Dual motor controller, extended-range powertrain, and electric vehicle

Abstract

This application provides a dual-motor controller, a range-extending powertrain, and an electric vehicle. The dual-motor controller includes a motor power circuit, a generator power circuit, and a control circuit. The motor power circuit outputs a first current to the motor to drive it to output torque to the wheels of the electric vehicle. The generator power circuit receives a second current output from the motor and charges the power battery. During the operation of the electric vehicle, after the accelerator pedal opening begins to increase and before it begins to decrease, the control circuit controls the first current to increase to a first peak value at a first moment and then decrease, and controls the second current to increase to a second peak value at a second moment different from the first moment and then decrease. By using this dual-motor controller, the concentrated generation of a large amount of heat by the two power circuits under high load conditions can be avoided, ensuring the normal operation of the dual-motor controller.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] This application relates to the field of vehicles, and more particularly to a dual-motor controller, a range-extending powertrain, and an electric vehicle. Background Technology

[0002] With the technological development in the new energy field, range-extended electric vehicles (REEVs) can generally function as pure electric vehicles, possessing the characteristics of pure electric vehicles such as environmental friendliness, quietness, and strong power. Furthermore, REEVs can generate electricity through a generator, thus addressing the "range anxiety" problem inherent in pure electric vehicles. To reduce the size of the range-extended powertrain, the electrical components for controlling the generator and the motor are typically integrated onto a single circuit board. However, this increased integration limits the powertrain's heat dissipation efficiency; excessively high operating temperatures not only affect powertrain performance but can also damage electronic components within the powertrain. Summary of the Invention

[0003] This application provides a dual-motor controller, a range-extending powertrain, and an electric vehicle. By controlling the peak times of the output current of the generator power circuit and the motor power circuit to be different, a large amount of heat can be avoided from being generated by the two power circuits under high load conditions, thus ensuring the normal operation of the dual-motor controller.

[0004] In a first aspect, a dual-motor controller for a range-extended powertrain is provided. The dual-motor controller includes a motor power circuit, a generator power circuit, and a control circuit. The motor power circuit outputs a first current to the motor to drive it to output torque to the wheels of an electric vehicle. The generator power circuit receives a second current output from the motor and charges the power battery. During the operation of the electric vehicle, after the accelerator pedal opening begins to increase and before the accelerator pedal opening begins to decrease, the control circuit controls the first current to increase to a first peak value at a first moment and then decrease, and controls the second current to increase to a second peak value at a second moment different from the first moment and then decrease.

[0005] During the operation of an electric vehicle, as the accelerator pedal opening increases, the torque demanded by the electric motor increases. Correspondingly, the control circuit controls the electric motor power circuit to increase the output current to a first peak value, thereby increasing the motor's torque output and driving the electric vehicle to accelerate. Furthermore, as the accelerator pedal opening increases, the power battery should increase its output power to the electric motor power circuit, enabling the electric motor power circuit to increase its power output to the motor to meet the power demand. During this process, the control circuit also controls the generator power circuit to increase the output current to a second peak value, thereby maintaining the power battery's charge or providing additional power to the electric motor power circuit.

[0006] In this embodiment of the application, the control circuit is also used to control the first moment and the second moment to be different, that is, to control the moment when the first current increases to the first peak value and the moment when the second current increases to the second peak value to not coincide, so that the time periods when the generator power circuit and the motor power circuit output peak current do not completely overlap, thereby avoiding the two power circuits from generating a large amount of heat in a concentrated manner, and thus avoiding the temperature from being too high and affecting the performance of the dual motor controller.

[0007] It is understandable that, in practical implementation, the control circuit can perform peak-shaving control on the first current and the second current in various ways. For example, the control circuit can control the rate of increase of the first current to be different from the rate of increase of the second current, so that the first and second moments do not coincide. For example, the control circuit can control the moment when the first current begins to increase to be different from the moment when the second current begins to increase, so that the first and second moments do not coincide.

[0008] According to the solution in this application, by controlling the peak times of the output current of the generator power circuit and the motor power circuit to be different, it is possible to avoid the two power circuits generating a large amount of heat under high load conditions, thus ensuring the normal operation of the dual-motor controller.

[0009] In conjunction with the first aspect, in some implementations of the first aspect, the dual-motor controller includes three power modules carried on the same insulating substrate, the motor power circuit includes three first bridge arms, and the generator power circuit includes three second bridge arms, wherein each power module includes one first bridge arm and one second bridge arm connected in parallel.

[0010] According to the scheme of this application, by setting a first bridge arm and a second bridge arm in each power module, it is beneficial to further improve the integration of the dual-motor controller and achieve better size control. Furthermore, by performing the aforementioned peak-shaving control on the power module with this structure, it is possible to avoid the concentrated generation of a large amount of heat in the two bridge arm circuits of the same power module, effectively suppressing the thermal coupling effect and reducing system thermal stress, thus ensuring the normal operation of each power module.

[0011] In conjunction with the first aspect, in some implementations of the first aspect, after the opening of the accelerator pedal of the electric vehicle begins to increase, the control circuit is specifically used to first control the first current to begin to increase, and then control the second current to begin to increase.

[0012] According to the proposed solution, during the acceleration of an electric vehicle, the current in the motor power circuit is increased first, and then the current in the generator power circuit is increased, thereby achieving a timely response to the driver's acceleration needs.

[0013] In conjunction with the first aspect, in some implementations of the first aspect, after the opening of the accelerator pedal of the electric vehicle begins to increase and before the vehicle speed reaches the target speed, the control circuit is specifically used to control the first current to increase to the first peak value at a first moment. After the vehicle speed of the electric vehicle reaches the target speed, the control circuit is specifically used to first control the first current to decrease, and then control the second current to increase to the second peak value at a second moment.

[0014] The target vehicle speed is determined by the vehicle control unit (VCU) of the electric vehicle based on the current vehicle speed and the opening of the accelerator pedal. After the electric vehicle reaches the target speed, the VCU will instruct the dual motor controller to reduce the torque output of the electric motors via a torque command. At this time, the first current output by the motor power circuit can be reduced from the first peak value.

[0015] According to the present application, after the current in the motor power circuit begins to decrease, the control circuit controls the current in the generator power circuit to increase to its peak value. This ensures that the time period when the first current in the motor power circuit reaches its first peak value does not overlap with the time period when the second current in the generator power circuit reaches its second peak value. This effectively controls the heat generated by the power module of the dual-motor controller and ensures the normal operation of the dual-motor controller.

[0016] In conjunction with the first aspect, in some implementations of the first aspect, during the operation of the electric vehicle at a speed greater than a preset speed, after the opening of the accelerator pedal of the electric vehicle begins to increase, the control circuit is specifically used to control the second current to begin increasing before the first moment. During the operation of the electric vehicle at a speed less than a preset speed, after the opening of the accelerator pedal of the electric vehicle begins to increase, the control circuit is specifically used to control the second current to begin increasing after the first moment.

[0017] It is understood that the specific value of the preset vehicle speed is not limited in the embodiments of this application. For example, the preset vehicle speed can be the vehicle speed corresponding to the base speed of the electric motor, such as 100 kilometers per hour (km / h).

[0018] According to the proposed solution, the dual-motor controller can adjust the timing of the generator power circuit increasing the second current based on the vehicle speed before acceleration, thus balancing the acceleration requirements of the electric vehicle with its own heat control needs, making it more practical.

