Vehicle power drive distribution method and device and vehicle

Abstract

The application provides a vehicle power driving distribution method and device and a vehicle. The vehicle external environment temperature is detected. When the environment temperature is lower than a preset threshold, the power battery of the vehicle is controlled to supply power to the driving motor, so that the vehicle is driven in a pure electric mode. The engine of the vehicle is controlled to supply heat to the passenger cabin and / or the power battery. By using almost all the power of the power battery to drive the vehicle, the low-temperature endurance can be significantly improved. The engine focuses on heat supply and can stably operate in an optimal heat efficiency speed interval, so that the energy utilization rate is extremely high and the engine optimal working condition is achieved.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] This invention relates to the field of vehicle power technology, specifically to a vehicle power drive distribution method, device, and vehicle. Background Technology

[0002] With the popularization of new energy vehicles, plug-in hybrid electric vehicles (PHEVs) serve as an important model in the transition from traditional fuel to pure electric vehicles, offering the dual advantages of low electricity costs for short-distance travel and no range anxiety for long-distance travel. However, existing PHEVs experience a sharp drop in range in low-temperature winter conditions when driven purely on electric power as the battery competes for energy with heating. When driven by the engine or in a hybrid configuration, the engine's intervention increases fuel consumption and pollution, making it impossible to decouple and optimally allocate the two high-energy-consuming demands of "heating" and "driving." Summary of the Invention

[0003] In view of this, the present invention aims to provide a vehicle power drive distribution method, device and vehicle, which uses almost all the power of the power battery to drive the vehicle, which can significantly improve the low temperature range, allow the engine to focus on heating, and can operate stably in the optimal thermal efficiency speed range, with extremely high energy utilization and achieve the optimal engine operating conditions.

[0004] To achieve the above technical objectives, the embodiments of this specification provide the following technical solutions: In a first aspect, embodiments of this application provide a vehicle power drive distribution method, which includes: detecting the ambient temperature outside the vehicle; responding to the ambient temperature being lower than a preset threshold, controlling the vehicle's power battery to supply power to the drive motor to drive the vehicle in pure electric mode; and controlling the vehicle's engine to provide heat to the passenger compartment and / or the power battery.

[0005] In this embodiment, by using almost all of the battery's power to drive the vehicle, the low-temperature range can be significantly improved, allowing the engine to focus on heating and operate stably within the optimal thermal efficiency speed range, resulting in extremely high energy utilization and achieving the engine's optimal operating conditions.

[0006] Optionally, before the vehicle's power battery supplies power to the drive motor, the process includes: acquiring the vehicle's operating status data, analyzing the driver's operating intention based on the operating status data, and decomposing the operating intention into driving requirements and thermal management requirements.

[0007] In this embodiment, by acquiring vehicle operating status data and analyzing the driving and thermal management requirements based on the vehicle operating status data, the driving function and heating function of the vehicle are decoupled. This allows the power battery to be responsible only for driving and the engine to be responsible only for heating, thereby solving the problem of a sharp drop in range caused by the competition for power between driving and heating at low temperatures.

[0008] Optionally, the operating status data includes at least one of the following: accelerator pedal opening and its rate of change, brake pedal switch, brake master cylinder pressure, deceleration signal, current gear, air conditioning target temperature, and heating / insulation request; the driving demand includes acceleration demand and / or braking demand; acquiring the vehicle's operating status data and analyzing the driver's operating intention based on the operating status data, and decomposing the operating intention into driving demand and thermal management demand, includes: determining acceleration demand or braking demand based on the accelerator pedal opening and its rate of change; determining the braking mode based on at least one of the brake pedal switch, brake master cylinder pressure, and deceleration signal; and adjusting the driving demand based on the current gear; and determining thermal management demand based on the air conditioning target temperature and heating / insulation request, combined with the user's preference for the passenger compartment heating rate and / or comfort level.

[0009] In this embodiment, by monitoring driving demand and thermal management demand in real time, the operating modes of the engine and power battery can be easily and adaptively switched, thereby ensuring driving and heating needs while avoiding unnecessary energy consumption and achieving dynamic optimization of energy management.

[0010] Optionally, controlling the vehicle's power battery to supply power to the drive motor to drive the vehicle in pure electric mode includes: determining a target drive power or wheel-end torque based on the drive requirements; and controlling the vehicle's power battery to supply power to the drive motor based on the drive power or wheel-end torque to drive the vehicle in pure electric mode.

[0011] In this embodiment, by explicitly defining the power battery as the sole driving power source, the sole source of driving energy supply in low-temperature mode is clearly defined, avoiding ambiguity that the engine may intervene in parallel or series in driving mode, ensuring that the engine is completely focused on heating, and achieving complete decoupling between driving and heating.

[0012] Optionally, controlling the vehicle's power battery to supply power to the drive motor to drive the vehicle in pure electric mode further includes: if the power battery's charge level is detected to be lower than a power reserve threshold, or the power battery's temperature is detected to be lower than a temperature threshold, then controlling the engine to provide drive to the vehicle.

[0013] In this embodiment, by setting a power protection threshold, the engine is automatically triggered to drive when the power battery charge drops to the threshold, thereby ensuring that the vehicle can continue to drive even when the power battery charge is insufficient, avoiding the vehicle from breaking down due to lack of power, and ensuring the basic driving function of the vehicle. By setting a temperature threshold, a clear trigger condition is provided for the low temperature intelligent distribution mode, thereby avoiding the confusion of mode switching caused by the ambiguity of the trigger condition at the critical temperature close to freezing point, and effectively improving the stability of the control logic.

[0014] Optionally, controlling the vehicle's engine to heat the passenger compartment and / or the power battery includes: controlling the engine to decouple from the drive motor, or controlling the clutch to disengage; controlling the heat energy generated by the engine to circulate through the coolant system, part of which heats the passenger compartment through the heater core, and the other part heats and insulates the power battery through the heat exchanger.

