Electric vehicle and control method thereof

Abstract

The invention relates to an electric vehicle (1) comprising: at least one wheel (10); an electric motor (20) mechanically connected to the at least one wheel (10) in order to drive the at least one wheel (10), where the electric motor (20) is configured to provide regenerative braking that exerts a first braking effect on the at least one wheel (10); an electrically actuated brake (30) mechanically connected to the at least one wheel (10) in order to apply a second braking action to the at least one wheel (10); at least one storage device (40) electrically connected to the electric motor (20) and to the electrically actuated brake (30) so as to supply power thereto and to receive energy in the form of current from the regenerative braking of the electric motor (20); and at least one control unit (50, 51). The unique feature of the invention is that the storage device (40) comprises sensor means (41) adapted to detect at least one physical condition of the storage device (40), in particular the state of charge and / or temperature of the storage device (40), wherein the at least one control unit (50, 51) is configured to: receive, from the sensor means (41), at least one value relating to the at least one physical condition of the storage device (40); comparing the at least one value with a predetermined threshold value stored in a memory device of the at least one control unit (50, 51); if the at least one value is above the predetermined threshold, the current generated by the regenerative braking is suppressed from flowing towards the storage device (40), and the current is allowed to flow towards the electrically actuated brake (30).

Description

Detailed Implementation

[0001] The present invention relates to an electric vehicle according to claim 1.

[0002] One of the most pressing and concerning challenges in the modern automotive industry is reducing vehicle emissions of carbon dioxide (CO2) and nitrogen oxides (NOx). x And particulate matter emissions. In this regard, the introduction of electric vehicles into the market aims to eliminate or significantly reduce the partial emissions from internal combustion engines.

[0003] An electric vehicle is a means of transportation that uses an electric propulsion system typically powered by an energy storage device (e.g., at least one rechargeable battery); depending on specific requirements or design features, an electric vehicle may have one, two, three, four or more wheels.

[0004] In this regard, it should be noted that, according to the present invention, the term "electric vehicle" also refers to a so-called "hybrid" vehicle, that is, a vehicle having a propulsion system consisting of two cooperating components, the two components specifically including at least one electric motor and at least one internal combustion engine (or a vehicle including a fuel-battery system).

[0005] Cars, motorcycles, buses, trucks, bicycles, and unicycles are among the most common and widespread electric vehicles. Electric vehicles have been in use for quite some time and are currently available for all types of transportation applications.

[0006] Electric vehicles are known in the art to include at least one electric motor for driving the vehicle and for providing regenerative braking functionality; that is, the electric motor can operate in both directions.

[0007] - Forward: When the vehicle's accelerator controls are operated (e.g., when the accelerator pedal is pressed or the accelerator handle is turned), the motor performs the drive function and moves at least one of the wheels associated with it;

[0008] - Reverse: When the accelerator control is released and the brake is operated (in particular, when the vehicle's brake control is operated, for example, when the brake pedal is pressed or the brake lever is pulled), the electric motor operates in reverse mode and generates electrical energy, which is used to recharge at least one energy storage device (e.g., at least one rechargeable battery).

[0009] Basically, when a vehicle is braked, the electric motor provides a braking contribution consisting of the resistance applied directly by the electric motor to the drive unit, which is mechanically connected to at least one wheel (e.g., via an axle) and acts as an electric generator.

[0010] Electric vehicles, as known in this field, have some drawbacks.

[0011] Regenerative braking is less effective when the energy storage device (typically composed of a rechargeable battery) is in a high state of charge (SoC) state because the energy storage system cannot convert and absorb the kinetic energy recovered by the electric motor into electrical energy. This leads to reduced efficiency of the regenerative system and a decrease in the overall energy efficiency of the vehicle.

[0012] Some attempts have been made to address this issue by increasing the use of braking systems. As an alternative, some solutions propose using resistors to dissipate the energy recovered by regenerative braking. However, such solutions fail to maximize the effectiveness of regenerative braking when the state of charge (SoC) of the energy storage device is too high to provide sufficient regeneration, nor do they guarantee the storage device's longevity or protection against overheating.