[0019] In conjunction with the first aspect, in some implementations of the first aspect, when the electric vehicle is operating in the first mode, after the opening of the accelerator pedal of the electric vehicle begins to increase, the control circuit is specifically used to control the second current to begin increasing before the first current begins to decrease from the first peak value at a third time. When the electric vehicle is operating in the second mode, after the opening of the accelerator pedal of the electric vehicle begins to increase, the control circuit is specifically used to control the second current to begin increasing after the third time.

[0020] The first mode and the second mode refer to different operating modes of the electric vehicle. For example, the first mode is the sport mode, and the second mode is the comfort mode.

[0021] According to the present application, the dual-motor controller can adjust the timing of the generator power circuit to increase the second current in combination with the operating mode of the electric vehicle, thereby meeting the different needs of the driver for the vehicle and making it more practical.

[0022] In conjunction with the first aspect, in some implementations of the first aspect, before controlling the first current to decrease from the first peak value, the control circuit is further configured to control the switching frequency of the switching transistor in the generator power module to a first frequency. After controlling the first current to decrease from the first peak value, the control circuit is further configured to control the switching frequency of the switching transistor in the generator power module to a second frequency greater than the first frequency.

[0023] It is understood that the switching frequency of a switching transistor is directly proportional to its switching losses; that is, the higher the switching frequency, the greater the switching losses and the higher the heat generated in the bridge arm circuit, or the single half-bridge circuit. This application does not limit the specific values ​​of the first and second frequencies. For example, the first frequency can be 50% of the second frequency.

[0024] According to the present application, the dual-motor controller actively limits the switching frequency of the switching transistor in the generator power circuit before the first current output by the motor power circuit decreases from the first peak value, thereby more effectively controlling the heat generated by the power module of the dual-motor controller and ensuring the normal operation of the dual-motor controller.

[0025] In conjunction with the first aspect, in some implementations of the first aspect, when the electric vehicle is driving with its power battery charge lower than a preset charge level, before the accelerator pedal opening of the electric vehicle increases, the control circuit further controls the second current to maintain a third peak value, the third peak value being greater than or equal to the second peak value. After the accelerator pedal opening of the electric vehicle increases but before the first moment, the control circuit further controls the second current to decrease from the second peak value. After the first moment, the control circuit further controls the second current to begin increasing.

[0026] It is understood that during the operation of an electric vehicle with a battery level lower than a preset level, the generator power circuit controls the generator to continuously operate in order to charge the power battery. During this process, the generator power circuit outputs a second current that consistently maintains a third peak value, which can be considered close to the maximum current output by the generator power circuit, thereby charging the power battery with a relatively high charging power. The preset level can, for example, be any value less than 20%.

[0027] During this process, if the driver presses the accelerator pedal to accelerate the electric vehicle, the control circuit first controls the second current output by the generator power circuit to decrease from its third peak value, and then controls the first current output by the motor power circuit to increase. In this way, while controlling the torque output of the motor through the motor power circuit, the control circuit also controls the generator control circuit to supply power to the battery at a relatively small current value, ensuring that the battery's charge does not decrease significantly due to acceleration.

[0028] After the first moment, the control circuit controls the second current to begin increasing. In this way, by preventing the first and second moments from coinciding, the control circuit can, to some extent, reduce the heat generated by the concentrated heat in the motor power circuit and the generator power circuit.

[0029] According to the proposed solution, during the range-extended electric vehicle's operation, if the driver wishes to accelerate the electric vehicle, the dual-motor controller first controls the current output of the generator power circuit to decrease, and then controls the current output of the motor power circuit to increase. This can meet the driver's acceleration needs while reducing the heat generated by the dual-motor controller, thus ensuring the normal operation of the dual-motor controller.

[0030] In conjunction with the first aspect, in some implementations of the first aspect, after the opening of the accelerator pedal of the electric vehicle increases, the control circuit is also used to control the second current to decrease and control the switching frequency of the switching transistor in the generator power circuit to decrease.

[0031] According to the present application, based on the reduction of the second current output by the generator power circuit from the third peak value, the control circuit is also used to control the switching frequency of the switching transistor in the generator power circuit to decrease, thereby reducing the heat generated by switching losses and further reducing the heat generated by the dual-motor controller, making it more practical.

[0032] In conjunction with the first aspect, in some implementations of the first aspect, the control circuit is also used to control the interval between the first moment and the second moment to increase as the coefficient of adhesion between the wheels of the electric vehicle and the road surface decreases.

[0033] It's understandable that the higher the coefficient of friction between the wheels and the road surface of an electric vehicle, the greater the driving force available to the wheels, and the shorter the time it takes for the vehicle to accelerate to the preset speed. In other words, compared to high-friction surfaces (such as paved roads), if an electric vehicle accelerates on a low-friction surface (such as icy or snowy roads), the driving force available to the wheels is smaller, and the time required for the vehicle to accelerate to the target speed is longer. In this scenario, to avoid extending the time during which both power circuits simultaneously output peak current, the control circuit actively controls the time interval between the first and second moments to increase; that is, the control time interval increases as the coefficient of friction between the electric vehicle and the road surface decreases.

[0034] According to the embodiments of this application, the dual-motor controller adjusts the interval between the first and second moments based on the adhesion coefficient between the wheels and the road surface of the electric vehicle, thereby taking into account both the acceleration needs of the electric vehicle and its own heat control needs, making it more practical.

[0035] In conjunction with the first aspect, in some implementations of the first aspect, under the condition that the increase in the speed of the electric vehicle is the same, the control circuit is also used to control the interval between the first moment and the second moment, which first increases and then decreases as the speed of the electric vehicle increases before the opening of the accelerator pedal increases.

[0036] According to the proposed solution, the dual-motor controller adjusts the interval between the first and second moments based on the vehicle speed before acceleration, thereby balancing the acceleration needs of the electric vehicle with its own heat control requirements, making it more practical.

[0037] Secondly, a range-extended powertrain is provided, comprising an electric motor, a generator, and a dual-motor controller. The dual-motor controller includes an electric motor power circuit, a generator power circuit, and a control circuit. The electric motor power circuit outputs a first current to the electric motor to drive it to output torque to the wheels of the electric vehicle. The generator power circuit receives a second current output from the electric motor and charges the power battery. During the operation of the electric vehicle, after the accelerator pedal opening begins to increase and before the accelerator pedal opening begins to decrease, the control circuit controls the first current to increase to a first peak value at a first moment and then decrease, and controls the second current to increase to a second peak value at a second moment different from the first moment and then decrease.

[0038] In conjunction with the second aspect, in some implementations of the second aspect, the dual-motor controller includes three power modules carried on the same insulating substrate, the motor power circuit includes three first bridge arms, and the generator power circuit includes three second bridge arms, wherein each power module includes one first bridge arm and one second bridge arm connected in parallel.

[0039] In conjunction with the second aspect, in some implementations of the second aspect, after the opening of the accelerator pedal of the electric vehicle begins to increase but before the vehicle speed reaches the target speed, the control circuit is specifically used to control the first current to increase to the first peak value at a first moment. After the vehicle speed of the electric vehicle reaches the target speed, the control circuit is specifically used to control the first current to decrease and control the second current to increase to the second peak value at a second moment.

