Abstract: A rotor for a permanent magnet brushless motor includes a shaft, a rotor core fixed to the shaft, and magnets embedded in the rotor core. The rotor core defines a plurality of spaced first slots arranged in a circumferential direction thereof, and a plurality of spaced second slots, each second slot being located between two adjacent first slots and each first slot being located between two adjacent second slots. First permanent magnets are received in the first slots and second permanent magnets are received in the second slots. Each second magnet is located between two adjacent first magnets and each first magnet is located between two adjacent second magnets in the circumferential direction, and the first magnets are magnetized in radial directions of the rotor core and the second magnets are magnetized in the circumferential direction.

Abstract: In a hybrid electric vehicle (HEV), the available energy from a battery may be inadequate to drive a motor to generate additional torque sufficient for driveability upon a request for an increase in wheel torque. The motor may then be operated in a lossy, inefficient mode. When the motor operates in the lossy mode, engine power can be increased such that the sum of the engine power and the maximum available battery power may exceed requested wheel power. The increased engine power may be dissipated as heat in the motor until an increase in wheel torque is requested, whereby the motor may switch from the lossy mode back to a normal, efficient mode. By switching back to the normal mode, the excessive engine power that was being dissipated as heat in the motor may contribute to the output torque of the motor.

Abstract: A system for controlling a vehicle, the vehicle including an electric machine, includes a controller. The controller is configured to control the electric machine with an electric machine current including a plurality of current harmonic components. At least two of the current harmonic components have different magnitudes. When a torque ripple of the electric machine is an electrical k-th order harmonic, the plurality of current harmonic components may include an electrical k-1 order harmonic component having a first magnitude and an electrical k+1 order harmonic component having a second magnitude different than the first magnitude.

Abstract: A system and method are disclosed for controlling a vehicle during a turn in which a braking torque is applied to an inside wheel of the vehicle when understeer is detected and to an outside wheel when oversteer is detected. Electrical energy commanded to an electric motor coupled to a first axle of the vehicle is increased in response to application of the braking torque to compensate for the applied braking torque.

Abstract: A rotor for a permanent magnet brushless motor includes a shaft, a rotor core fixed to the shaft, and magnets embedded in the rotor core. The rotor core defines a plurality of spaced first slots arranged in a circumferential direction thereof, and a plurality of spaced second slots, each second slot being located between two adjacent first slots and each first slot being located between two adjacent second slots. First permanent magnets are received in the first slots and second permanent magnets are received in the second slots. Each second magnet is located between two adjacent first magnets and each first magnet is located between two adjacent second magnets in the circumferential direction, and the first magnets are magnetized in radial directions of the rotor core and the second magnets are magnetized in the circumferential direction.

Abstract: A starting system for an internal combustion engine of a vehicle includes a second motor configured to drive a second load, a first motor configured to selectively drive either the engine or a first load, and a controller configured to control the first and second motors such that when the first motor drives the engine the second motor is stopped, and when the first motor drives the first load the second motor is controlled to drive the second load. Preferably, the second load is a cooling fan of a cooling system for the engine and the first load is a water pump of the cooling system.

Abstract: An electric drive system in an automotive vehicle includes a controller for determining a condition of the electric drive system. The electric drive system includes only two current sensors and a common-mode current transformer. In response to the current sensors and the common-mode current transformer, the controller determines the condition of the electric drive system. The condition of the electric drive system may depend on a condition of an electrical connection between a drive system inverter and a motor in the electric drive system as well as a calculated amount of error in the electric drive system. In addition, the controller may control various operations of the electric drive system, which may or may not depend on the condition of the electric drive system.

Abstract: In a hybrid electric vehicle (HEV), the available energy from a battery may be inadequate to drive a motor to generate additional torque sufficient for driveability upon a request for an increase in wheel torque. The motor may then be operated in a lossy, inefficient mode. When the motor operates in the lossy mode, engine power can be increased such that the sum of the engine power and the maximum available battery power may exceed requested wheel power. The increased engine power may be dissipated as heat in the motor until an increase in wheel torque is requested, whereby the motor may switch from the lossy mode back to a normal, efficient mode. By switching back to the normal mode, the excessive engine power that was being dissipated as heat in the motor may contribute to the output torque of the motor.

Abstract: A system and method are disclosed for controlling a vehicle during a turn in which a braking torque is applied to an inside wheel of the vehicle when understeer is detected and to an outside wheel when oversteer is detected. Electrical energy commanded to an electric motor coupled to a first axle of the vehicle is increased in response to application of the braking torque to compensate for the applied braking torque.

Abstract: An electric drive system in an automotive vehicle includes a controller for determining a condition of the electric drive system. The electric drive system includes only two current sensors and a common-mode current transformer. In response to the current sensors and the common-mode current transformer, the controller determines the condition of the electric drive system. The condition of the electric drive system may depend on a condition of an electrical connection between a drive system inverter and a motor in the electric drive system as well as a calculated amount of error in the electric drive system. In addition, the controller may control various operations of the electric drive system, which may or may not depend on the condition of the electric drive system.