[0013] Therefore, it is clear that in electric vehicles known in the art, regenerative braking is a stress factor for storage devices, especially this stress factor caused by continuous charging and discharging sessions, which leads to increased battery pack temperature in the short term and faster aging or deterioration of storage devices in the long term.

[0014] Electric vehicles known in the art are equipped with braking systems combined with regenerative braking functions, which can allow for a potential reduction in the dimensionality of the braking unit due to the contribution of regenerative braking. However, in electric vehicles known in the art, the dimensionality of the braking system remains constant due to the specific cooling requirements of the braking system itself, which require absorbing energy dissipated as heat during braking. Therefore, electric vehicles known in the art have excessively large braking systems, and this excessive size leads to several problems, such as higher manufacturing costs and heavier braking units, all of which reduce the efficiency of the system as a whole. Furthermore, efficiency is further reduced when implementing battery cooling systems (i.e., solutions designed to keep the storage system within specific operational constraints).

[0015] Another drawback of electric vehicles known in the art is that, in electric vehicles equipped with front and rear axles, the distribution of braking force between these axles occurs by means of a brake modulator (EBD), which keeps the vehicle in a safe driving state. In reality, when braking, the load on all wheels is not uniform because the rear axle becomes unloaded and tends to lock. While the latest braking systems feature adjustable brake force distribution systems, providing efficient adjustment of braking force distribution close to optimal (i.e., ensuring that locking does not occur only on one axle), it is still impossible to achieve an ideal brake force distribution curve using conventional hydraulic braking systems.

[0016] Within this framework, the main objective of this invention is to provide an electric vehicle that overcomes the shortcomings of existing electric vehicles.

[0017] In particular, an object of the present invention is to provide an electric vehicle that is designed to avoid a reduction in the efficiency of the regenerative system and the energy efficiency of the vehicle as a whole, especially when the state of charge (SoC) of the storage device is too high to provide sufficient regeneration. The electric vehicle according to the invention maximizes the regenerative braking effect and protects the storage device to ensure its long lifespan, while also protecting it from overheating.

[0018] Another object of the present invention is to provide an electric vehicle that is conceived to avoid the stress that regenerative braking may put on the storage device, in particular to prevent the temperature of the battery pack from rising and to prevent the storage device from aging faster.

[0019] A further object of the present invention is to provide an electric vehicle that is conceived to allow for a reduction in the size of the braking system, thereby reducing the manufacturing cost of components and the mass of the braking unit, and thus improving the overall efficiency of the system.

[0020] Another object of the present invention is to provide an electric vehicle that is conceived to provide sufficient braking force distribution between the axles of the electric vehicle to produce an ideal distribution curve.

[0021] Further objects, features, and advantages of the invention will become clear from the following detailed description and accompanying drawings, which are provided herein by way of non-limiting illustrative examples only, wherein:

[0022] Figure 1 This is a schematic diagram of a first embodiment of an electric vehicle according to the present invention;

[0023] Figure 2 This is a schematic diagram of a second embodiment of an electric vehicle according to the present invention;

[0024] Figure 3 This is a schematic diagram of a third embodiment of an electric vehicle according to the present invention.

[0025] Referring now to the accompanying drawings, reference numeral 1 generally indicates an electric vehicle according to the present invention.

[0026] The electric vehicle 1 includes at least one wheel 10 and an electric motor 20 mechanically connected to the at least one wheel 10 to drive the at least one wheel 10 (and thus drive the electric vehicle 1), wherein the electric motor 20 is configured to provide regenerative braking, which applies a first braking force to the at least one wheel 10. Since the mechanical connection between the wheel 10 and the electric motor 20 can be achieved in a variety of ways known in the art, it will not be described in detail herein.

[0027] As explained above, the term "electric vehicle" is also used herein to refer to so-called "hybrid" vehicles; therefore, the electric vehicle 1 according to the invention may also be equipped with an additional propulsion system (e.g., an internal combustion engine) that operates in conjunction with the electric motor 20.

[0028] The electric vehicle 1 also includes an electrically actuated brake 30 mechanically connected to the at least one wheel 10 to apply a second braking action to the at least one wheel 10.