[0015] In this embodiment, by simultaneously heating the passenger compartment and the power battery with the engine, the heat energy generated by the engine is fully utilized. This provides a comfortable temperature for the cockpit and heats and insulates the battery pack, effectively improving the utilization efficiency of the engine's heat energy and enhancing the charging and discharging performance of the power battery at low temperatures.

[0016] Optionally, controlling the vehicle's engine to heat the passenger compartment and / or power battery further includes: controlling the energy generated by the engine burning fuel, part of which is used as heat energy to heat the passenger compartment and / or power battery, and the other part is converted into mechanical energy to drive a small on-board generator to charge the low-voltage battery or maintain the vehicle's electrical system.

[0017] In this embodiment, by enabling the engine to drive the generator to generate electricity while providing heat, mechanical energy that might otherwise be wasted is converted into electrical energy, which is used to supplement the power consumption of the low-voltage electrical system or to charge the auxiliary power battery, thereby realizing the cascade utilization of energy and further improving the overall energy efficiency.

[0018] Optionally, the method further includes: if the driving demand and the thermal management demand conflict in terms of resources, driving the power battery and the engine with a preset priority, wherein the preset priority is set to decrease in priority from driving safety demand, power battery minimum temperature protection, driver thermal comfort demand and driving economy demand.

[0019] In this embodiment, by monitoring the power battery charge and heating demand in real time, the operating modes of the engine and power battery can be adaptively switched, thereby ensuring driving and heating needs while avoiding unnecessary energy consumption and achieving dynamic optimization of energy management.

[0020] Secondly, embodiments of this application also provide a vehicle power drive distribution device, the device comprising: a detection module for detecting the ambient temperature outside the vehicle; a drive module for controlling the vehicle's power battery to supply power to the drive motor in response to the ambient temperature being lower than a preset threshold, so as to drive the vehicle in pure electric mode; and a thermal management module for controlling the vehicle's engine to provide heat to the passenger compartment and / or the power battery.

[0021] Thirdly, embodiments of this application also provide a vehicle, including the aforementioned vehicle power drive distribution device.

[0022] As can be seen from the above technical solutions, the vehicle power drive distribution method provided in this specification detects the ambient temperature outside the vehicle; in response to the ambient temperature being lower than a preset threshold, it controls the vehicle's power battery to supply power to the drive motor to drive the vehicle in pure electric mode; it controls the vehicle's engine to heat the passenger compartment and / or the power battery. By using almost all the power battery's charge to drive the vehicle, it can significantly improve low-temperature range, allow the engine to focus on heating, and can stably operate in the optimal thermal efficiency speed range, resulting in extremely high energy utilization and achieving optimal engine operating conditions.

[0023] The above description is merely an overview of the technical solution disclosed herein. In order to better understand the technical means of this disclosure and to implement it in accordance with the contents of the specification, and to make the above and other objects, features and advantages of this disclosure more apparent and understandable, specific embodiments of this disclosure are described below. Attached Figure Description

[0024] Various other advantages and benefits will become apparent to those skilled in the art upon reading the following detailed description of preferred embodiments. The accompanying drawings are for illustrative purposes only and are not intended to limit the scope of this disclosure. Furthermore, the same reference numerals denote the same parts throughout the drawings.

[0025] Figure 1 The diagram shown is a schematic flowchart of the vehicle power drive distribution method provided in an embodiment of this application.

[0026] Figure 2 The diagram shown is a structural schematic of a vehicle power drive distribution device provided in an embodiment of this application.

[0027] Figure 3 The diagram shown is a structural schematic of a vehicle provided in an embodiment of this application. Detailed Implementation

[0028] Unless otherwise defined, the technical or scientific terms used in the embodiments of this specification shall have the ordinary meaning understood by one of ordinary skill in the art to which this specification pertains. The terms "first," "second," and similar terms used in the embodiments of this specification do not indicate any order, quantity, or importance, but are merely used to avoid confusion of constituent elements.

[0029] Unless the context otherwise requires, throughout this specification, "a plurality of" means "at least two," and "including" is interpreted as open-ended or encompassing, that is, "including, but not limited to." In the description of this specification, terms such as "one embodiment," "some embodiments," "exemplary embodiment," "example," "specific example," or "some examples" are intended to indicate that a particular feature, structure, material, or characteristic associated with that embodiment or example is included in at least one embodiment or example of this specification. The illustrative representations of the above terms do not necessarily refer to the same embodiment or example.

[0030] Exemplary embodiments of the present disclosure will now be described in more detail with reference to the accompanying drawings. While exemplary embodiments of the present disclosure are shown in the drawings, it should be understood that the present disclosure may be implemented in various forms and should not be limited to the embodiments set forth herein. Rather, these embodiments are provided so that this disclosure will be thorough and complete, and will fully convey the scope of the disclosure to those skilled in the art.

[0031] With the popularization of new energy vehicles, plug-in hybrid electric vehicles (PHEVs) serve as an important model in the transition from traditional fuel to pure electric vehicles, combining the dual advantages of low electricity costs for short-distance travel and no range anxiety for long-distance travel using gasoline. However, in practical applications, especially in high-latitude regions, the harsh winter climate poses a severe challenge to the performance of PHEVs.

[0032] In related technologies, the driving logic of PHEVs is typically based on preset pure electric priority, hybrid mode, or battery hold mode. In low-temperature environments, when the vehicle is in pure electric drive mode, if a positive temperature coefficient (PTC) heater or heat pump is used to activate the air conditioning for heating, energy consumption increases dramatically. Furthermore, the low temperature causes a decrease in lithium battery activity and a reduction in usable capacity, resulting in a significant reduction in actual driving range, a poor user experience, and inconvenience due to frequent charging. If the vehicle switches to engine drive mode or hybrid mode at this time, although the engine's waste heat can be used for heating, solving the heating energy consumption problem, the engine's intervention at this time is only for driving the vehicle or maintaining heat, often operating in a low-efficiency range, leading to decreased fuel economy and increased cold-start emissions, which contradicts the original intention of energy conservation and emission reduction for new energy vehicles. It is evident that the relevant control strategies fail to decouple and optimally allocate the two high-energy-consuming needs of "heating" and "driving" according to the special requirements of low temperatures.

