Abstract: An electronic control unit for controlling an inverter mounted between a main battery and a motor in an electric vehicle includes a feed-back control device which ensures that an actual electric power calculated from an electric current and a voltage inputted to the inverter is equalized to a target electric power calculated from the motor revolution-number, an accelerator opening degree and a shift position. If a circuit between the main battery and the motor is opened during regenerative operation, so that the charging of the main battery with a regenerative electric power cannot be performed and as a result, the voltage is increased to exceed a predetermined value, a regeneration prohibiting device prohibits the regenerative operation of the motor to prevent damage to the inverter due to a counter-electromotive voltage of the motor.

Abstract: A neutral apparatus for use on an electric vehicle is disclosed. The neutral apparatus comprises a control state detector and a neutral mechanism control circuit. The control state detector detects whether or not the motor control unit is in a predetermined control state. The neutral mechanism control unit can instruct the neutral mechanism to interrupt the power train according to the output signal from the control state detector. If the motor control unit is not in the predetermined control state, this is detected by the control state detector. In response to the output signal from the control state detector, the neutral mechanism control circuit causes the neutral mechanism to interrupt the power train. Thus, power flow from the motor to the drive wheels is interrupted. The control state detector is comprised of a voltage comparator circuit for comparing the output voltage from the motor driver circuit with a reference voltage and produces an output signal.