[0029] exist Figure 1 In the first embodiment shown, the electric vehicle 1 includes a single wheel 10 (therefore, the electric vehicle 1 is a unicycle), while in the second and third embodiments (respectively in...) Figure 2 and Figure 3 As shown in the figures, the electric vehicle 1 includes a plurality of wheels 10. In this regard, it should be noted that in all embodiments shown in the figures, the electric vehicle 1 includes at least one electric motor 20 mechanically connected to the wheels 10; particularly, in… Figure 1 and Figure 3 In one embodiment, the electric vehicle 1 includes one electric motor 20 for each wheel 10 (i.e., Figure 1 and Figure 3 The electric vehicle 1 shown has a 1:1 ratio between wheels 10 and corresponding electric motors 20, while... Figure 2 In one embodiment, the electric vehicle 1 includes a common electric motor 10 for two wheels 10 positioned on the same axle (not shown in the figures) of the electric vehicle 1 (i.e., Figure 2 The electric vehicle 1 shown has a 2:1 ratio between wheels 10 and corresponding electric motors 20, wherein the wheels 10 are connected to the same electric motor 20 via the same axle of the electric vehicle 1.

[0030] For example, in Figure 1 and Figure 3 In the embodiment illustrated in the figure, the electric motor 20 may be of the type referred to as an "in-wheel" motor (also referred to as an "in-hub" motor), that is, the type suitable for installation in the hub of the wheel 10 to drive the wheel 10.

[0031] Additionally, in all embodiments shown in the accompanying drawings, the electric vehicle 1 includes an electrically actuated brake 30 for each corresponding wheel 10; essentially, in all embodiments of the above embodiments, the electric vehicle 1 has a 1:1 ratio between the wheels 10 and the corresponding electrically actuated brake 30.

[0032] The electric vehicle 1 also includes at least one storage device 40 electrically connected to the electric motor 20 and the electrically actuated brake 30 to supply power to them and receive energy in the form of electric current from the regenerative braking of the electric motor 20. Preferably, the storage device 40 includes at least one battery, particularly a rechargeable battery.

[0033] According to the present invention, the storage device 40 includes a sensor device 41 adapted to detect at least one physical condition of the storage device 40, particularly the charging state and / or temperature of the storage device 40.

[0034] In addition, vehicle 1 includes at least one control unit 50, 51, which is configured to:

[0035] - Receive at least one value related to the at least one physical condition of the storage device 40 from the sensor device 41;

[0036] - Compare the at least one value with a predetermined threshold stored in the memory device (not shown in the figures) of the at least one control unit 50, 51;

[0037] - If at least one of the values ​​is higher than the predetermined threshold, then the current generated by the regenerative braking is suppressed from flowing toward the storage device 40, and (substantially at the same time or simultaneously).

[0038] - Allows the current to flow toward the electro-actuated brake 30.

[0039] Specifically, the sensor device 41 may include a charging state sensor and / or a temperature sensor of the storage device 40; therefore, the at least one value is related to the charging state and / or temperature of the storage device 40.

[0040] In this regard, it should be noted that the electrical connections between the various components of the electric vehicle 1 are shown in the accompanying drawings by means of dashed-dotted lines, while the connections providing control over the various components of the electric vehicle 1 and signal transmission between the components are shown by means of dotted lines. It must be pointed out in this regard that the control and signal transmission connections can be either wired or wireless. For example, the various components of the electric vehicle 1 according to the invention can be designed to include known communication devices, such as interfaces including at least one of the following: WiFi interface, Bluetooth interface, GSM interface, LTE interface, 5G interface, CANBUS interface, Ethernet interface, etc.

[0041] In one embodiment, the at least one control unit 50, 51 includes a central control unit 50 and at least one peripheral control unit 51, wherein the central control unit 50 is configured to send control signals to the at least one peripheral control unit 51 relating to the operation of an electric motor 20 and an electric actuator 30 connected to the at least one wheel 10, wherein the at least one peripheral control unit 51 is configured to transmit the control signals to the electric motor 20 and the electric actuator 30 to execute the control signals, and wherein the at least one peripheral control unit 51 is configured to re-share data with the central control unit 50. Essentially, the central control unit 50 is configured to send and receive control signals, while the at least one peripheral control unit 51 is configured to transmit power to execute the control signals from the central control unit 50.