[0033] Based on this, in order to solve the technical problem in the prior art that it is impossible to decouple and optimally allocate the two high energy consumption demands of heating and driving in low-temperature environments, this application provides a vehicle power drive distribution method, such as... Figure 1 As shown, Figure 1 This is a schematic flowchart illustrating a vehicle power drive distribution method provided in an embodiment of this application. The vehicle power drive distribution method is applied to a server, which is located in a vehicle. The vehicle power drive distribution method includes: Step S11: Detect the ambient temperature outside the vehicle.

[0034] After the vehicle starts, a temperature sensor collects the ambient temperature outside the vehicle in real time and transmits the data to the vehicle controller (HCU). The HCU has a built-in preset threshold to compare the collected ambient temperature. This preset threshold can be set as needed and is not specifically limited here; for example, it can be set to 0°C or -5°C. In this embodiment, a temperature sensor can also be used to collect the battery temperature to determine the possible pure electric driving mode of the vehicle.

[0035] Step S12: In response to the ambient temperature being lower than a preset threshold, control the vehicle's power battery to supply power to the drive motor to drive the vehicle in pure electric mode.

[0036] In this embodiment, when the ambient temperature is below a preset threshold, the vehicle controller determines that the vehicle has entered a "low-temperature intelligent allocation mode." In this mode, the vehicle controller (HCU) uses multi-source signal fusion and hierarchical analysis to break down the vehicle's total demand into drive demand and thermal management demand, which are calculated and scheduled independently. Based on the drive demand, the system controls the vehicle's power battery to supply power to the drive motor, driving the vehicle in pure electric mode. By using almost all the power battery's charge to drive the wheels, it effectively "reduces the burden" on the pure electric mode in winter, significantly improving the pure electric range in low-temperature environments and alleviating users' range anxiety.

[0037] Of course, if the ambient temperature is higher than the preset threshold, the vehicle will operate according to the normal logic, meaning that users can choose to drive in pure electric, hybrid, or engine-only modes as needed.

[0038] Step S13: Control the vehicle's engine to heat the passenger compartment and / or the power battery.

[0039] In low-temperature conditions, the passenger compartment temperature is low, affecting driver comfort; the power battery temperature is low, affecting its discharge performance; and the vehicle may frost, requiring defrosting or defogging. In this embodiment, the engine is used as a heat source, controlling the vehicle's engine to heat the passenger compartment and / or the power battery. Waste heat from the engine is used to heat the power battery, ensuring it operates at a suitable temperature, thus improving charging and discharging efficiency.

[0040] The vehicle power drive distribution method of this application detects the ambient temperature outside the vehicle; in response to the ambient temperature being lower than a preset threshold, it controls the vehicle's power battery to supply power to the drive motor to drive the vehicle in pure electric mode; it controls the vehicle's engine to heat the passenger compartment and / or the power battery. By using almost all the power battery's charge to drive the vehicle, it can significantly improve low-temperature range, allowing the engine to focus on heating and operate stably in the optimal thermal efficiency speed range, with extremely high energy utilization and achieving optimal engine operating conditions.

[0041] To more clearly illustrate the technical solutions provided in the embodiments of this application, the following further describes a vehicle power drive distribution method provided in this application.

[0042] Considering the need to decouple the power battery and engine to provide the vehicle with a driving source and a heating source respectively, it is necessary to understand the vehicle's driving requirements and thermal management requirements. Based on this, in this embodiment, optionally, before controlling the vehicle's power battery to supply power to the drive motor, the process includes: acquiring the vehicle's operating status data, parsing the driver's operating intention based on the operating status data, and decomposing the operating intention into driving requirements and thermal management requirements. The vehicle controller (HCU) collects multi-source signals in real time and parses the multi-source signals to comprehensively determine the driver's operating intention. This allows for the decomposition of the operating intention into driving requirements and thermal management requirements, facilitating subsequent control of the power battery and engine based on these requirements. The multi-source signals may include at least one of the following: vehicle operating status data, such as the status of the accelerator and brake pedals, vehicle speed, air conditioning temperature, and power battery temperature. This application embodiment obtains vehicle operating status data and parses the driving and thermal management requirements based on the vehicle operating status data. By decoupling the vehicle's driving and heating functions, the power battery can be responsible for driving only, and the engine can be responsible for heating only. This solves the problem of a sharp drop in range caused by the competition for power between driving and heating at low temperatures.

[0043] In the low-temperature intelligent distribution mode, the vehicle controller (HCU) uses multi-source signal fusion and hierarchical analysis to decompose the vehicle's total demand into drive demand and thermal management demand. Considering the diverse nature of vehicle operating status data, in order to accurately decouple the vehicle's drive function and heating function, it is necessary to analyze both drive demand and thermal management demand. Based on this, in this embodiment of the application, optionally, the operating status data includes at least one of: accelerator pedal opening and its rate of change, brake pedal switch, brake master cylinder pressure, deceleration signal, current gear, air conditioning target temperature, and heating / insulation request; the driving demand includes acceleration demand and / or braking demand; the step of acquiring the vehicle's operating status data, analyzing the driver's operating intention based on the operating status data, and decomposing the operating intention into driving demand and thermal management demand includes: determining acceleration demand or braking demand based on the accelerator pedal opening and its rate of change; determining the braking mode based on at least one of the brake pedal switch, the brake master cylinder pressure, and the deceleration signal; and adjusting the driving demand based on the current gear; and determining the thermal management demand based on the air conditioning target temperature and heating / insulation request, combined with the user's preference for the passenger compartment heating rate and / or comfort level.