[0040] Thirdly, an electric vehicle is provided, comprising a power battery, four wheels, and a range-extended powertrain as described in the second aspect. The range-extended powertrain is used to receive power from the power battery to drive two of the wheels, and / or to supply power to the power battery.

[0041] The supplementary solutions and technical effects provided in the second and third aspects above can be found in the corresponding descriptions in the first aspect, and will not be repeated here. Attached Figure Description

[0042] Figure 1 This is a schematic diagram of the structure of the electric vehicle 10 provided in the embodiments of this application; Figure 2 This is a schematic diagram of a range-extending powertrain 110 provided in an embodiment of this application; Figure 3 This is a schematic diagram of a motor power circuit provided in an embodiment of this application; Figure 4 This is a timing diagram of an acceleration process of an electric vehicle 10 provided in an embodiment of this application; Figure 5 This is a timing diagram of another acceleration process of the electric vehicle 10 provided in the embodiments of this application. Detailed Implementation

[0043] The technical solutions in this application will now be described with reference to the accompanying drawings.

[0044] References to “some embodiments” and the like in this specification mean that one or more embodiments of this application include a particular feature, structure, or characteristic described in connection with that embodiment. Therefore, phrases such as “some embodiments” appearing in different parts of this specification do not necessarily refer to the same embodiment, but rather mean “one or more, but not all, embodiments”, unless otherwise specifically emphasized. The terms “comprising,” “including,” “having,” and variations thereof mean “including, but not limited to,” unless otherwise specifically emphasized.

[0045] With the technological development in the new energy field, the application of new energy vehicles is becoming increasingly widespread, such as pure electric vehicles / hybrid vehicles (which can be simply referred to as "hybrid vehicles"). Pure electric vehicles drive the wheels by providing the electrical energy stored in the power battery to the electric motor, and are characterized by being environmentally friendly, quiet, and powerful, leading to their large-scale development. However, due to issues such as the easy aging of power batteries and rapid capacity decay at low temperatures, pure electric vehicles suffer from "range anxiety." Based on this, hybrid vehicles designed with a range-extended hybrid system (i.e., range-extended hybrid vehicles) have emerged. On the one hand, range-extended hybrid vehicles can generally function as pure electric vehicles, possessing the characteristics of pure electric vehicles; on the other hand, compared to pure electric vehicles, when range-extended hybrid vehicles cannot function as pure electric vehicles, they can still generate electricity through a range extender consisting of an engine and a generator, thereby solving the "range anxiety" problem. Therefore, range-extended hybrid vehicles are an important research direction in the field of new energy vehicles.

[0046] To reduce the size of range-extended powertrains, electrical components such as the generator controller (for controlling the generator) and the motor controller (for controlling the electric motor) are typically integrated onto a single circuit board. However, this increased integration limits the powertrain's heat dissipation efficiency. A large amount of heat is generated when both the engine and generator power circuits are under high load. Excessive operating temperature not only affects powertrain performance but may also damage the electronic components within the powertrain.

[0047] In view of this, embodiments of this application propose a dual-motor controller for a range-extended powertrain, a range-extended powertrain, and an electric vehicle. By performing peak-shaving control on the current in the power circuit when both the generator power circuit and the motor power circuit are under high load conditions, a large amount of heat can be avoided from being generated in a concentrated manner, thus ensuring the normal operation of the dual-motor controller.

[0048] Figure 1 This is a schematic diagram of the structure of the electric vehicle 10 provided in the embodiments of this application.

[0049] like Figure 1 As shown in (a), the electric vehicle 10 can be a two-wheel drive vehicle. The electric vehicle 10 may include a power battery (not shown), a range extender powertrain 110, and four wheels. The range extender powertrain 110 drives the two front wheels of the electric vehicle 10. The range extender powertrain 110 includes a range-extended dual-motor controller 111, a generator 112, and a motor 113. The motor 113 is connected to the two front wheels of the electric vehicle 10 and drives them to rotate by outputting torque. The generator 112 is driven by an internal combustion engine to output torque, and in the process of outputting torque, it converts mechanical energy into electrical energy, i.e., the generator 112 generates electricity.

[0050] In this embodiment, the range-extended dual-motor controller 111 is used to receive power from the power battery to drive the motor 113 or to transmit electrical energy generated by the generator 112 to the power battery to charge it. Specifically, during the power generation process of the generator 112, the range-extended dual-motor controller 111 can receive electrical energy output from the generator 112 and supply power to the power battery to charge it; or, the range-extended dual-motor controller 111 can receive electrical energy output from the generator 112 and supply power to the motor 113 to drive it; or, the range-extended dual-motor controller 111 can receive electrical energy output from the generator 112 and electrical energy output from the power battery and supply power to the motor 113 to drive it.

[0051] It is understood that the above-mentioned range-extended dual-motor controller 111 can also be divided into a separate motor controller and a generator controller. The generator controller is used to implement the functions related to the generator power circuit, and the motor controller is used to implement the functions related to the motor power circuit.

[0052] like Figure 1As shown in (b), the electric vehicle 10 can be a four-wheel drive vehicle. The electric vehicle 10 may include a power battery (not shown), a range extender powertrain 110, a second powertrain 120, and four wheels. The range extender powertrain 110 drives the two front wheels of the electric vehicle 10, and the second powertrain 120 drives the two rear wheels of the electric vehicle 10. The second powertrain 120 includes a second motor controller 121 and a second motor 122. The second motor controller 121 outputs alternating current to the second motor 122 to drive the second motor 122.

[0053] It is understood that the second powertrain 120 mentioned above can also be a distributed powertrain. In this case, the second powertrain 120 may include two electric motors, which are used to drive the two rear wheels of the electric vehicle 10. The second motor controller 121 is used to output AC power to the two electric motors to drive them.

[0054] It is understood that the powertrain in this application can be a centralized powertrain, a hub motor powertrain, or a wheel-side motor powertrain. Specifically, the hub motor powertrain directly mounts the motor and reducer in the wheel hub, eliminating transmission components such as half-shafts, universal joints, differentials, and gearboxes; the wheel-side motor powertrain mounts the motor on the subframe.

[0055] Figure 2 This is a schematic diagram of a range-extending powertrain 110 provided in an embodiment of this application.

[0056] like Figure 2 As shown, the range-extended powertrain 110 includes a range-extended dual-motor controller 111, a generator 112, and a motor 113. The range-extended dual-motor controller 111 includes a generator power circuit 111a, a motor power circuit 111b, and a control circuit 111c. The control circuit 111c controls the generator power circuit 111a to receive power from the generator of the range-extended powertrain and to charge the power battery. The control circuit 111c also controls the motor power circuit 111b to receive power from the power battery and to supply power to the motor of the range-extended powertrain.

[0057] Optionally, the control circuit 111c can be divided into a motor control circuit and a generator control circuit. The generator control circuit is used to implement the functions related to the generator power circuit 111a, and the motor control circuit is used to implement the functions related to the motor power circuit 111b.

[0058] like Figure 3As shown, the motor power circuit 111b may include three second bridge arms, and the motor may include three-phase windings. The two ends of the three bridge arms are respectively connected to the positive and negative terminals of the power battery, and the midpoints of the three bridge arms are respectively connected to the three-phase windings of the motor. Each bridge arm may include an upper bridge arm switch and a lower bridge arm switch, and the midpoint of each bridge arm can output one phase current to one phase winding of the motor. The controller circuit can adjust the electrical parameters of the AC power output from the motor power circuit 111b to the motor by controlling the on and off states of each switch in the three bridge arms. Similarly, the generator power circuit 111a includes three first bridge arms connected in parallel, and the circuit topology of the generator power circuit 111a and the specific method of controlling its operation are described above and will not be repeated here.

