Electric vehicle

• US 8,849,491 B2
• Filed: 11/28/2012
• Issued: 09/30/2014
• Est. Priority Date: 12/09/2011
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Honda Motor Co., Ltd. (Honda Motor Company)
• Original Assignee: Honda Motor Co., Ltd. (Honda Motor Company)
• Inventors: Higashitani, Kosuke, Asakawa, Masanobu
• Primary Examiner(s): Tarcza, Thomas
• Assistant Examiner(s): PIPALA, EDWARD J
• Application Number:
  US13/686,922
• Publication Number:
  US 20130151049A1
• Time in Patent Office: 671 Days
• Field of Search: 701/1, 701/22, 701/36, 701/69, 701/70, 701/91, 701/93, 701/99, 701/123, 701/29.1, 701/32.1, 701/32.9, 340/438, 340/439, 180/65.1, 180/65.21, 180/65.22, 180/65.265, 180/65.28, 180/65.29
• US Class Current: 701/22
• CPC Class Codes: B60H 1/00392 for electric vehicles having only electric drive means
• CPC Class Codes: B60H 1/00428 electric
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 1/003 to auxiliary motors, e.g. for pumps, compressors
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 2210/10 DC to DC converters
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 2240/34 Cabin temperature
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 2250/10 by alarm
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 2250/16 by display
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 58/13 Maintaining the SoC within a determined range
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 7/14 for vehicles propelled by ac motors
• CPC Class Codes: B60W 10/08 including control of electric propulsion units, e.g. motors or generators
• CPC Class Codes: B60W 10/30 including control of auxiliary equipment, e.g. air-conditioning compressors or oil pumps
• CPC Class Codes: B60W 2510/085 Power
• CPC Class Codes: B60W 2510/244 Charge state
• CPC Class Codes: B60W 2510/305 Power absorbed by auxiliaries
• CPC Class Codes: B60W 2710/086 Power
• CPC Class Codes: B60W 30/1886 Controlling power supply to auxiliary devices
• CPC Class Codes: Y02T 10/70 Energy storage systems for electromobility, e.g. batteries
• CPC Class Codes: Y02T 10/72 Electric energy management in electromobility
• CPC Class Codes: Y02T 10/88 Optimized components or subsystems, e.g. lighting, actively controlled glasses

Abstract

An electric vehicle includes a drive motor, an air conditioning system, an electric storage device, and a power consumption controller. The drive motor is to generate drive force for the electric vehicle. The electric storage device is to supply power to the drive motor and the air conditioning system. The power consumption controller is configured to control power consumption of the drive motor and the air conditioning system to limit the power consumption of the drive motor while securing preset power consumption of the air conditioning system and to keep securing power for the air conditioning system through limitation of the power consumption of the drive motor until driving of the drive motor is stopped if a remaining charge of the electric storage device approaches zero with consumption of power by the drive motor.

Claims

1. An electric vehicle comprising:

a drive motor to generate drive force for the electric vehicle;

an air conditioning system;

an electric storage device to supply power to the drive motor and the air conditioning system; and

a power consumption controller configured to control power consumption of the drive motor and the air conditioning system, wherein the power consumption controller is configured to secure a preset power consumption of the air conditioning system and to keep securing power for the air conditioning system as a remaining charge of the electric storage device approaches zero by limiting the power consumption of the drive motor until driving of the drive motor is stopped.

2. The electric vehicle according to claim 1,

wherein a reference remaining charge greater than a remaining charge which causes power extractable from the electric storage device to become zero is set to a zero point of a displayed remaining charge for display,

wherein the drive motor needs first power consumption to demonstrate a preset dynamic performance of the electric vehicle,

wherein the air conditioning system needs second power consumption to secure a predetermined air-conditioning performance needed to operate the electric vehicle, and

wherein the power consumption controller inhibits the electric storage device from outputting power greater than a sum of the first power consumption and the second power consumption after the displayed remaining charge becomes zero.

3. The electric vehicle according to claim 2,

wherein if dischargeable power of the electric storage device is less than a sum of the first power consumption and the second power consumption, the power consumption controller limits the power consumption of the drive motor to a value equivalent to a difference between the dischargeable power of the electric storage device and the second power consumption.

4. The electric vehicle according to claim 2, further comprising:

a remaining charge detector configured to detect an actual remaining charge of the electric storage device,

wherein if the displayed remaining charge is equal to zero and if the actual remaining charge detected by the remaining charge detector is greater than a first remaining charge, the power consumption controller limits the power consumption of the drive motor to the first power consumption and limits the power consumption of the air conditioning system to the second power consumption.

5. The electric vehicle according to claim 4, wherein if the actual remaining charge detected by the remaining charge detector is smaller than or equal to the first remaining charge and greater than a second remaining charge, the power consumption controller limits the power consumption of the drive motor to a value equivalent to a difference between dischargeable power of the electric storage device and the second power consumption and limits the power consumption of the air conditioning system to the second power consumption.

6. The electric vehicle according to claim 1,

wherein the drive motor needs first power consumption to demonstrate a preset dynamic performance of the electric vehicle,

wherein the air conditioning system needs second power consumption to secure a predetermined air-conditioning performance needed to operate the electric vehicle, and

wherein if dischargeable power of the electric storage device is less than a sum of the first power consumption and the second power consumption, the power consumption controller limits the power consumption of the drive motor to a value equivalent to a difference between the dischargeable power of the electric storage device and the second power consumption.

7. The electric vehicle according to claim 1, wherein if the remaining charge of the electric storage device is greater than a low remaining charge region where power to be consumed by the drive motor is limited while securing the preset power consumption of the air conditioning system, the power consumption controller limits the power consumption of the drive motor based on actual power consumption of the air conditioning system.

8. The electric vehicle according to claim 1, wherein the air conditioning system includes a defroster to defrost a glass of the electric vehicle using power of the electric storage device.

9. The electric vehicle according to claim 8, wherein the air conditioning system is provided to adjust condition of air in the electric vehicle using power of the electric storage device.

10. The electric vehicle according to claim 1, wherein the air conditioning system is provided to adjust condition of air in the electric vehicle using power of the electric storage device.