[0044] In this embodiment, the accelerator pedal opening and its rate of change are collected. Using fuzzy logic or a lookup table, the driver's acceleration demand is mapped to target wheel torque (Nm) to determine acceleration or braking requirements. Simultaneously, it identifies whether the driving conditions are rapid acceleration, cruising, or gradual acceleration to achieve acceleration intention recognition. It can also collect at least one of the following: brake pedal switch, brake master cylinder pressure, deceleration signal, etc., to determine whether regenerative braking or mechanical braking mode has been entered, thus achieving braking / coasting intention recognition. Gear and driving mode recognition is also performed, specifically identifying the current gear and whether the user has manually selected "Electric Vehicle (EV) Forced Mode," "Battery Hold Mode," or "Sport Mode," as a basis for prioritizing the drive strategy. The current gear can be Park (P), Reverse (R), Neutral (N), or Drive (D). EV Forced Mode is a special pure electric mode for plug-in hybrid / range-extended vehicles, which forcibly shuts down the engine and depletes the electric range until the battery is at a very low level before allowing the engine to start. The battery hold mode prioritizes engine power, minimizing vehicle movement and high-voltage battery consumption to maintain a stable battery level and prevent rapid depletion. The sport mode operates with full power, faster response, and stronger acceleration. This embodiment also recognizes air conditioning and thermal management intentions, collecting data such as target temperature settings, airflow, defrost / defogging requests, seat heating on / off status, and battery insulation requests. This data helps determine the user's preference for cabin heating speed and / or comfort level, thus identifying thermal management needs. Based on the vehicle's specific states, this embodiment accurately captures the driver's operational intentions, determining driving and thermal management requirements. Real-time monitoring of these requirements allows for adaptive switching of engine and battery operating modes (e.g., increasing or decreasing engine heating load, or temporarily shutting down the engine), ensuring driving and heating needs while avoiding unnecessary energy consumption and achieving dynamic optimization of energy management.

[0045] The vehicle controller (HCU) decomposes the identified driver intent into two independent request channels: a drive demand channel and a thermal management demand channel. For the drive demand channel, the drive demand needs to be converted into control parameters for the power battery to control the power battery to provide drive to the vehicle. Based on this, in this embodiment, optionally, controlling the vehicle's power battery to supply power to the drive motor to drive the vehicle in a pure electric mode includes: determining a target drive power or wheel-end torque based on the drive demand; and controlling the vehicle's power battery to supply power to the drive motor based on the drive power or the wheel-end torque to drive the vehicle in a pure electric mode.

[0046] For the drive demand channel, the target drive power (kW) or wheel-end torque (Nm) is determined based on the drive demand. The power battery prioritizes supplying power to the drive motor according to the target drive power (kW) or wheel-end torque (Nm) to enable the drive motor to operate. This allows the vehicle's drive wheels to reach the required wheel-end torque (Nm), driving the vehicle in pure electric mode. At this time, the engine does not intervene in drive. By explicitly defining the power battery as the sole drive power source, the sole source of drive energy supply in low-temperature mode is clearly defined. This avoids ambiguity regarding the engine potentially intervening in parallel or series during drive mode, ensuring that the engine focuses entirely on heating, achieving complete decoupling between drive and heating.

[0047] Considering that the power battery may be unable to discharge if the temperature is too low, and that continued discharge if the power battery charge is too low can easily damage the power battery and affect its lifespan, in this embodiment of the application, optionally, controlling the vehicle's power battery to supply power to the drive motor to drive the vehicle in pure electric mode further includes: if it is detected that the power battery charge is lower than the power reserve threshold, or the power battery temperature is lower than the temperature threshold, then controlling the engine to provide drive to the vehicle.

[0048] The battery protection threshold is a charge threshold set by the battery management system to protect the power battery and maintain the basic operation of the vehicle. The charge protection threshold and temperature threshold can be set as needed, and no specific restrictions are imposed here. For example, the preferred charge protection threshold is 20%, and the preferred temperature threshold is 0℃. New energy vehicles not only have a power battery of several hundred volts, but also a traditional 12V low-voltage small battery (similar to the battery in a gasoline car). This small battery provides power when turning the key, pressing the brake, engaging the handbrake, or opening the door. The 12V low-voltage small battery relies entirely on the power battery for power through a DC-DC converter. If the power battery's charge level is detected to be below the charge protection threshold, the DC-DC converter will not work, and the 12V low-voltage small battery will quickly run out of power. Once the 12V small battery is dead, the entire vehicle will be completely "dead," not only breaking down but also potentially unable to open the doors, making repairs extremely difficult. When the power battery's SOC is below the mandatory charge protection threshold (e.g., 20%) or the wheel-end torque request exceeds the motor's current low-temperature derating output capability, engine auxiliary drive is requested. If the temperature of the power battery is below the temperature threshold, the activity of lithium ion movement inside the lithium battery decreases, and much energy is consumed by internal resistance and converted into waste heat. In extreme cold (e.g., below -20°C) and without preheating of the power battery, the battery management system of some models will directly refuse to engage the high-voltage relay. This means that even if the key is inserted, the vehicle cannot start until the correct wake-up measures are taken. Therefore, if the power battery's charge level is detected to be below the power reserve threshold, or the power battery's temperature is below the temperature threshold, the power battery cannot directly provide drive to the vehicle, and the engine is controlled to provide drive. By setting the power reserve threshold to 20%, the lifespan of the power battery is not damaged due to over-discharge or the vehicle breaks down, while maximizing the driving range in pure electric drive mode and optimizing the user experience. By setting the temperature threshold to 0°C, a clear trigger condition is provided for the low-temperature intelligent distribution mode, thereby avoiding mode switching confusion caused by ambiguous trigger conditions at near-freezing temperatures and effectively improving the stability of the control logic. This application embodiment sets a power protection threshold, and automatically triggers the engine to drive when the power battery power drops to the threshold, thereby ensuring that the vehicle can continue to drive even when the power battery power is insufficient, avoiding the vehicle from breaking down due to lack of power and ensuring the basic driving function of the vehicle.

