Abstract: A thermal management unit for providing cooling or heating to regions of a vehicle. The thermal management unit comprises a housing (11) containing a compressor (13) and a first evaporator (12) of a refrigerant system; a pump (36), a heater (39) as first radiator of a heating system; and a blower (17). The blower is configured to force air over the first evaporator and first radiator to cool or heat the air. The housing comprises an airflow outlet (46) through which the cooled or heated air can exit the housing, and an airflow inlet (47) though which air can enter the housing to be recirculated by the blower. The housing comprises a first refrigerant outlet port (16) through which refrigerant compressed by the compressor can pass out of the housing, and a second refrigerant inlet port (31) through which refrigerant can return into the housing for the supply to the first evaporator (12).

Abstract: A method of controlling a vehicle is disclosed, the method comprising steps of: determining a saturated reference yaw moment based on an initial reference yaw moment and a total wheel torque demand, taking into account operational limits of the vehicle; determining initial torque allocations for each one of a plurality of wheels of the electric vehicle based on the saturated reference yaw moment; and for each one of the plurality of wheels, checking whether the initial torque allocation for said wheel exceeds a corresponding wheel torque limit for said wheel. In response to a determination that the initial torque allocation for a first wheel exceeds the corresponding wheel torque limit, and that the initial torque allocation for a second wheel on the same side of the vehicle is less than the corresponding wheel torque limit, the initial torque allocations are revised by increasing the torque allocation to the second wheel.

Abstract: A method of controlling a vehicle is disclosed, comprising steps of: obtaining a current value of a slip angle of the vehicle; setting a reference yaw rate in accordance with the obtained slip angle; setting a reference yaw moment based on the reference yaw rate; and controlling the electric vehicle to apply torque to a plurality of wheels of the vehicle in accordance with the reference yaw moment. By using a slip angle to set the reference yaw rate, embodiments of the present invention can remove the need to estimate the tyre-road coefficient of friction. Apparatus for performing the method is also disclosed.

Abstract: A thermal management unit for providing cooling or heating to regions of a vehicle. The thermal management unit comprises a housing (11) containing a compressor (13) and a first evaporator (12) of a refrigerant system; a pump (36), a heater (39) as first radiator of a heating system; and a blower (17). The blower is configured to force air over the first evaporator and first radiator to cool or heat the air. The housing comprises an airflow outlet (46) through which the cooled or heated air can exit the housing, and an airflow inlet (47) though which air can enter the housing to be recirculated by the blower. The housing comprises a first refrigerant outlet port (16) through which refrigerant compressed by the compressor can pass out of the housing, and a second refrigerant inlet port (31) through which refrigerant can return into the housing for the supply to the first evaporator (12).