[0042] In this regard, it should be noted that when the electric vehicle 1 includes multiple wheels 10 (e.g. Figure 2 and Figure 3 In the embodiment shown, this embodiment is particularly preferred; in this case, in fact, each wheel 10 is associated with a peripheral control unit 51, which is configured to transmit control signals (from the central control unit 50) to the electric motor 20 and the electric actuated brake 30 connected to the wheel 10.

[0043] The electric vehicle 1 according to the invention also includes a management device (indicated generally by a box marked by reference numeral 60 in the drawings), comprising at least one converter and / or at least one circuit breaker and / or at least one switch associated with each component consisting of an electric motor 20 and a corresponding electric actuation brake 30, the management device 60 being configured to modulate power from a storage device 40 and manage the current between the electric motor 20 and the electric actuation brake 30.

[0044] Therefore, it is clear that in this braking state or configuration (which can be defined as "disconnected" because the storage device 40 is electrically insulated from the assembly consisting of the electric motor 20 and the electric actuator 30), the braking torque of the electric vehicle 1 will be generated by combining the regenerative braking action of the electric motor 20 with the action of the electric actuator 30, such that the regenerative braking will generate a current sufficient to activate the electric actuator 30 in order to cumulatively obtain the optimal torque necessary to fulfill the requests issued by the at least one central control unit 50, 51, in particular, the central control units 50, 51 responding in turn to requests issued after the user actuation and / or release control device 70 of the electric vehicle 1 (e.g., actuation of the brake control and / or release of the accelerator control).

[0045] Therefore, it is clear that in the “disconnected” configuration, the storage device 40 will remain in neutral for deceleration maneuvers toward the wheel 10 (and thus the electric vehicle 1), and regeneration can be maximized during all driving phases where the energy storage system would severely limit energy recovery performance by directly supplying the current obtained through regenerative braking to the electric actuated brake 30.

[0046] The “disconnect” configuration makes it possible to achieve a much higher level of energy optimization and component protection than other logic known in the art, which is typically based on series or parallel braking control systems that transfer kinetic deceleration energy from the electric motor to the battery in the form of electrical energy.

[0047] Clearly, when the at least one value detected by sensor device 41 related to the at least one physical state of storage device 40 is below the predetermined threshold (i.e., when the charging state and / or temperature of storage device 40 is below a predetermined critical threshold), the at least one control unit 50, 51 is configured to allow the current generated by the regenerative braking to flow toward storage device 40. In this configuration (which may be defined as a “baseline” configuration), the at least one control unit 50, 51 allows the full braking capacity of the regenerative braking function of electric motor 20 to recover as much kinetic energy as possible. If the regenerative braking of electric motor 20 is insufficient to provide the requested torque, then the at least one control unit 50, 51 is configured to request the electro-actuated brake 30 to provide the difference between the maximum regenerative braking force of electric motor 20 and the required torque; in this way, storage device 40 will receive a net charge equal to the difference between the current obtained from the regenerative braking function of electric motor 20 and the current requested by electro-actuated brake 30.

[0048] In one embodiment, the electric vehicle 1 includes at least one temperature sensor 21 associated with an electric motor 20, wherein the at least one control unit 50, 51 is configured to:

[0049] - Receive at least one temperature value of the electric motor 20 from the temperature sensor 21;

[0050] - Compare the at least one temperature value of the electric motor 20 with a predetermined temperature threshold stored in the memory device of the at least one control unit 50, 51;

[0051] - If at least one temperature value of the electric motor 20 is higher than the predetermined temperature threshold, then the regenerative braking of the electric motor 20 is deactivated, and (substantially at the same time or simultaneously)

[0052] - The necessary braking torque is requested to be provided by the electrically actuated brake 30, in particular, the necessary braking torque is provided in a substantially exclusive manner.

[0053] This configuration, which can be defined as "full braking" and in which the storage device 40 is in a discharge-only mode and regenerative braking of the electric motor 20 is unavailable, makes it possible to reduce the temperature of the electric motor 20, thereby preventing it from overheating. Therefore, it is clear that the "full braking" configuration is useful for protecting the electric motor 20 and preventing it from aging or deteriorating rapidly.