[0049] Regarding thermal management requirements, considering that vehicles have various thermal needs, not limited to the thermal needs of the passenger compartment and the power battery, in this embodiment, optionally, controlling the vehicle's engine to heat the passenger compartment and / or the power battery includes: controlling the engine to decouple from the drive motor, or controlling the clutch to disengage; controlling the heat energy generated by the engine to circulate through the coolant system, part of which heats the passenger compartment through the heater core, and the other part heats and insulates the power battery through the heat exchanger.

[0050] Thermal management requirements can be divided into three parts: passenger compartment heating requirements, power battery heating / insulation requirements, and defrosting / defogging requirements. For passenger compartment heating requirements, the required heating power (kW) is calculated based on the difference between the set temperature and the actual temperature inside the vehicle, and this is converted into a target requirement for the coolant temperature. For power battery heating / insulation requirements: based on the lowest cell temperature reported by the Battery Management System (BMS), it is determined whether active heating (e.g., below 0°C) or insulation (e.g., 0~10°C) is needed, and the required thermal power is calculated. Defrosting / defogging requirements have the highest priority; once triggered, sufficient heat is immediately delivered to the windshield. The engine and drive motor can be decoupled, or the clutch can be disengaged, preventing the engine from providing drive to the vehicle. The heat generated by the engine is controlled to circulate through the coolant system, with part of it used to heat the passenger compartment via the heater core and the other part used to heat and insulate the battery pack via the heat exchanger. At this time, the engine is generally in a high-efficiency idling or low-load power generation mode. This means the engine does not directly drive the wheels, but is locked in the speed / load range with the highest thermal efficiency, driving the generator to charge the battery or directly drive the electric motor. When the vehicle is in a high-efficiency idling power generation mode, the speed range is typically 1500–2500 rpm, 700–800 rpm higher than normal idling. The generator's rated power is 10%–30%, maintaining a stable low load without surging to high loads. When the vehicle is in a low-load power generation mode, the generator's rated power is 30%–50%, still considered a low load, but with higher power generation than idling. The speed range is typically 2000–3500 rpm, depending on the engine model, and it remains stable in the high-efficiency range, meeting medium-to-low power generation needs (such as constant speed cruising and moderate acceleration). Under these two conditions, the generator's thermal efficiency is optimal, combustion is more complete, and mechanical losses are low. Specifically, the vehicle control unit (HCU) controls engine start-up and adjusts the electronic thermostat, electronically controlled water pump, three-way / four-way valve, etc., to prioritize the distribution of engine waste heat to the passenger compartment and power battery. If necessary, a positive temperature coefficient thermistor (PTC) can be activated briefly for supplemental heating. This embodiment of the application, by enabling the engine to simultaneously heat both the passenger compartment and the power battery, fully utilizes the heat energy generated by the engine, providing a comfortable temperature for the passenger compartment and heating and insulating the power battery. This effectively improves the efficiency of engine heat energy utilization and enhances the charging and discharging performance of the power battery at low temperatures.

[0051] While the engine provides heat to the vehicle, its operation also generates mechanical energy, which can be fully utilized. Therefore, in this embodiment, optionally, controlling the engine to heat the passenger compartment and / or the power battery further includes: controlling the energy generated by the engine burning fuel, partly as heat to the passenger compartment and / or the power battery, and partly converted into mechanical energy to drive a small onboard generator to charge the low-voltage battery or maintain the vehicle's electrical system. The energy generated by the engine burning fuel is partially utilized directly as heat, with a thermal efficiency close to 100%. The converted mechanical energy can be used to drive a small onboard generator to charge the 12V low-voltage battery or maintain the 12V electrical system, avoiding energy waste for heating. This embodiment converts potentially wasted mechanical energy into electrical energy by having the engine drive the generator to generate electricity while providing heat, supplementing the low-voltage electrical system or charging the auxiliary battery, thus achieving cascaded energy utilization and further improving overall energy efficiency.

[0052] Considering the various needs that arise during vehicle operation, such as safety, comfort, and driving performance, conflicts between these needs are inevitable. Therefore, it is necessary to comprehensively consider all these needs during driving. Based on this, in this embodiment, the method may optionally further include: if a resource conflict occurs between the driving requirements and the thermal management requirements, driving the power battery and the engine with a preset priority, wherein the preset priority is set to decrease sequentially from driving safety requirements, power battery minimum temperature protection, driver thermal comfort requirements, and driving economy requirements.

[0053] When driving demands conflict with thermal management requirements (e.g., the battery charge is low and rapid heating is needed simultaneously), the vehicle controller prioritizes the following requirements from highest to lowest: driving safety (defrosting / defogging, brake energy recovery availability), minimum battery temperature protection (avoiding low-temperature charging / discharging damage), driver thermal comfort (heating), and driving economy (maintaining pure electric drive as much as possible). Based on this priority, the vehicle controller can dynamically adjust the engine's thermal power output (e.g., increasing engine speed to increase heat generation) or temporarily allow the engine to participate in driving for short periods to maintain battery balance.

[0054] The table below shows the drive source and heat source allocation strategies for different driver intent scenarios under the low-temperature intelligent allocation mode: When the power battery temperature is extremely low and driving is required, priority is given to protecting the power battery, allowing the engine to drive directly while limiting the discharge power. This embodiment of the application, by monitoring the power battery charge and heating demand in real time, can adaptively switch the operating modes of the engine and power battery, such as increasing or decreasing the engine's heating load, or temporarily shutting down the engine. This ensures both driving and heating needs are met while avoiding unnecessary energy consumption, achieving dynamic optimization of energy management.

