Drive system for a vehicle, and vehicle equipped therewith

Abstract

The invention relates to a drive system for a vehicle which is driven by at least one electric motor, the electrical energy of which is drawn from an electrical store (accumulator) and from an additionally carried fuel by means of an internal combustion engine, without the vehicle being driven directly by the internal combustion engine, and to a vehicle equipped with said drive system. The drive system for a vehicle substantially consists of a block-forming unit, comprising a drive unit (1) and an electric motor (12) for driving the vehicle, and a battery unit (17), wherein the drive unit (1) comprises an internal combustion engine (2) having a generator (3) directly or indirectly flange-mounted on one side of the crankshaft and a charger (5) directly or indirectly flange-mounted on the opposite side of the crankshaft or a turbocharger arranged in the exhaust gas system of the drive unit (1), or the drive unit (1) comprises a free-piston engine having a linear generator.

Description

Drive system for a vehicle and a vehicle equipped with it

[0001] The present invention relates to a drive system for a vehicle driven by at least one electric motor, the electrical energy of which is obtained from an electrical storage device (battery) and from an additional fuel carried on board by means of an internal combustion engine, without the vehicle being directly driven by the internal combustion engine, and to a vehicle equipped therewith. For the purposes of the present invention, "vehicles" are understood to mean all vehicles driven by an electric motor, such as passenger cars, trucks, buses, motorcycles, trains, ships, and other comparable vehicles.

[0002] The development of road-bound vehicles with purely electric drive or hybrid drive systems combining an electric motor and an internal combustion engine is currently receiving considerable attention worldwide. This is due to efforts to reduce pollutant emissions from current road traffic, and in particular CO2 emissions. The primary goal is to be able to drive completely emission-free with electric drive within cities.

[0003] Currently, there are approximately 1 million new electric car registrations per year. This contrasts with 70 million new registrations worldwide, compared to a total of approximately 1.5 billion combustion engine passenger vehicles. If there were any chance of achieving the ambitious climate goals, only electric cars powered by emission-free energy would be permitted from now on, which is unrealistic.

[0004] Electric vehicles, such as electric two-wheelers, scooters, and cars, as well as partially electric vehicles, are well-known. Partially electric vehicles are vehicles with a hybrid drive system that includes an electric motor and another energy converter, often a conventional combustion engine.

[0005] Furthermore, virtually all vehicles with internal combustion engines currently use fossil liquid fuels, the availability of which is limited. It is therefore expected that the prices of such fuels will rise sharply in the future, which will also increase the need for alternative drive systems.

[0006] The problem with all purely electric vehicles at present is their limited range and, in particular, the high weight of the batteries. Even with the use of high-performance batteries, achieving a range of several hundred kilometers is a complex and costly process.

[0007] Battery-electric vehicles are very heavy due to the high mass of the battery. The desire for a long range necessitates even larger and heavier batteries. This is particularly critical for vehicles that are close to the weight limit for passenger cars, because they can then no longer be driven with a standard car driver's license. Examples include Sprinter-class vans and motorhomes. Very large SUVs also often weigh well over 2000 kg.

[0008] Another type of vehicle with a combined drive system is the so-called full hybrid vehicle. These are already available on the market in larger numbers. A system-related disadvantage of the full hybrid drive is the need for larger energy storage capacities, which, due to higher vehicle weight, reduces its efficiency.

[0009] Hybrid vehicles configured to supply electrical power to an electrical device and the like outside the vehicle are known. Some of these hybrid vehicles can supply not only electrical power stored in a battery installed in the vehicle, but also electrical power generated by a power generator using the kinetic energy of a drive machine. Conventional hybrid machine systems used for vehicle propulsion systems rely on a single machine connected to a motor / generator. Although significant fuel efficiencies are achieved using such combinations, there is room for improvement in driving efficiency and emission reduction.

[0010] Hybrid vehicles are typically powered by an electric motor and / or an internal combustion engine and can operate in various drive modes, including an EV drive mode, in which the vehicle is powered solely by the electric motor, and a combustion engine drive mode, in which the vehicle is powered solely by the internal combustion engine. In EV drive, only the energy stored in the battery and the electric motor are used for propulsion. This drive mode is used for starting and at low speeds.