[0059] In some embodiments, the range-extended dual-motor controller comprises three adjacent power modules. Each power module includes an insulating substrate and two parallel half-bridge circuits (i.e., bridge arm circuits), the electrical components of which are carried on the insulating substrate. One bridge arm circuit belongs to generator power circuit 111a, and this one bridge arm circuit is one phase bridge arm of generator power circuit 111a. The other bridge arm circuit belongs to motor power circuit 111b, and this other bridge arm circuit is one phase bridge arm of motor power circuit 111b.

[0060] Each power module also includes DC terminals and AC terminals. The two DC terminals are used to connect to the positive and negative terminals of the DC bus, respectively. One end of one AC terminal is used to connect to the midpoint of one arm of the half-bridge circuit, and the other end is used to connect to one phase winding of the generator 112. One end of the other AC terminal is used to connect to the midpoint of the other arm of the other half-bridge circuit, and the midpoint of the other arm is used to connect to one phase winding of the motor 113.

[0061] In some embodiments, the AC terminals of each power module connect one phase winding of the generator 112 and one phase winding of the motor 113 to the same direction. For example, power module #1 connects to the Wm winding and the Wg winding via AC terminals. The Wm winding is the W-phase winding of the generator 112, and the Wg winding is the W-phase winding of the motor 113. This not only reduces the connection complexity between the power module and the generator 112 and the motor 113, but also simplifies the heat control of each power module by the control circuit.

[0062] In some embodiments, the AC terminals for connecting the motor 113 and the AC terminals for connecting the generator 112 in the three power modules are arranged alternately. For example, the AC terminals in the three power modules are arranged sequentially as Um / Ug, Vm / Vg, and Wm / Wg. Wherein, the Um winding is the U-phase winding of the motor 113, the Ug winding is the U-phase winding of the generator 112, the Vm winding is the V-phase winding of the motor 113, and the Vg winding is the V-phase winding of the generator 112. This arrangement simplifies the connection complexity between the power modules and the generator 112 and the motor 113.

[0063] The architecture of the embodiments of this application has been described above. The current peak regulation function of the dual motor controller provided in this application will be described below with reference to specific embodiments.

[0064] The current peak regulation function of the dual-motor controller 111 provided in this application will be described in detail below with reference to specific embodiments. For ease of understanding, please refer to [link to relevant documentation]. Figure 4 , Figure 4 A timing diagram of the acceleration process of an electric vehicle 10 is shown.

[0065] like Figure 4 As shown, the moment when the accelerator pedal opening of the electric vehicle begins to increase is time t0, and the moment when the accelerator pedal opening begins to decrease is time tn. Before time t0, as referred to in this embodiment, the vehicle can be considered as not needing to accelerate. After time t0 and before time tn, as referred to in this embodiment, the user can be considered as wanting to control the vehicle to accelerate. After time tn, as referred to in this embodiment, the user can be considered as wanting to control the electric vehicle to stop accelerating.

[0066] In some embodiments, the motor power circuit 111b is used to output a first current to the motor 113 to drive the motor 113 to output torque to the wheels of the electric vehicle, and the generator power circuit 111a is used to receive the second current output by the motor 113 and charge the power battery. During the operation of the electric vehicle, after time t0 when the opening of the accelerator pedal of the electric vehicle begins to increase and before time tn when the opening of the accelerator pedal begins to decrease, the first current is controlled to increase to a first peak value at a first time t1 and then decrease, and the second current is controlled to increase to a second peak value at a second time t2, which is different from the first time t1 and then decrease.

[0067] During the operation of the electric vehicle, as the accelerator pedal opening increases, the torque output of the electric motor 113 is required to increase. Accordingly, the control circuit 111c controls the electric motor power circuit 111b to increase the output current to a first peak value, thereby increasing the torque output of the electric motor 113 and driving the electric vehicle to accelerate.

[0068] It is understandable that the specific value of this first peak value corresponds to the opening degree of the accelerator pedal. Generally, as the opening degree of the accelerator pedal increases, the first peak value tends to increase first and then remain constant. Specifically, when the opening degree of the accelerator pedal increases within a range less than a first preset pedal opening degree, the first peak value increases with the increase of the accelerator pedal opening degree until it reaches the maximum current value supported by the motor power circuit 111b. When the opening degree of the accelerator pedal increases within a range greater than or equal to the first preset pedal opening degree, the first peak value remains constant at this maximum current value.

[0069] During the operation of the electric vehicle, the dual-motor controller 111 can control the generator power circuit 111a to receive the AC power provided by the generator 112 and convert it into DC power. It is easy to understand that this DC power can be output to the power battery to charge the power battery, or it can be output to the motor 113 power circuit to supply power to the motor power circuit 111b.

[0070] Correspondingly, as the accelerator pedal opening increases, the power battery should increase its output power to the motor power circuit 111b, enabling the motor power circuit 111b to increase its power output to the motor 113 to meet the power demand. During this process, the control circuit 111c controls the generator power circuit 111a to increase its output second current to a second peak value, thereby maintaining the power battery's charge or providing additional power to the motor power circuit 111b.

[0071] In some embodiments, when the accelerator pedal opening of the electric vehicle varies within a range less than a preset opening threshold, the second current output by the generator power circuit 111a to the power battery is zero. When the accelerator pedal opening of the electric vehicle is greater than or equal to the preset opening threshold, the second current output by the generator power circuit 111a to the power battery is greater than zero. The preset opening threshold can be any value below 80% of the maximum accelerator pedal opening. When the accelerator pedal opening is greater than the preset opening threshold, it indicates that the driver intends to significantly accelerate the electric vehicle by pressing the accelerator pedal deeply, resulting in a greater demand for the first current output by the motor power circuit 111b. In this case, the control circuit 111c controls the second current output by the generator power circuit 111a to the power battery to be greater than zero and gradually increase to a second peak value.

[0072] In some embodiments, when the battery charge (also known as state of charge, SOC) is greater than a first preset charge threshold, the second current output by the generator power circuit 111a to the battery is zero. When the battery charge is less than or equal to the first preset charge threshold, the second current output by the generator power circuit 111a to the battery is greater than zero. This preset charge threshold can be a pre-calibrated value or a user-defined value, and is not limited. When the battery charge is less than the first preset charge threshold, it indicates that the battery cannot maintain its charge level while simultaneously supplying power to the motor power circuit 111b. In this case, the control circuit 111c controls the second current output by the generator power circuit 111a to the battery to be greater than zero and gradually increase to a second peak value.

[0073] It is understandable that the specific value of this second peak value corresponds to the opening degree of the accelerator pedal. Generally, as the opening degree of the accelerator pedal increases, the second peak value first increases and then remains constant. Specifically, when the opening degree of the accelerator pedal increases within a range less than the second preset pedal opening degree, in order to meet the power requirements of the power battery or the motor power circuit 111b, the current output by the generator power circuit 111a also increases until it reaches the maximum current value supported by the generator power circuit 111a. When the opening degree of the accelerator pedal increases within a range greater than or equal to the second preset pedal opening degree, the second peak value remains constant at this maximum current value.