[0054] Clearly, when the temperature sensor 21 detects at least one temperature value relating to the temperature of the electric motor 20 below the predetermined temperature threshold (i.e., when the temperature of the electric motor 20 is at or below a predetermined temperature threshold considered critical), the at least one control unit 50, 51 is configured to request the necessary braking torque to be provided by the regenerative braking function of the electric motor 20 and the electro-actuated brake 30.

[0055] In one embodiment, the electric vehicle 1 includes at least one additional temperature sensor 31 associated with the electrically actuated brake 30, wherein the at least one control unit 50, 51 is configured to:

[0056] - Receive at least one additional temperature value of the electrically actuated brake 30 from the at least one additional temperature sensor 31;

[0057] - Compare the at least one additional temperature value with an additional predetermined temperature threshold stored in the memory device of the at least one control unit 50, 51;

[0058] - If the at least one additional temperature value is higher than the additional predetermined temperature threshold, then deactivate the braking of the electric actuator 30, and (substantially at the same time or simultaneously).

[0059] - The necessary braking torque is requested to be provided by the regenerative braking of the electric motor 20, in particular, the necessary braking torque is provided in a substantially exclusive manner.

[0060] This configuration, which can be defined as a “fully regenerative” configuration, makes it possible to reduce the temperature of the electric actuator 30, thereby preventing it from overheating. It is clear that the “fully regenerative” configuration also allows for the protection of the components of the electric vehicle 1 (i.e., the electric actuator 30) from rapid aging or deterioration.

[0061] Furthermore, thanks to the provision of the "fully regenerative" configuration, it is possible to avoid the electric actuator 30 being too large, as in existing vehicles, such a large size is necessary to meet the specific cooling requirements of the braking system. Therefore, it is clear that the supply of this invention makes it possible to reduce the component cost and weight of the electric vehicle 1, thereby improving the overall efficiency of the system.

[0062] Clearly, when the at least one additional temperature value of the electric actuator 30 detected by the additional temperature sensor 31 is lower than the additional predetermined temperature threshold (i.e., when the temperature of the electric actuator 30 is at or below a predetermined threshold considered critical), the at least one control unit 50, 51 is configured to request the necessary braking torque from the regenerative braking function of the electric motor 20 and the electric actuator 30.

[0063] According to the present invention, the electric vehicle 1 may further include at least one sensor 11 associated with the wheel 10 and adapted to detect at least one dynamic condition of the wheel 10, particularly the vertical force acting on the wheel 10 and / or the angular velocity of the wheel 10.

[0064] In this context, the at least one control unit 50, 51 is configured to:

[0065] - Receive at least one value related to the at least one dynamic condition of the wheel 10 from the at least one sensor 11;

[0066] - Compare the at least one value with a predetermined ideal value stored in the memory device (not shown in the figures) of the at least one control unit 50, 51;

[0067] - To control the electric motor 20 and / or the optional anti-lock braking system (ABS, not shown in the figures) and / or the optional electronic stability control system (ESC, not shown in the figures) of the electric vehicle 1 in such a way that the value associated with the at least one dynamic condition of the wheel 10 returns to the predetermined ideal value (i.e., that the wheel 10 returns to a stable condition).

[0068] The following describes a method for controlling an electric vehicle 1 according to the present invention, wherein the method includes the following steps managed by at least one control unit 50, 51 of the electric vehicle 1 (according to a configuration that can be defined as a "disconnected" configuration):

[0069] - Receive at least one value related to at least one physical condition (particularly state of charge and / or temperature) of the storage device 40 from the sensor device 41 associated with the storage device 40;

[0070] - Compare the at least one value with a predetermined threshold stored in the memory device (not shown in the figures) of the at least one control unit 50, 51;

[0071] - If at least one of the values ​​is higher than the predetermined threshold, then the current generated by the regenerative braking is suppressed from flowing toward the storage device 40, and (substantially at the same time or simultaneously).

[0072] - Allows the current generated by the regenerative braking to flow toward the electrically actuated brake 30.

[0073] In one embodiment, the control method according to the invention may further include the following steps, still managed by the at least one control unit 50, 51 (according to a configuration that can be defined as a “full braking” configuration):

[0074] - Receive at least one temperature value of the electric motor 20 from at least one temperature sensor 21 associated with the electric motor 20;

[0075] - Compare the at least one temperature value with a predetermined temperature threshold stored in the memory device of the at least one control unit 50, 51;

[0076] - If the at least one temperature value is higher than the predetermined temperature threshold, then the regenerative braking of the electric motor 20 is activated, and (substantially at the same time or simultaneously).