[0055] In this embodiment, it should be noted that if the power battery charge is too low, such as when the power battery charge is less than or equal to the charge protection threshold, the system automatically switches to hybrid mode, controlling the engine to intervene in driving and continue heating to ensure the vehicle does not stall. When the interior temperature reaches a first temperature or the power battery temperature rises above a second temperature, the engine heating load can be reduced or the engine can be temporarily shut down. If the passenger compartment temperature reaches a third temperature, the engine thermal power is reduced or the engine is shut down. The first, second, and third temperatures can be set as needed. For example, the first temperature is preferably 18°C, the second temperature is preferably 5°C, and the third temperature is preferably 22°C.

[0056] The entry and exit conditions for the low-temperature intelligent distribution mode are as follows: If the ambient temperature is less than or equal to -5℃ for 30 seconds, the low-temperature intelligent distribution mode is entered; if the ambient temperature is greater than or equal to -2℃ for 30 seconds, the low-temperature intelligent distribution mode is exited. Setting the duration prevents frequent switching. If the battery temperature is less than or equal to 0℃, the engine will be started first for heating in low-temperature conditions. If the battery temperature is greater than or equal to 5℃, the engine's thermal power will be reduced, or the engine will be shut down. The driver can request that the low-temperature intelligent distribution mode be entered when the air conditioning is set to a temperature greater than or equal to 22℃ and is turned on; the user can manually force exit the low-temperature intelligent distribution mode when the air conditioning is turned off or the set temperature is less than 18℃.

[0057] Here's an example: On a crisp winter morning in northern China, the driver starts the vehicle at an outside temperature of -10°C. The system recognizes the low temperature and activates the "intelligent distribution mode." This decouples the driving and heating functions. After decoupling, the vehicle controller sends commands to the following execution units: a drive torque command to the motor controller; a target speed / torque command to the engine control unit (used for heating, not driving); a limit on the allowed discharge power and whether to request engine waste heat heating to the battery management system; and an upper limit on available heat power and mode suggestions to the air conditioning control unit. Through this "recognition-decoupling-priority-execution" closed loop, the system ensures that the driver's intentions are not compromised in low-temperature environments, while driving and heating each utilize their most economical energy sources. Thus, during the initial start-up phase, the vehicle starts smoothly powered by the battery-driven motor. During the heating phase, the driver sets the air conditioning temperature to 26°C, automatically starting the engine. After the engine coolant temperature rises, it blows hot air into the cabin. At this time, the instrument panel displays "Engine heating mode activated," but the driving power comes from the battery. During driving, the battery provides driving power, while the engine maintains its optimal thermal efficiency speed to provide heat. Even as the battery charge decreases, the driving range is increased by more than 30% compared to pure electric driving with the heater on, as it does not need to bear the heat load. Simultaneously, because the engine always operates in a stable warm-up state, it avoids the wear and emissions caused by frequent start-stop cycles during cold starts. When the battery charge drops to a critical level, specifically when the remaining state of charge (SOC) drops to 20%, it automatically switches to engine-driven mode, utilizing residual heat from the engine to continue heating, ensuring a smooth transition for the vehicle.

[0058] In conventional hybrid mode, the engine can be used to drive the vehicle, generate electricity, and provide auxiliary heating. The engine's operating conditions vary with vehicle speed and load, frequently entering the inefficient zone. Warm air is provided through electric heating (consuming electricity) or engine waste heat (only when driving). The engine experiences frequent cold starts and stop-starts. Due to the engine's involvement in driving, there may be jerking, affecting driving smoothness. The power battery is mainly used for driving and electric heating (PTC / heat pump), resulting in a 30%~50% reduction in range at low temperatures. Compared to conventional hybrid mode, in the low-temperature intelligent distribution mode of this application embodiment, the engine is mainly used for heating and does not participate in driving. The engine's operating conditions are stable within the high-efficiency thermal efficiency speed range, providing a warm air source through engine waste heat (independent heating). The power battery is only used for driving, resulting in a 10%~20% reduction in range at low temperatures. The vehicle is always driven purely electric, providing a smooth and quiet ride.

[0059] The vehicle power drive distribution method in this application breaks the traditional "who drives, who heats" binding model. Through refined control, it achieves tiered energy utilization, transferring the high-energy-consuming air conditioning heating load from the power battery to the engine. This allows almost all the power battery's charge to be used to drive the wheels, effectively "reducing the load" on the pure electric mode in winter, significantly improving the pure electric range in low-temperature environments, alleviating range anxiety, and improving driving economy. By focusing the engine on heating, it avoids low-speed, low-load, and low-efficiency driving conditions, operating stably within the optimal thermal efficiency speed range. The heat energy generated by fuel combustion is directly utilized, resulting in extremely high energy utilization and avoiding the need for excessive fuel consumption. The energy waste of "only needing electricity for walking, yet still consuming electricity for heating" is significantly reduced, resulting in a substantial decrease in overall energy consumption. This achieves optimal engine operating conditions and improves energy efficiency. The engine operates in a stable and fully warmed-up state for extended periods, leading to more complete combustion. Combined with the three-way catalytic converter, it quickly reaches operating temperature, effectively reducing hydrocarbon (HC) and carbon monoxide (CO) emissions during cold starts. Compared to the high-emission mode of traditional gasoline vehicles in stop-and-go traffic, this is cleaner and improves environmental performance. By utilizing the engine's waste heat to heat the power battery, it ensures the battery operates at a suitable temperature, improving charging and discharging efficiency and effectively delaying the degradation of battery life due to low temperatures, thus protecting battery safety. Therefore, the vehicle power drive distribution method of this application addresses the pain points of plug-in hybrid vehicles in specific low-temperature environments. Through low-cost, high-efficiency intelligent control, it maximizes the balance between range economy, driving comfort, and environmental protection.