[0074] In this embodiment, the control circuit 111c is further configured to control the first time t1 and the second time t2 to be different, that is, to control the time when the first current increases to the first peak value and the time when the second current increases to the second peak value to not coincide, so that the peak current output periods of the generator power circuit 111a and the motor power circuit 111b do not completely overlap, thereby avoiding the generation of a large amount of heat by the two power circuits and thus avoiding excessive temperature affecting the performance of the dual-motor controller 111. In particular, for the dual-motor controller 111 shown in the figure, by performing the above-mentioned peak-shaving control on the generator power circuit 111a and the motor power circuit 111b, it is possible to avoid the generation of a large amount of heat by the two bridge arm circuits in the same power module, effectively suppress the thermal coupling effect and reduce the thermal stress of the system, and ensure the normal operation of each power module.

[0075] In practical implementation, control circuit 111c can perform peak-shaving control on the first current and the second current in various ways. For example, control circuit 111c can control the increase rate of the first current to be different from the increase rate of the second current, so that the first time t1 and the second time t2 do not coincide. For example, control circuit 111c can control the time at which the first current begins to increase to be different from the time at which the second current begins to increase, so that the first time t1 and the second time t2 do not coincide.

[0076] Continue to refer to Figure 4 In some embodiments, after the first time t1 and before the third time t3, the control circuit 111c controls the first current output by the motor power circuit 111b to remain near the first peak value, so that the motor 113 continuously outputs the torque corresponding to the accelerator pedal opening. After the third time t3 and before time tn, when the accelerator pedal opening begins to decrease, the control circuit 111c actively controls the first current output by the motor power circuit 111b to decrease from the first peak value. In this way, while meeting the vehicle's power requirements, it is possible to avoid the motor power circuit 111b continuously outputting the first peak current, which would generate a large amount of heat.

[0077] Continue from the reference Figure 4 In some embodiments, after the second time t2 and before the fourth time t4, the control circuit 111c controls the second current output by the generator power circuit 111a to remain near the second peak value, so that the generator power circuit 111a continuously outputs the power corresponding to the second peak value to maintain the power battery charge and / or maintain power compensation to the motor power circuit 111b. After the fourth time t4, the control circuit 111c actively controls the second current output by the generator power circuit 111a to decrease from the second peak value. In this way, while maintaining the power battery charge and / or the power demand of the motor power circuit 111b, it is possible to avoid the generator power circuit 111a continuously outputting the second peak current and generating a large amount of heat. The fourth time t4 can be before or after the time tn when the accelerator pedal opening begins to decrease, and is not limited to this time.

[0078] According to the embodiments of this application, by controlling the peak times of the output current of the generator power circuit and the motor power circuit to be different, it is possible to avoid the two power circuits generating a large amount of heat under high load conditions, thus ensuring the normal operation of the dual motor controller.

[0079] In some embodiments, when the second current is zero before the accelerator pedal opening increases, after time t0 when the accelerator pedal opening begins to increase, the control circuit 111c is used to first control the second current to start increasing, then control the first current to start increasing, and control the first time t1 to precede the second time t2.

[0080] In this embodiment, a zero second current indicates that the generator power circuit 111a is not outputting a second current to charge the power battery. In this scenario, after the driver depresses the accelerator pedal, because the generator 112 responds slowly, the control circuit 111c can first control the second current to increase, and then control the first current to increase. Furthermore, the control circuit 111c is also used to control the first moment t1 to precede the second moment t2, thereby responding promptly to the driver's acceleration needs while shortening the interval between the first moment t1 and the second moment t2, ensuring that the generator power circuit 111a can supply power to the power battery and / or the motor power circuit 111b in a timely manner.

[0081] According to the embodiments of this application, the dual-motor control circuit controls the second current to increase before the first current, which can avoid the situation where the generator power circuit cannot output the second peak current in time due to the slow response of the generator, and is more practical.

[0082] In some embodiments, after the accelerator pedal of the electric vehicle begins to increase at time t0, the control circuit 111c is specifically used to first control the first current to begin to increase, and then control the second current to begin to increase.

[0083] It is understandable that, in order to respond promptly to the driver's acceleration needs, control circuit 111c is used to first control the motor power circuit 111b to increase the output of the first current so that the torque output of motor 113 increases rapidly. Subsequently, control circuit 111c is used to increase the output of the second current in generator power circuit 111a to charge the power battery and / or supply power to motor power circuit 111b.

[0084] It is understood that the time interval T1 between the moment t5 when the control circuit 111c starts to increase the first current of the motor power circuit 111b and the moment t6 when the control circuit 111a starts to increase the second current can be determined according to the actual implementation and is not limited.

[0085] In one implementation, the time interval T1 can decrease as the change in the accelerator pedal opening increases. It is easy to understand that the greater the change in the accelerator pedal opening, the greater the target output power of the motor power circuit 111b. In this case, the control circuit 111c should decrease the time interval T1 to prevent the battery charge from dropping rapidly, or to prevent the battery output power from being less than the input power required by the motor power circuit 111b. For example, when the change in the accelerator pedal opening is a first change, the time interval T1 is a first time interval. When the change in the accelerator pedal opening is a second change greater than the first change, the time interval T1 is a second time interval less than the first time interval. Thus, by dynamically adjusting the time interval T1 in conjunction with the change in the accelerator pedal opening, it is possible to ensure that the generator power circuit 111a can stably supply power to the battery and / or the motor power circuit 111b while meeting acceleration requirements.

[0086] In one implementation, the time interval T1 can increase as the battery charge increases. It's easy to understand that the lower the battery charge, the more limited the peak power output. Therefore, the time interval T1 should be reduced to prevent a rapid drop in battery charge or to avoid the battery's output power being less than the input power required by the motor power circuit 111b. For example, when the battery charge is at a first charge level, the time interval T1 is a third time interval. When the battery charge is at a second charge level higher than the first charge level, the time interval T1 is a fourth time interval, greater than the third time interval. Thus, by dynamically adjusting the time interval T1 based on the battery charge level, acceleration requirements can be met while ensuring that the generator power circuit 111a can stably power the battery and / or the motor power circuit 111b.

[0087] According to the embodiments of this application, during the acceleration of an electric vehicle, the current in the motor power circuit is increased first, and then the current in the generator power circuit is increased, thereby achieving a timely response to the driver's acceleration needs.

[0088] like Figure 5 As shown, in some embodiments, after time t0 when the accelerator pedal opening of the electric vehicle begins to increase, and before time t5 when the vehicle speed reaches the target speed, control circuit 111c controls the first current to increase to a first peak value at a first time t1. After time t5 when the vehicle speed reaches the target speed, control circuit 111c controls the first current to decrease at a third time t3, and controls the second current to increase to a second peak value at a second time t2.

[0089] The target vehicle speed is determined by the vehicle control unit (VCU) of the electric vehicle based on the current vehicle speed and the opening of the accelerator pedal. After the electric vehicle reaches the target speed, the VCU will instruct the dual motor controller 111 to reduce the torque output of the motor 113 via a torque command. At this time, the first current output by the motor power circuit 111b can be reduced from the first peak value, and the torque output by the motor 113 is used to maintain the electric vehicle traveling at the target speed.