[0077] - The necessary braking torque is requested to be provided by the electrically actuated brake 30, in particular, the necessary braking torque is provided in a substantially exclusive manner.

[0078] In one embodiment, the control method according to the invention may further include the following steps still managed by the at least one control unit 50, 51 (according to a configuration that can be defined as a “fully regenerated” configuration):

[0079] - Receive at least one additional temperature value of the electric actuator 30 from another temperature sensor 31 associated with the electric actuator 30;

[0080] - Compare the at least one additional temperature value with an additional predetermined temperature threshold stored in the memory device of the at least one control unit 50, 51;

[0081] - If the at least one additional temperature value is higher than the additional predetermined temperature threshold, then deactivate the braking of the electric actuator 30, and (substantially at the same time or simultaneously).

[0082] - The necessary braking torque is requested to be provided by the regenerative braking of the electric motor 20, in particular, the necessary braking torque is provided in a substantially exclusive manner.

[0083] In one embodiment, the control method according to the invention may further include the following steps, still managed by the at least one control unit 50, 51:

[0084] - Detect at least one value related to at least one dynamic condition of at least one wheel 10 by means of at least one sensor 11 associated with at least one wheel 10;

[0085] - Compare the at least one value with a predetermined ideal value stored in the memory device of the at least one control unit 50, 51;

[0086] - To control the electric motor 20 and / or the optional anti-lock braking system and / or the optional electronic stability control system of the electric vehicle 1 in a manner that brings the value associated with the at least one dynamic condition of the wheel 10 back to the predetermined ideal value.

[0087] It must be pointed out that, especially when the electric vehicle 1 includes multiple wheels 10 (and multiple electric motors 20 and electric actuators 30), the above-described steps of the method are preferably managed by a central control unit 50 and at least one peripheral control unit 51, wherein the central control unit 50 sends control signals regarding the operation of each electric motor 20 and each electric actuator 30 connected to each wheel 10, and wherein the at least one peripheral control unit 51 transmits the control signals to the electric motors 20 and electric actuators 30, and wherein the at least one peripheral control unit 51 re-shares data with the central control unit 50.

[0088] From the above description, the features and advantages of the electric vehicle 1 and the related control method according to the present invention are clear.

[0089] In fact, the present invention enables the overcoming of the shortcomings of prior art electric vehicles by providing an electric vehicle 1, which is conceived to avoid the reduction in the efficiency of the regeneration system and the reduction in the overall energy efficiency of the electric vehicle 1. In particular, the electric vehicle 1 according to the present invention can maximize the regenerative braking effect when the state of charge (SoC) of the storage device 40 is too high to provide sufficient regeneration, while also ensuring the condition of the storage device 40 to ensure its long life and protecting it in case of overheating.

[0090] Therefore, another advantage of the solution according to the invention is that the electric vehicle 1 is designed to avoid stress factors that regenerative braking may cause to the storage device 40, in particular to prevent the storage device 40 from aging faster due to increased temperature.

[0091] Another advantage of the electric vehicle 1 according to the invention lies in the fact that it provides an appropriate distribution of braking force between the regenerative braking action of the electric motor 20 and the action of the electric actuated brake 30 based on the condition of such components (especially temperature values), thereby disabling either type of braking depending on the temperature of the electric motor 20 and the electric actuated brake 30. Therefore, it is clear that the electric vehicle 1 can appropriately distribute braking force between the axles included in the electric vehicle 1, thereby obtaining an ideal distribution curve.

[0092] The present invention also allows control of the electric motor 20 and / or optional anti-lock braking system (ABS) and / or optional electronic stability control system (ESC) to restore the value of at least one dynamic condition of the wheel 10 to a predetermined ideal value (i.e., to restore the wheel 10 to a stable condition).

[0093] The electric vehicle 10 and related control methods described herein by way of example can be varied in many possible ways without departing from the novel spirit of the inventive concept; it is also clear that in actual embodiments of the invention, the illustrated details may have different shapes or be replaced by other technically equivalent elements.