[0060] In one exemplary embodiment of this specification, a vehicle power drive distribution device is also provided, applied to a vehicle controller. For example... Figure 2 As shown, the vehicle power drive distribution device 200 includes: Detection module 201 is used to detect the ambient temperature outside the vehicle; The drive module 202 is used to control the vehicle's power battery to supply power to the drive motor in response to the ambient temperature being lower than a preset threshold, so as to drive the vehicle in pure electric mode. Thermal management module 203 is used to control the vehicle's engine to provide heat to the passenger compartment and / or the power battery.

[0061] In one specific implementation, the detection module 201 is used to: acquire the vehicle's operating status data, parse the driver's operating intention based on the operating status data, and decompose the operating intention into driving requirements and thermal management requirements.

[0062] In some embodiments, the operating status data includes at least one of the following: accelerator pedal opening and its rate of change, brake pedal switch, brake master cylinder pressure, deceleration signal, current gear, air conditioning target temperature, and heating / insulation request; the driving demand includes acceleration demand and / or braking demand; the detection module 201 is further configured to: determine acceleration demand or braking demand based on the accelerator pedal opening and its rate of change; determine braking mode based on at least one of the brake pedal switch, the brake master cylinder pressure, and the deceleration signal; and adjust driving demand based on the current gear; and determine thermal management demand based on the air conditioning target temperature and heating / insulation request, combined with the user's preference for the passenger compartment heating rate and / or comfort level.

[0063] In some embodiments, the drive module 202 is used to: determine a target drive power or wheel-end torque based on the drive requirements; and control the vehicle's power battery to supply power to the drive motor based on the drive power or wheel-end torque, so as to drive the vehicle in a pure electric mode.

[0064] In some implementations, the drive module 202 is also configured to: control the engine to provide drive to the vehicle if it is detected that the charge of the power battery is lower than the power retention threshold or the temperature of the power battery is lower than the temperature threshold.

[0065] In some implementations, the thermal management module 203 is used to: control the decoupling of the engine and the drive motor, or control the clutch to disengage; control the heat energy generated by the engine to circulate through the coolant system, part of which is used to heat the passenger compartment through the heater core, and the other part is used to heat and keep the power battery warm through the heat exchanger.

[0066] In some embodiments, the thermal management module 203 is also used to: control the energy generated by the combustion of fuel in the engine, part of which is used to heat the passenger compartment and / or the power battery in the form of thermal energy, and the other part is converted into mechanical energy to drive a small on-board generator to charge the on-board low-voltage battery or maintain the vehicle's electrical system.

[0067] In some embodiments, the drive module 202 is further configured to: drive the power battery and the engine with a preset priority if the drive demand and the thermal management demand conflict in resources, wherein the preset priority is set to decrease in priority from driving safety demand, power battery minimum temperature protection, driver thermal comfort demand and drive economy demand.

[0068] Specific limitations regarding the vehicle power distribution device can be found in the limitations regarding the vehicle power distribution method described above, and will not be repeated here. Each module in the aforementioned vehicle power distribution device can be implemented entirely or partially through software, hardware, or a combination thereof. These modules can be embedded in or independent of the processor in a computer device in hardware form, or stored in the memory of a computer device in software form, so that the processor can call and execute the corresponding operations of each module.

[0069] Regarding the apparatus in the above embodiments, the specific manner in which each unit performs its operation has been described in detail in the embodiments concerning the vehicle power drive distribution method, and will not be elaborated upon here.

[0070] This application also provides a vehicle including the aforementioned vehicle power drive distribution device.

[0071] Figure 3 This is a schematic diagram of the structure of a vehicle provided in an embodiment of this application.

[0072] For example, such as Figure 3 As shown, the vehicle includes a memory 301 and a processor 302. The memory 301 stores executable program code 3011, and the processor 302 is used to call and execute the executable program code 3011 to perform the vehicle power drive distribution method.

[0073] This embodiment can divide the vehicle into functional modules according to the above method embodiment. For example, each function can be assigned to a separate module, or two or more functions can be integrated into one processing module. The integrated module can be implemented in hardware. It should be noted that the module division in this embodiment is illustrative and only represents one logical functional division. In actual implementation, there may be other division methods.

[0074] When each functional module is divided according to its corresponding function, the vehicle may include: a detection module, a drive module, and a thermal management module, etc.

[0075] It should be noted that all relevant content of each step involved in the above method embodiments can be referenced from the functional description of the corresponding functional module, and will not be repeated here.

[0076] The vehicle provided in this embodiment is used to execute the above-described vehicle power drive distribution method, and thus can achieve the same effect as the above implementation method.

[0077] When using integrated units, the vehicle may include a processing module and a storage module. The processing module is used to control and manage the vehicle's actions. The storage module supports the vehicle in executing program code and data.

[0078] The processing module may be a processor or a controller, which can implement or execute various exemplary logic blocks, modules, and circuits as disclosed in this application. The processor may also be a combination of computing functions, such as a combination of one or more microprocessors, a combination of digital signal processing (DSP) and microprocessors, etc., and the storage module may be a memory.

[0079] This embodiment also provides a computer-readable storage medium (including but not limited to disk storage, CD-ROM, optical storage, etc.) storing computer program code. When the computer program code is run on a computer, the computer executes the above-mentioned related method steps to implement the vehicle power drive distribution method provided in the above embodiment. The computer-readable storage medium may include, but is not limited to, any type of disk, including floppy disks, optical disks, Digital Video Discs (DVDs), Compact Disc Read-Only Memory (CD-ROMs), microdrives, and magneto-optical disks, read-only memory (ROMs), random access memory (RAMs), erasable programmable read-only memory (EPROMs), electrically erasable programmable read-only memory (EEPROMs), dynamic random access memory (DRAMs), video random access memory (VRAMs), flash memory devices, magnetic cards or optical cards, nanosystems (including molecular memory ICs), or any type of medium or device suitable for storing instructions and / or data.

[0080] This embodiment also provides a computer program product that, when run on a computer, causes the computer to perform the aforementioned steps to implement a vehicle power drive distribution method provided in the above embodiment.