[0090] In this embodiment, after the first current at a first peak value is output by the control motor power circuit 111b to increase the speed of the electric vehicle to the target speed at time t5, the control circuit 111c is used to first control the first current to begin decreasing in order to reduce the heat generated by the motor power circuit 111b. Subsequently, the control circuit 111c is used to control the second current to increase to a second peak value at a second time t2, thereby charging the power battery.

[0091] According to the embodiments of this application, after the current in the motor power circuit begins to decrease, the control circuit 111c controls the current in the generator power circuit to increase to its peak value, so that the time period when the first current in the motor power circuit reaches the first peak value and the time period when the second current in the generator power circuit reaches the second peak value do not overlap at all. This can effectively control the heat generated by the power module of the dual motor controller and ensure the normal operation of the dual motor controller.

[0092] In some embodiments, during the operation of the electric vehicle at a speed greater than a preset speed, after time t0 when the opening of the accelerator pedal of the electric vehicle begins to increase, the control circuit 111c controls the second current to begin increasing before the first time t1. During the operation of the electric vehicle at a speed less than a preset speed, after time t0 when the opening of the accelerator pedal of the electric vehicle begins to increase, the control circuit 111c controls the second current to begin increasing after the first time t1.

[0093] It is understandable that the torque required to accelerate an electric vehicle varies depending on its speed, and this torque typically increases with the vehicle's speed. When the vehicle's speed is below a preset speed, if the driver presses the accelerator pedal to accelerate, the battery charge will not decrease rapidly as the power is supplied to the motor power circuit 111b. Therefore, the control circuit 111c first controls the first current to increase to its first peak value at the first moment t1, and then controls the second current to begin increasing. In this way, since the torque required for acceleration is smaller at low speeds, by controlling the generator power circuit 111a to increase only after the current output from the motor power circuit 111b has reached its peak value, the heat generated by the power module of the dual-motor controller 111 can be effectively controlled, ensuring the normal operation of the dual-motor controller 111.

[0094] When the electric vehicle is traveling at a speed exceeding the preset speed, if the driver presses the accelerator pedal to accelerate the vehicle, the battery charge will rapidly decrease after outputting the required power to the motor power circuit 111b, or the output power of the battery may not be able to meet the needs of the motor power circuit 111b. The control circuit 111c is used to first increase the first current, and then, during the increase of the first current, to control the increase of the second current. In this way, since the electric vehicle requires a greater torque to accelerate at high speeds, by controlling the generator power circuit 111a to increase during the increase of the current output from the motor power circuit 111b, the power demand of the electric vehicle can be met while reducing the heat generated by the power module of the dual-motor controller 111 to a certain extent, thereby ensuring the normal operation of the dual-motor controller 111.

[0095] It is understood that the specific value of the preset vehicle speed is not limited in the embodiments of this application. For example, the preset vehicle speed can be the vehicle speed corresponding to the base speed of the electric motor 113, such as 100 kilometers per hour (km / h).

[0096] In some embodiments, when the electric vehicle is traveling at a speed lower than a preset speed, if the driver presses the accelerator pedal to accelerate the vehicle, the control circuit 111c first controls the first current to increase, and then controls the second current to increase to a preset current value before the first current reaches a first peak value at time t1. After the first current begins to decrease from the first peak value at a third time t3, the control circuit 111c controls the second current to increase from the preset current value to a second peak value. The preset current value can be any current value less than the second peak value, such as 50% of the second peak value, and is not limited. In this way, while meeting the power requirements of the electric vehicle, the heat generated by the power module of the dual-motor controller 111 can also be reduced to some extent by controlling the current in the generator power circuit 111a to increase in a stepwise manner.

[0097] According to the embodiments of this application, the dual-motor controller can adjust the timing of the generator power circuit starting to increase the second current based on the vehicle speed before the electric vehicle begins to accelerate, thereby taking into account both the acceleration requirements of the electric vehicle and its own heat control requirements, making it more practical.

[0098] In some embodiments, when the increase in the speed of the electric vehicle is the same, the control circuit 111c is used to control the interval between the first time t1 and the second time t2, which first increases and then decreases as the opening of the accelerator pedal increases.

[0099] As mentioned above, the torque required to control the electric vehicle to begin acceleration varies depending on its speed. Based on this, the control circuit 111c provided in this embodiment is further used to adjust the time interval T2 between the first moment t1 and the second moment t2 according to the speed of the electric vehicle. Specifically, when the speed of the electric vehicle before acceleration is less than or equal to a preset speed, the torque required for acceleration is relatively small within this range, and the control circuit 111c does not need to control the generator power circuit 111a to increase the second current before the third moment t3. Therefore, the higher the initial speed of the electric vehicle, the longer the interval between the first moment t1 and the third moment t3 when the first current begins to decrease from its first peak, and the longer the time interval T2. That is, the interval between the first moment t1 and the second moment t2 increases with the increase of the initial speed.

[0100] When the electric vehicle's initial speed before acceleration is greater than the preset speed, the torque required for acceleration within this range is relatively large. However, since the output power of the power battery may not be able to meet the needs of the motor power circuit 111b, or the battery charge may drop rapidly after meeting its needs, the control circuit 111c should control the second current to begin increasing before the third time t3. Furthermore, the higher the initial speed of the electric vehicle, the earlier the control circuit 111c controls the motor power circuit 111b to increase the second current, and the duration of the second current increasing to the second peak value is less affected by the vehicle speed. Therefore, the time interval T2 will actually shorten, meaning that the interval between the first time t1 and the second time t2 decreases as the initial vehicle speed increases.

[0101] According to the embodiments of this application, the dual-motor controller adjusts the interval between the first and second moments based on the vehicle speed before the electric vehicle begins to accelerate, thereby taking into account both the acceleration needs of the electric vehicle and its own heat control needs, making it more practical.

[0102] In some embodiments, the control circuit 111c is used to control the interval between the first time t1 and the second time t2, which increases as the adhesion coefficient between the wheels of the electric vehicle and the road surface decreases.

[0103] It is understandable that the higher the coefficient of friction between the wheels and the road surface of an electric vehicle, the greater the driving force that the wheels can utilize, and the shorter the time it takes for the vehicle to accelerate to the preset speed. In other words, compared to high-friction surfaces (such as paved roads), if an electric vehicle accelerates on a low-friction surface (such as an icy or snowy road), the driving force that the wheels can utilize is smaller, and the time required for the vehicle to accelerate to the target speed is longer, i.e., the interval between the first moment t1 and the third moment t3 is longer. In this scenario, in order to avoid extending the time during which the two power circuits simultaneously output peak current, the control circuit 111c actively controls the time interval T2 between the first moment t1 and the second moment t2 to increase, that is, the control time interval T2 increases as the coefficient of friction between the electric vehicle and the road surface decreases.

[0104] It is understood that the specific method by which the electric vehicle 10 determines the current road surface adhesion coefficient is not limited in the embodiments of this application. For example, the electric vehicle 10 can determine the current road surface adhesion coefficient through the vehicle's sensors, such as determining the type of road surface the vehicle is currently in contact with (e.g., snow or dry paved road surface) through the vehicle's camera, or determining the current road surface adhesion coefficient based on the wheel slip ratio obtained from the wheel speed sensor or the motor's resolver sensor signal during vehicle operation. As another example, the electric vehicle 10 can also determine the road surface adhesion coefficient according to the vehicle's current operating mode; for example, when the vehicle is operating in snow mode, the road surface the vehicle is currently in contact with is assumed to have a low adhesion coefficient. Furthermore, the control circuit 111c can determine the road surface adhesion coefficient through the communication bus of the electric vehicle 10.

