fourth temperature range and a fifth temperature range; and

a charging/operational mode selector with at least four available charging/operational modes, wherein said charging/operational mode selector is accessible by a user of said electric vehicle, wherein a first charging/operational mode defines a standard mode and utilizes said second cut-off voltage, said first temperature range and said third temperature range, wherein a second charging/operational mode defines a storage mode and utilizes said first cut-off voltage and said third temperature range, wherein a third charging/operational mode defines an extended driving range mode and utilizes said third cut-off voltage, said second temperature range and said fourth temperature range, and wherein a fourth charging/operational mode defines a performance mode and utilizes said third cut-off voltage, said second temperature range and said fifth temperature range; and

a mode display, wherein said mode display indicates which charging/operational mode of said at least four available charging/operational modes has been selected.