[0011] Hybrid drive concepts can be classified according to their system architecture (series, parallel, or power-split hybrid), but also according to the proportion of electric power (micro-hybrid, mild hybrid, full hybrid, or range extender). Plug-in hybrids (plug-in hybrid electric vehicles, PHEVs) are an extension of this hybrid technology. In particular, they enable a further reduction in fuel consumption because their electrical energy storage system can be charged not (exclusively) by the existing combustion engine and / or through recuperation, but via the electrical grid.

[0012] Internal combustion engines operate optimally when at operating temperature, which, however, is typically only reached after 5 to 20 minutes during ferry operation. During the entire warm-up phase, the oil viscosity is increased, leading to higher frictional torque. Furthermore, no cabin heating is available at low water temperatures, which impairs comfort and is sometimes compensated for by energy-intensive electric auxiliary heaters. The combustion process itself is also affected by low combustion chamber wall temperatures.

[0013] Wall heat losses are somewhat higher, and at the same time, there is a tendency for emissions of unburned hydrocarbons and carbon monoxide to worsen. Against the backdrop of steadily increasing demands regarding consumption, emissions, and comfort, measures have therefore been increasingly implemented in recent years to shorten the warm-up phase and minimize the associated disadvantages. These measures are generally summarized under the term "thermal management."

[0014] Reaching operating temperature is of particular importance for exhaust aftertreatment, which in stoichiometrically operated gasoline engines is achieved by a three-way catalytic converter. The conversion rates in the catalytic converter are highly temperature-dependent, with no conversion / reduction of pollutants occurring when cold, while almost complete conversion / reduction occurs when the engine is at operating temperature. The rapid increase in conversion rates upon reaching a certain temperature threshold is referred to as the "light-off" phase.

[0015] To achieve low overall emissions, the time between engine start and catalytic converter light-off must be as short as possible, and raw emissions during this phase should be as low as possible. This is achieved through in-engine measures. Measures (“catalyst heating”) are used, whereby increased consumption is accepted in this phase, which is short compared to the entire cycle.

[0016] German patent DE 10 2008 027 620 A relates to a method for operating an electric machine in a hybrid electric vehicle (HEV) whose powertrain includes an internal combustion engine, and in particular an HEV whose internal combustion engine can be a naturally aspirated engine, a turbocharged engine, or a turbocharged engine with stoichiometric or lean combustion. The strategy uses the dynamic limits of an internal combustion engine with respect to torque response and emissions to restrict the permissible values ​​of the electric assistance provided for propelling the vehicle and controls the equipment available in an HEV to reduce vehicle emissions and achieve better performance and improved driving dynamics.

[0017] German patent DE 10 2020 112 747 A relates to a range extender (REX) comprising an internal combustion engine and an electric motor, wherein the internal combustion engine is designed as a boxer engine with paired, opposing connecting rods. An engine control circuit is configured to ensure that the cylinders have simultaneous ignition independent of engine speed. The crankshaft of the internal combustion engine is connected to a rotor of an electric motor so that the electric motor, via a generator control circuit, synchronizes the rotation of the crankshaft with a specific torque. This generator control circuit is designed to control the electric motor in such a way that it functions as a generator during one power stroke of the pistons and at least intermittently as a motor during the other strokes.The range extender (REX) can be set up in such a way that the speed (N) of the internal combustion engine varies depending on a driving speed (V) and an accelerator pedal position, so that an engine noise of an internal combustion engine with a manual transmission is simulated.

[0018] DE 11 2009 003 767 T5 describes a tandem hybrid concept by dividing the ICE drive into two separate machine modules: a primary machine for maximum efficiency and a secondary machine for maximum power and acceleration. The EM is also an electric starter motor / generator ("EM / G") that serves as a low-speed power source, either alone or in combination with the output of the primary ICE, or with both the primary and secondary machines, as required to provide additional power. The EM / G serves of course, it also functions in generator mode to provide electrical energy for recharging the batteries and for brake assistance.

[0019] US 2009 / 0 025 371 A concerns a hybrid vehicle, a A hybrid vehicle drive system and a method for an exhaust aftertreatment device for an internal combustion engine in a hybrid vehicle, further comprising an additional power source. The internal combustion engine has a crankshaft and at least one cylinder, the hybrid vehicle further comprising a fuel storage device and a fuel supply device, the exhaust aftertreatment device being located downstream of the cylinder. Air and fuel are supplied to the exhaust aftertreatment device while the engine is not running, resulting in oxidation of the fuel in the exhaust aftertreatment device to maintain the temperature within its activation range. The air can be supplied by rotating the engine via the additional power source, and the air quantity can be controlled by a throttle valve in an intake port of the engine.