[0105] According to the embodiments of this application, the dual-motor controller adjusts the interval between the first and second moments based on the adhesion coefficient between the wheels and the road surface of the electric vehicle, thereby taking into account both the acceleration needs of the electric vehicle and its own heat control needs, making it more practical.

[0106] In some embodiments, during the operation of the electric vehicle in a first mode, after time t0 when the opening of the accelerator pedal of the electric vehicle begins to increase, the control circuit 111c controls the second current to begin increasing before time t3 when the first current begins to decrease from the first peak value. During the operation of the electric vehicle in a second mode, after time t0 when the opening of the accelerator pedal of the electric vehicle begins to increase, the control circuit 111c controls the second current to begin increasing after time t3 when the first current begins to decrease from the first peak value.

[0107] The first mode and the second mode are different operating modes of electric vehicles. The following explanation will take the first mode as the sport mode and the second mode as the comfort mode as an example.

[0108] For example, when the vehicle is operating in Sport mode, the driver has a stronger demand for the electric vehicle's handling performance and a higher requirement for its power response. Therefore, when the user presses the accelerator pedal to control the electric vehicle's acceleration, the control circuit 111c controls the second current output by the generator power circuit 111a to begin increasing before the third time t3. This allows the electrical energy output by the generator power circuit 111a to support a greater power output from the motor power circuit 111b, ensuring that the motor 113 can quickly increase its torque output and guaranteeing the electric vehicle's acceleration performance.

[0109] Optionally, when the vehicle is running in Sport mode, the control circuit 111c controls the generator power circuit 111a and the motor power circuit 111b to simultaneously increase the current output and controls the first moment t1 to precede the second moment t2, thereby reducing the heat generated by the dual motor controller 111 while maximizing the acceleration performance of the electric vehicle.

[0110] For example, when the vehicle is operating in comfort mode, the driver has a stronger need for comfort and stability in the electric vehicle. Based on this, when the user presses the accelerator pedal to control the acceleration of the electric vehicle, the control circuit 111c controls the second current output by the generator power circuit 111a to begin increasing after the third time t3. This ensures that the time when the second current output by the generator power circuit 111a reaches its second peak value and the time when the first current output by the motor power circuit 111b reaches its first peak value do not overlap, thereby effectively preventing the two power circuits from generating a large amount of heat and improving the operational stability of the dual-motor controller 111.

[0111] According to the embodiments of this application, the dual-motor controller can adjust the timing of the generator power circuit starting to increase the second current in combination with the operating mode of the electric vehicle, thereby meeting the different needs of the driver for the vehicle and making it more practical.

[0112] In some embodiments, before a third time t3 when the first current begins to decrease from its first peak value, the control circuit 111c controls the switching frequency of the switching transistor in the generator 112 power module to a first frequency. After the third time t3 when the first current begins to decrease from its first peak value, the control circuit 111c controls the switching frequency of the switching transistor in the generator 112 power module to a second frequency.

[0113] It is understood that the switching frequency of a switching transistor is directly proportional to its switching losses; that is, the higher the switching frequency, the greater the switching losses and the higher the heat generated by the bridge arm circuit or the single half-bridge circuit. Based on this, during the process of increasing or maintaining the first peak value of the first current output by the power circuit of the motor 113, the control circuit 111c provided in this embodiment also limits the switching frequency of the switching transistor in the generator power circuit 111a to the first frequency, thereby reducing the heat generated by the generator power circuit 111a due to switching losses to a certain extent. After the third time t3, the control circuit 111c can control the switching frequency of the switching transistor in the generator power circuit 111a to increase from the first frequency to the second frequency, reducing the current ripple of the generator power circuit 111a, improving power generation efficiency, and also helping to improve the noise, vibration, and harshness (NVH) performance of the range extender.

[0114] In this application embodiment, the specific values ​​of the first frequency and the second frequency are not limited. For example, the first frequency can be 50% of the second frequency.

[0115] According to the embodiments of this application, the dual-motor controller actively limits the switching frequency of the switching transistor in the generator power circuit before the first current output by the motor power circuit decreases from the first peak value, thereby more effectively controlling the heat generated by the power module of the dual-motor controller and ensuring the normal operation of the dual-motor controller.

[0116] In some embodiments, during driving when the battery charge of the electric vehicle is lower than a second preset charge, before the accelerator pedal opening of the electric vehicle increases, the control circuit 111c controls the second current to maintain a third peak value, which is greater than or equal to the second peak value. After time t0 when the accelerator pedal opening of the electric vehicle increases and before time t1, the control circuit 111c controls the second current to decrease from the second peak value. After time t1, the control circuit 111c controls the second current to begin increasing.

[0117] It is understood that during the operation of the electric vehicle when its battery level is lower than the second preset level, the generator power circuit 111a controls the generator 112 to continuously operate in order to charge the power battery. During this process, the second current output by the generator power circuit 111a remains at a third peak value, which can be considered as close to the maximum current output by the generator power circuit 111a, thereby charging the power battery with a higher charging power. The second preset level can, for example, be any value less than 20%.

[0118] During this process, if the driver presses the accelerator pedal to control the acceleration of the electric vehicle, the control circuit 111c first controls the second current output by the generator power circuit 111a to decrease from its third peak value, and then controls the first current output by the motor power circuit 111b to increase. Thus, while controlling the torque output of the motor 113 through the motor power circuit 111b, the control circuit 111c also controls the generator 112 control circuit 111c to supply power to the battery with a smaller current value, ensuring that the battery's charge does not significantly decrease due to acceleration. Specifically, the control circuit 111c can control the second current to decrease to zero, or it can control the second current to decrease to a preset current value, thereby reducing the heat generated by the generator power circuit 111a.

[0119] After the first time point t1, control circuit 111c controls the second current to begin increasing. Specifically, control circuit 111c can control the second current to increase to a second peak value and then maintain that peak value, or it can control the second current to increase to a second peak value and then continue increasing to a third peak value, continuing to charge the power battery at a higher charging power, thereby maintaining or increasing the power battery's capacity. In this way, by preventing the first time point t1 and the second time point t2 from coinciding, control circuit 111c can also reduce the heat generated by the motor power circuit 111b and the generator power circuit 111a to some extent.

[0120] According to the embodiments of this application, during the range-extended electric vehicle's driving process, if the driver wishes to control the electric vehicle to accelerate, the dual-motor controller first controls the current output of the generator power circuit to decrease, and then controls the current output of the motor power circuit to increase. This can meet the driver's acceleration needs while reducing the heat generated by the dual-motor controller and ensuring the normal operation of the dual-motor controller.

[0121] In some embodiments, after time t0 when the accelerator pedal opening of the electric vehicle begins to increase, the control circuit 111c controls the second current to decrease and the switching frequency of the switching transistor in the generator power circuit 111a to decrease. Implementing this embodiment, in addition to controlling the second current output by the generator power circuit 111a to decrease from its third peak value, the control circuit 111c further controls the switching frequency of the switching transistor in the generator power circuit 111a to decrease, thereby reducing the heat generated due to switching losses and further reducing the heat generated by the dual-motor controller 111, making it more practical.