[0081] The beneficial effects of the above embodiments can be referred to the beneficial effects of the corresponding methods provided above, and will not be repeated here.

[0082] Through the above description of the embodiments, those skilled in the art will understand that, for the sake of convenience and brevity, only the division of the above functional modules is used as an example. In actual applications, the above functions can be assigned to different functional modules as needed, that is, the internal structure of the device can be divided into different functional modules to complete all or part of the functions described above.

[0083] In the embodiments provided in this application, it should be understood that the disclosed apparatus and methods can be implemented in other ways. For example, the apparatus embodiments described above are merely illustrative; for instance, the division of modules or units is only a logical functional division, and in actual implementation, there may be other division methods. For example, multiple units or components may be combined or integrated into another device, or some features may be ignored or not executed. Furthermore, the coupling or direct coupling or communication connection shown or discussed may be through some interfaces; the indirect coupling or communication connection between devices or units may be electrical, mechanical, or other forms.

[0084] In the description of this disclosure, it should be understood that if the terms "upper", "lower", "front", "rear", "left" and "right" are used to indicate the orientation or positional relationship based on the orientation or positional relationship shown in the drawings, they are only for the convenience of describing the present invention and simplifying the description, and do not indicate or imply that the position or element referred to must have a specific orientation, or be constructed and operated in a specific orientation, and therefore should not be construed as a limitation of this disclosure.

[0085] It should be noted that, in the embodiments of this application, relational terms such as "first" and "second" are used only to distinguish one entity or operation from another entity or operation, and do not necessarily require or imply any such actual relationship or order between these entities or operations. It should also be noted that the terms "comprising," "including," or any other variations thereof are intended to cover non-exclusive inclusion, such that a process, method, article, or apparatus that comprises a list of elements includes not only those elements but also other elements not expressly listed, or elements inherent to such a process, method, article, or apparatus. Without further limitations, an element defined by the phrase "comprising one..." does not exclude the presence of other identical elements in the process, method, article, or apparatus that includes the element.

[0086] The above are merely embodiments of this disclosure and are not intended to limit the scope of this disclosure. Various modifications and variations can be made to this disclosure by those skilled in the art. Any modifications, equivalent substitutions, improvements, etc., made within the spirit and principles of this disclosure should be included within the scope of the claims of this disclosure.

Claims

1. A method for distributing vehicle power drive, characterized in that, The method includes: Detect the ambient temperature outside the vehicle; In response to the ambient temperature being lower than a preset threshold, the vehicle's power battery is controlled to supply power to the drive motor to drive the vehicle in pure electric mode. The vehicle's engine is controlled to heat the passenger compartment and / or the power battery.

2. The method according to claim 1, characterized in that, Before the vehicle's power battery supplies power to the drive motor, the following steps are included: The vehicle's operating status data is acquired, and the driver's operational intent is analyzed based on the operating status data. The operational intent is then decomposed into driving requirements and thermal management requirements.

3. The method according to claim 2, characterized in that, The operating status data includes at least one of the following: accelerator pedal opening and its rate of change, brake pedal switch, brake master cylinder pressure, deceleration signal, current gear, air conditioning target temperature, and heating / insulation request; the driving demand includes acceleration demand and / or braking demand; the process of acquiring the vehicle's operating status data, analyzing the driver's operating intention based on the operating status data, and decomposing the operating intention into driving demand and thermal management demand includes: Acceleration or braking demand is determined based on the accelerator pedal opening and its rate of change. The braking mode is determined based on at least one of the brake pedal switch, the brake master cylinder pressure, and the deceleration signal, and the drive demand is adjusted based on the current gear. Thermal management requirements are determined based on the target air conditioning temperature and heating / insulation requests, combined with user preferences for the cabin heating rate and / or comfort level.

4. The method according to claim 2, characterized in that, The control system uses the vehicle's power battery to supply power to the drive motor, driving the vehicle in a purely electric mode, including: Determine the target drive power or wheel-end torque based on the drive requirements; The vehicle's power battery supplies power to the drive motor based on the driving power or the wheel-end torque, so as to drive the vehicle in pure electric mode.

5. The method according to claim 2, characterized in that, The method of controlling the vehicle's power battery to supply power to the drive motor to drive the vehicle in a pure electric mode also includes: If the power battery's charge level is detected to be below the power retention threshold, or the power battery's temperature is detected to be below the temperature threshold, the engine is controlled to provide drive to the vehicle.

6. The method according to claim 2, characterized in that, The engine controlling the vehicle heats the passenger compartment and / or the power battery, including: Control the decoupling of the engine and drive motor, or control the clutch to disengage; The heat generated by the engine is controlled to circulate through the coolant system. Part of the heat is used to heat the passenger compartment through the heater core, and the other part is used to heat and keep the battery pack warm through the heat exchanger.

7. The method according to claim 6, characterized in that, The engine controlling the vehicle heats the passenger compartment and / or the power battery, and also includes: The energy generated by the combustion of fuel in the engine is used to heat the passenger compartment and / or the power battery in the form of heat energy, and to convert the other part into mechanical energy to drive the on-board generator to charge the on-board battery or maintain the vehicle's electrical system.

8. The method according to claim 2, characterized in that, The method further includes: If the driving demand and the thermal management demand conflict in terms of resources, the power battery and the engine are driven with a preset priority, wherein the preset priority is set to decrease in the order of driving safety demand, power battery minimum temperature protection, driver thermal comfort demand and driving economy demand.

9. A vehicle power drive distribution device, characterized in that, The device includes: The detection module is used to detect the ambient temperature outside the vehicle. The drive module is used to control the vehicle's power battery to supply power to the drive motor in response to the ambient temperature being lower than a preset threshold, so as to drive the vehicle in pure electric mode. A thermal management module is used to control the vehicle's engine to provide heat to the passenger compartment and / or the power battery.

10. A vehicle, characterized in that, The vehicle includes the vehicle power drive distribution device as described in claim 9.

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