[0094] Therefore, it is readily understood that the present invention is not limited to the electric vehicle 1 and the related control method described above, but can be modified, improved or replaced with equivalent parts and elements without departing from the inventive concept, as clearly specified in the following claims.

Claims

1. An electric vehicle (1), comprising: - At least one wheel (10); - An electric motor (20) is mechanically connected to the at least one wheel (10) to drive the at least one wheel (10), wherein the electric motor (20) is configured to provide regenerative braking, the regenerative braking applying a first braking action to the at least one wheel (10); - An electric actuator (30) is mechanically connected to the at least one wheel (10) to apply a second braking action to the at least one wheel (10); - At least one storage device (40) is electrically connected to the electric motor (20) and the electric actuator (30) to supply power to them and receive energy in the form of electric current from the regenerative braking of the electric motor (20); - At least one control unit (50, 51). The electric vehicle (1) is characterized in that: The storage device (40) includes a sensor device (41) adapted to detect at least one physical condition of the storage device (40), particularly the charging state and / or temperature of the storage device (40). The at least one control unit (50, 51) is configured to: - Receive at least one value related to at least one physical condition of the storage device (40) from the sensor device (41); - Compare the at least one value with a predetermined threshold stored in the memory device of the at least one control unit (50, 51); - If at least one of the values ​​is higher than the predetermined threshold, then the flow of current generated by the regenerative braking toward the storage device (40) is suppressed, and - Allows the current to flow toward the electrically actuated brake (30).

2. The electric vehicle (1) according to claim 1, characterized in that... The sensor device (41) includes a charging status sensor and / or a temperature sensor for the storage device (40), and the at least one value is related to the charging status and / or temperature of the storage device (40).

3. The electric vehicle (1) according to one or more of the preceding claims, characterized in that... The at least one control unit (50, 51) includes a central control unit (50) and at least one peripheral control unit (51). The central control unit (50) is configured to send control signals to the at least one peripheral control unit (51) relating to the operation of the electric motor (20) and the electric actuator (30) connected to the at least one wheel (10). The at least one peripheral control unit (51) is configured to transmit the control signal to the electric motor (20) and the electric actuator (30) to execute the control signal. And the at least one peripheral control unit (51) is configured to re-share data with the central control unit (50).

4. The electric vehicle (1) according to one or more of the preceding claims, characterized in that... The electric vehicle (1) includes a management device (60) comprising at least one converter and / or at least one circuit breaker and / or at least one switch associated with each component consisting of an electric motor (20) and a corresponding electric actuation brake (30), wherein the management device (60) is configured to modulate power from a storage device (40) and manage the current between the electric motor (20) and the electric actuation brake (30).

5. The electric vehicle (1) according to one or more of the preceding claims, characterized in that... The electric vehicle (1) includes at least one temperature sensor (21) associated with an electric motor (20), wherein the at least one control unit (50, 51) is configured to: - Receive at least one temperature value of the electric motor (20) from the temperature sensor (21); - Compare the at least one temperature value of the electric motor (20) with a predetermined temperature threshold stored in the memory device of the at least one control unit (50, 51); - If the at least one temperature value is higher than the predetermined temperature threshold, then deactivate the regenerative braking of the electric motor (20), and - The necessary braking torque is requested to be provided by the electrically actuated brake (30), in particular, the necessary braking torque is provided in a substantially exclusive manner.

6. The electric vehicle (1) according to one or more of the preceding claims, characterized in that... The electric vehicle (1) includes at least one additional temperature sensor (31) associated with the electric actuator (30). The at least one control unit (50, 51) is configured to: - Receive at least one additional temperature value of the electrically actuated brake (30) from the at least one additional temperature sensor (31); - Compare the at least one additional temperature value with an additional predetermined temperature threshold stored in the memory device of the at least one control unit (50, 51); - If the at least one additional temperature value is higher than the additional predetermined temperature threshold, then deactivate the braking of the electric actuator (30), and - The necessary braking torque is requested to be provided by the regenerative braking of the electric motor (20), in particular, the necessary braking torque is provided in a substantially exclusive manner.