[0122] In some embodiments, when the slope of the road surface on which the electric vehicle is traveling is greater than a preset slope, before the opening of the accelerator pedal of the electric vehicle increases, the first current is controlled to increase to a first peak value at a first time t1 and then decrease, and the second current is controlled to increase to a second peak value at a second time t2, which is different from the first time t1 and then decrease.

[0123] In this embodiment, when the road gradient is greater than a preset gradient, it indicates that the vehicle is traveling uphill. In this case, the torque required to maintain the vehicle's current speed is greater. To address this scenario, the control circuit 111c provided in this embodiment actively controls the first current output by the motor power circuit 111b to increase the torque output by the motor 113 before the accelerator pedal opening is increased (i.e., before the driver depresses the accelerator pedal), thereby maintaining the vehicle's speed. Furthermore, the control circuit 111c controls the first moment t1 and the second moment t2 to be different, thus achieving seamless uphill driving while avoiding the concentrated generation of excessive heat by the dual-motor controller 111.

[0124] According to the embodiments of this application, the dual-motor controller is used to actively control the acceleration of the electric vehicle during the uphill process, and to control the first moment and the second moment to be different, so as to achieve the vehicle's imperceptible uphill movement while avoiding the dual-motor controller from generating a large amount of heat, thereby further improving the practicality of the dual-motor controller.

[0125] The above description is merely a specific embodiment of this application, but the scope of protection of this application is not limited thereto. Any variations or substitutions that can be easily conceived by those skilled in the art within the scope of the technology disclosed in this application should be included within the scope of protection of this application. Therefore, the scope of protection of this application should be determined by the scope of the claims.

Claims

1. A dual-motor controller for a range-extending powertrain, characterized in that, The dual-motor controller includes a motor power circuit, a generator power circuit, and a control circuit. The motor power circuit outputs a first current to the motor to drive it to output torque to the wheels of the electric vehicle. The generator power circuit receives a second current from the motor and charges the power battery. The control circuit is used for: During the operation of the electric vehicle, after the opening of the accelerator pedal of the electric vehicle begins to increase and before the opening of the accelerator pedal begins to decrease, the first current is controlled to increase to a first peak value at a first moment and then decrease, and the second current is controlled to increase to a second peak value at a second moment different from the first moment and then decrease.

2. The dual-motor controller according to claim 1, characterized in that, The dual-motor controller includes three power modules mounted on the same insulating substrate. The motor power circuit includes three first bridge arms, and the generator power circuit includes three second bridge arms. Each power module includes one first bridge arm and one second bridge arm connected in parallel.

3. The dual-motor controller according to claim 1, characterized in that, The control circuit is specifically used for: After the opening of the accelerator pedal of the electric vehicle begins to increase, the first current is first controlled to increase, and then the second current is controlled to increase.

4. The dual-motor controller according to claim 3, characterized in that, The control circuit is specifically used for: After the opening of the accelerator pedal of the electric vehicle begins to increase, and before the vehicle speed of the electric vehicle reaches the target speed, the first current is controlled to increase to the first peak value at the first moment. After the electric vehicle reaches the target speed, the first current is first controlled to decrease, and then the second current is controlled to increase to the second peak value at the second moment.

5. The dual-motor controller according to claim 3, characterized in that, The control circuit is specifically used for: During the electric vehicle's travel at a speed greater than a preset speed, after the opening of the electric vehicle's accelerator pedal begins to increase, the second current is controlled to begin increasing before the first moment. During the electric vehicle's travel at a speed less than a preset speed, after the opening of the electric vehicle's accelerator pedal begins to increase, the second current is controlled to begin increasing after the first moment.

6. The dual-motor controller according to claim 3, characterized in that, The control circuit is specifically used for: During the operation of the electric vehicle in the first mode, after the opening of the accelerator pedal of the electric vehicle begins to increase, the second current is controlled to begin to increase before the third moment when the first current begins to decrease from the first peak value. During the operation of the electric vehicle in the second mode, after the opening of the accelerator pedal of the electric vehicle begins to increase, the control current begins to increase after the third moment.

7. The dual-motor controller according to claim 3, characterized in that, The control circuit is also used for: Before the first current is reduced from the first peak value, the switching frequency of the switching transistor in the generator power circuit is controlled to a first frequency; After controlling the first current to decrease from the first peak value, the switching frequency of the switching transistor in the generator power circuit is controlled to be a second frequency greater than the first frequency.

8. The dual-motor controller according to claim 3, characterized in that, When the electric vehicle is driving with its power battery charge lower than a preset charge level, the control circuit is also used for: Before the opening of the accelerator pedal of the electric vehicle increases, the second current is controlled to remain at a third peak value, the third peak value being greater than or equal to the second peak value; After the opening of the accelerator pedal of the electric vehicle increases and before the first moment, the second current is controlled to decrease from the second peak value; After the first moment, the second current is controlled to begin increasing.

9. The dual-motor controller according to claim 8, characterized in that, The control circuit is also used for: After the opening of the accelerator pedal of the electric vehicle increases, the second current is controlled to decrease, and the switching frequency of the switching transistor in the generator power circuit is controlled to decrease.

10. The dual-motor controller according to claim 3, characterized in that, The control circuit is also used for: The interval between the first and second moments is controlled to increase as the coefficient of adhesion between the wheels of the electric vehicle and the road surface decreases.

11. The dual-motor controller according to any one of claims 1 to 10, characterized in that, Under the condition that the increase in the speed of the electric vehicle is the same, the control circuit is also used for: The interval between the first moment and the second moment is controlled to first increase and then decrease as the speed of the electric vehicle increases before the opening of the accelerator pedal increases.

12. A range-extended powertrain, characterized in that, The range-extended powertrain includes an electric motor, a generator, and a dual-motor controller. The dual-motor controller includes a motor power circuit, a generator power circuit, and a control circuit. The motor power circuit outputs a first current to the motor to drive it to output torque to the wheels of the electric vehicle. The generator power circuit receives a second current from the motor and charges the power battery. The control circuit is used for: During the operation of the electric vehicle, after the opening of the accelerator pedal of the electric vehicle begins to increase and before the opening of the accelerator pedal begins to decrease, the first current is controlled to increase to a first peak value at a first moment and then decrease, and the second current is controlled to increase to a second peak value at a second moment different from the first moment and then decrease.

13. The range-extended powertrain according to claim 12, characterized in that, The dual-motor controller includes three power modules mounted on the same insulating substrate. The motor power circuit includes three first bridge arms, and the generator power circuit includes three second bridge arms. Each power module includes one first bridge arm and one second bridge arm connected in parallel.

14. The range-extended powertrain according to claim 13, characterized in that, The control circuit is specifically used for: After the opening of the accelerator pedal of the electric vehicle begins to increase, and before the vehicle speed of the electric vehicle reaches the target speed, the first current is controlled to increase to the first peak value at the first moment. After the electric vehicle reaches the target speed, the first current is controlled to decrease, and the second current is controlled to increase to the second peak value at the second moment.

15. An electric vehicle, characterized in that, The electric vehicle includes a power battery, four wheels, and a range-extending powertrain as claimed in claim 12, the range-extending powertrain being used to receive power from the power battery to drive two of the wheels, and / or to supply power to the power battery.

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