[0020] WO 2012 / 056 275 A1 describes a machine combination consisting of an internal combustion engine and a generator of a hybrid drive with two cylinder-piston units arranged parallel to each other in a common housing. The pistons of these units are connected via their respective connecting rods to their own crankshafts, which are rotationally coupled to each other via a gear in opposite directions. This coupling of the two crankshafts via gears allows the internal combustion engine to be combined with a generator in a particularly compact design, as the generator shaft carries a gear that is arranged in the same plane as these gears of the crankshafts.

[0021] WO 2010 / 145 628 A relates to a drive unit for a motor vehicle comprising an internal combustion engine with at least two combustion chambers, in particular combustion cylinders, in which a fuel-air mixture is burned at a time interval, wherein the combustion chambers are associated with a further working chamber in the form of an expansion cylinder in which exhaust gas mixture expelled from the combustion chambers is expanded, thereby delivering mechanical power to the output shaft, and subsequently transferred to an exhaust outlet. According to the invention, a first electromechanical energy converter is mechanically connected to the output shaft of the A combustion engine is coupled, exchanging electrical energy with an electrical energy storage unit, with a further electromechanical energy converter. mechanically coupled to at least one wheel axle of the motor vehicle and also exchanges electrical energy with the electrical energy storage unit. Application in passenger cars.

[0022] DE 34 34 532 CI describes a power supply system for a motor vehicle with an internal combustion engine, wherein the vehicle engine is assigned a free-piston Stirling engine with a linear generator, wherein the electrical energy generated by the linear generator is supplied to the battery and the electrical system.

[0023] US Patent 5,172,784 A describes a propulsion system for an electric hybrid vehicle with a free-piston internal combustion engine, equipped with an integrated linear electric generator and pulse frequency control. The free-piston internal combustion engine is intended to burn emission-free fuel, such as alcohol, gas, or propane.

[0024] All of the aforementioned solutions, but especially the battery-powered electric car, have the problem that only short ranges are often achieved, which is due to the insufficient battery capacity or lack of tank volume.

[0025] There is therefore a need for a solution to the problems described above, one that can effectively, cost-efficiently, and quickly reduce the high CO2 emissions caused by combustion engines, which are considered a major contributor to climate change. The limited range of current fuel or battery refills in environmentally friendly vehicles further complicates finding a viable technical solution to this problem.

[0026] The average daily driving distance is less than 100 km. Legislation mandates a minimum range of approximately 100 km for electric vehicles. If the battery were designed for this range and a series hybrid system were used for greater distances, significant weight advantages and lighter vehicle designs would result. The batteries would no longer need to be charged at high-current fast-charging stations. The strain on the grid would be considerably reduced. The intense pressure to expand the fast-charging network could be alleviated.

[0027] The use of synthetic fuels made from renewable energy sources could quickly achieve CO2 neutrality. These series hybrid vehicles would therefore be lighter and significantly cheaper than pure BEVs (Battery Electric Vehicles). Electric Vehicle). This would make electromobility much more readily available to the general public.

[0028] Internal combustion engines produce the most pollutants during the start-up phase. If the engine, catalytic converters, and the entire exhaust system had reached their target operating temperature before the fuel was burned, the exhaust gas would be significantly cleaner immediately, and the costs for the exhaust system would be considerably lower.

[0029] While searching for a solution to the problem, the inventor conceived of a combined drive system for a motor vehicle, one known for its efficient energy conversion. In this drive system, an internal combustion engine is combined with a generator to form a small, compact, and lightweight unit, without the internal combustion engine directly powering the vehicle.

[0030] The object of the invention is to create a drive system for a vehicle that is driven by at least one electric motor, the electrical energy of which is obtained from an electrical storage device (battery) and from an additional fuel carried on board by means of an internal combustion engine, without the vehicle being directly driven by the internal combustion engine, and a vehicle equipped with this system, with which significant weight advantages and thus lighter and more cost-effective vehicle concepts can be achieved compared to purely battery-electric vehicles.

[0031] This problem is solved by the features of the independent patent claims. Advantageous further developments of the invention are the subject of the dependent patent claims.