7. The electric vehicle (1) according to one or more of the preceding claims, characterized in that... The electric vehicle (1) includes at least one sensor (11) associated with a wheel (10), the at least one sensor (11) being adapted to detect at least one dynamic condition of the wheel (10), particularly the vertical force acting on the wheel (10) and / or the angular velocity of the wheel (10). The at least one control unit (50, 51) is configured to: - Receive at least one value related to at least one dynamic condition of the wheel (10) from the at least one sensor (11); - Compare the at least one value with a predetermined ideal value stored in the memory device of the at least one control unit (50, 51); - An anti-lock braking system for the electric motor (20) and / or an optional electronic stability control system for the electric vehicle (1) that controls the value associated with at least one dynamic condition of the wheel (10) back to the predetermined ideal value.

8. A method for controlling an electric vehicle (1), the electric vehicle (1) comprising: - At least one wheel (10); - An electric motor (20) is mechanically connected to the at least one wheel (10) to drive the at least one wheel (10), wherein the electric motor (20) is configured to provide regenerative braking, the regenerative braking applying a first braking action to the at least one wheel (10); - An electric actuator (30) is mechanically connected to the at least one wheel (10) to apply a second braking action to the at least one wheel (10); - At least one storage device (40) is electrically connected to the electric motor (20) and the electric actuator (30) to supply power to them and receive energy in the form of electric current from the regenerative braking of the electric motor (20); - At least one control unit (50, 51). The method is characterized by including the following steps managed by the at least one control unit (50, 51): - Receive at least one value from a sensor device (41) associated with the storage device (40) related to at least one physical condition of the storage device (40), the at least one physical condition being particularly the state of charge and / or temperature; - Compare the at least one value with a predetermined threshold stored in the memory device of the at least one control unit (50, 51); - If at least one of the values ​​is higher than the predetermined threshold, then the flow of current generated by the regenerative braking toward the storage device (40) is suppressed, and - Allows the current generated by the regenerative braking to flow toward the electrically actuated brake (30).

9. The method according to claim 8, characterized in that... The method includes the following steps managed by the at least one control unit (50, 51): - Receive at least one temperature value of the electric motor (20) from at least one temperature sensor (21) associated with the electric motor (20); - Compare the at least one temperature value with a predetermined temperature threshold stored in the memory device of the at least one control unit (50, 51); - If the at least one temperature value is higher than the predetermined temperature threshold, then deactivate the regenerative braking of the electric motor (20), and - The necessary braking torque is requested to be provided by the electrically actuated brake (30), in particular, the necessary braking torque is provided in a substantially exclusive manner.

10. The method according to one or more of claims 8 and 9, characterized in that... The method includes the following steps managed by the at least one control unit (50, 51): - Receive at least one additional temperature value of the electric actuator (30) from an additional temperature sensor (31) associated with the electric actuator (30); - Compare the at least one additional temperature value with an additional predetermined temperature threshold stored in the memory device of the at least one control unit (50, 51); - If the at least one additional temperature value is higher than the additional predetermined temperature threshold, then deactivate the braking of the electric actuator (30), and - The necessary braking torque is requested to be provided by the regenerative braking of the electric motor (20), in particular, the necessary braking torque is provided in a substantially exclusive manner.

11. The method according to one or more of claims 8 to 10, characterized in that... The method includes the following steps managed by the at least one control unit (50, 51): - Detect at least one value related to at least one dynamic condition of said at least one wheel (10) by means of at least one sensor (11) associated with at least one wheel (10); - Compare the at least one value with a predetermined ideal value stored in the memory device of the at least one control unit (50, 51); - An optional anti-lock braking system and / or an optional electronic stability control system of the electric motor (20) and / or the electric vehicle (1) in a manner that causes at least one value associated with at least one dynamic condition of the wheel (10) to return to the predetermined ideal value.

12. The method according to one or more of claims 8 to 11, characterized in that... The steps are managed by a central control unit (50) and at least one peripheral control unit (51). The central control unit (50) sends control signals relating to the operation of each electric motor (20) and each electric actuation brake (30) connected to the wheel (10). The at least one peripheral control unit (51) transmits the control signal to the electric motor (20) and the electric actuator (30) connected to the wheel (10). Furthermore, the at least one peripheral control unit (51) re-shares data with the central control unit (50).

Images