[0032] The drive system for a vehicle driven by at least one electric motor, the electrical energy of which is obtained from an electrical storage device or from an additional fuel carried on board by means of an internal combustion engine, consists of a block-forming unit comprising a drive unit and an electric motor for driving the vehicle, and a battery unit, wherein the drive unit comprises an internal combustion engine with a generator directly or indirectly flanged to one side of the crankshaft and a turbocharger directly or indirectly flanged to the opposite side of the crankshaft or a turbocharger arranged in the exhaust system of the drive unit.

[0033] Alternatively, the drive system for a vehicle driven by at least one electric motor, the electrical energy of which is obtained from an electrical storage device or from an additional fuel carried on board by means of an internal combustion engine, can consist of a block-forming unit comprising a drive unit and an electric motor for driving the vehicle, and a battery unit, wherein the drive unit comprises a free-piston engine with a linear generator.

[0034] The drive unit with generator and electric motor as a block-forming unit is arranged on a subframe / subframe of the vehicle in such a way that it can be slid under the passenger compartment or guided in the event of a crash.

[0035] In addition to the supercharger, which is designed as a compressor or turbocharger, an auxiliary fan can be installed for use during the warm-up phase. Depending on whether the combustion engine is operating in coasting mode or combustion mode, the air supply is then provided by an intercooler or an intercooler.

[0036] The preferred internal combustion engines are boxer engines with at least two opposing piston-cylinder units, opposed-piston engines, or free-piston engines. Free-piston engines with linear generators can also be used. Where possible, the engines can be operated as gasoline or diesel engines in two-stroke or four-stroke cycles.

[0037] The advantages of the boxer engine lie in its good mass balance, low installation position with low center of gravity, few thermal problems with air-cooled two-cylinder engines, ease of maintenance, and the fact that no linkage to the secondary drive is necessary.

[0038] The advantages of opposed-piston engines lie in a more even torque curve across the entire speed range, in better scavenging – longitudinal scavenging allows for complete gas exchange with low scavenging losses due to the spatial separation of intake and exhaust ports – the incoming air can be given a swirl, which is good for mixing and combustion, and in good mass balance without additional measures.

[0039] The combustion engines used are very smooth-running and produce hardly any vibrations. This is especially true for the boxer engine, due to the... The opposing arrangement of the cylinders cancels out the forces generated by the piston movement. First- and second-order inertial forces are avoided. The result is a silky-smooth, round engine operation. Another advantage of the boxer engine is that the horizontal arrangement of the intake and exhaust ports allows for a very low profile and, thanks to its two equally weighted cylinder banks, provides excellent balance.

[0040] The free-piston engine is a linear “crankshaftless” internal combustion engine in which the piston movement is not controlled by a crankshaft, but by the interaction of forces from the combustion chamber gases, a rebound device and a load device, whereby the power is not delivered to a crankshaft, but is used either by exhaust pressure, which drives a turbine and thus a generator, or by direct installation of a linear generator to generate electrical energy.

[0041] The internal combustion engine, generator and / or supercharger and, if applicable, an electric motor form the drive system, which is mounted on a subframe or engine / front axle carrier of the vehicle via bearing points, whereby, when using boxer engines, bearing points are attached externally to the cylinder heads of the boxer engine in order to introduce the engine torques into the subframe or front axle carriers with low forces, and another bearing point acts as a common bearing point for the generator and the internal combustion engine.

[0042] When used in front-wheel drive vehicles, it is possible to connect the drive unit with generator directly to an electric motor to form a single unit.

[0043] In start-up or acceleration mode, air can be supplied to the cylinders of the combustion engine either via a turbocharger, a three-way valve and an intercooler or via an additional blower and an intercooler, whereby the additional blower can be switched on in addition to the turbocharger if required during the warm-up phase.

[0044] In start-up or acceleration mode, the combustion engine operates as an air pump until the catalysts in the exhaust system reach their target operating temperature.

[0045] In start-up or acceleration mode, the vehicle is powered solely by the electrical power drawn from the battery unit. During this time, the combustion engine operates in coasting mode, meaning the combustion engine is not actively engaged. The generator is driven without combustion and only compresses the intake air, thus bringing the combustion engine and exhaust system with the catalytic converters up to the target operating temperature. Only after reaching the target operating temperature does the combustion engine start running.

[0046] During a cold start, the emissions from a combustion engine are particularly high until it reaches operating temperature. By preheating the combustion engine, the catalytic converters, and the entire exhaust system to the target operating temperature before combustion begins, the exhaust gas becomes significantly cleaner immediately upon commencement, emissions are substantially reduced, and the costs for the exhaust system are considerably lower.

[0047] This provides a motor vehicle that meets current and future environmental protection and consumption requirements in a cost-effective manner.

[0048] The invention will be described in more detail using an exemplary embodiment. The figures shown are: Figure 1 - Concept of the drive system according to the invention Figure 2 - Schematic diagram of a motor vehicle with the drive system according to the invention

[0049] Figure 1 shows a concept of the drive system according to the invention, which consists of a drive unit 1, an electric motor 12 for driving the vehicle, and a battery unit 17. The drive unit 1 essentially comprises an internal combustion engine 2 with a generator 3 flanged to one side of the crankshaft and a supercharger 5 flanged to the opposite side of the crankshaft. An additional fan can also be arranged on this side. The generator 3 is also used for starting and accelerating the internal combustion engine from a standstill.

[0050] The combustion engine 2 is a boxer engine with two opposing piston-cylinder units, in which a fuel-air mixture (initial mixture) is chemically exothermized in each unit at a time interval, producing an exhaust gas mixture with increased latent heat and pressure compared to the initial mixture. This exhaust gas mixture exerts a pressure force on pistons movably mounted in the cylinders, such that the pistons cause a The output shaft (“crankshaft”) is set in rotation, which drives on the one hand the generator 3 and on the other hand a charger 5 designed as a compressor.

[0051] The internal combustion engine 2, designed as a boxer engine, receives liquid or gaseous fuel for operation, in the form of a preferably organic substance, e.g. gasoline or diesel fuel, alcohol, biogas or methane or hydrogen gas or the like, from a fuel tank 18 carried in the motor vehicle.

[0052] Generator 3 exchanges electrical energy with a battery unit 17 via electrical connecting cables using power electronics, or the electrical energy is directed to the electric motor 12. A process computer or control unit 19 regulates the operating state of generator 3, the operating state of the battery unit 17, and the operating state of the internal combustion engine 2. During operation of the vehicle, generator 3 is used as an electromechanical energy converter to extract mechanical energy from the internal combustion engine and transfer it as electrical energy to the battery unit 17 or directly to the electric motor 12.

[0053] The described drive system (concept) provides that when the vehicle is started or accelerated, electrical energy for the electric motor 12 is drawn from a battery unit 17, and the combustion engine 2 is run in towing mode for a predetermined time. This means that during this phase, the generator 3 drives the combustion engine 2 without fuel being supplied and combusted in the cylinders. The combustion engine 2 runs without combustion, essentially acting as an air pump.

[0054] During the start-up phase, air can be supplied to the cylinders of the internal combustion engine either via a turbocharger 5, preferably a compressor, a three-way valve 6, and an intercooler 8, or via an auxiliary blower 7 and an intercooler 8. Alternatively, an auxiliary blower 7 can be used in addition to the turbocharger 5 during the warm-up phase.

[0055] The air preheated by the charge air heater 8 is further heated by compression in the cylinders of the internal combustion engine 2. The hot air flows into the exhaust system 9 and heats it and the catalytic converters to the target operating temperature. Only when the control unit 19 receives a signal that the target operating temperature has been reached does the internal combustion engine 2 start in combustion mode.

[0056] The fuel coming from the fuel tank 18 can be supplied to the combustion engine 2 either via a carburetor system or an injection system.

[0057] The internal combustion engine 2 is charged by a charger 5, preferably a compressor or a turbocharger.

[0058] Additionally, the electric drive 12 for the front axle can also be attached to the boxer engine.

[0059] The components boxer engine, generator 3, supercharger 5, and, if applicable, the electric motor 12 form the drive unit 1 and can be pre-assembled on a subframe or engine / front axle carrier of the vehicle via the bearing points 11 and 3. The bearing points 11 are located on the outside of the cylinder heads of the boxer engine to transfer the engine torques to the subframe or front axle carrier with minimal force. The generator 3 and the boxer engine share a common bearing point 3.

[0060] Figure 2 shows a schematic diagram of a motor vehicle with the drive system according to the invention. The motor vehicle comprises a front axle 13 with an electric motor 15 and a rear axle 14 with an electric motor 16. The electric motors 15 and 16 are electrically connected to the drive unit 1 and the battery unit 17.

[0061] In start-up or acceleration mode, the electric motors 15, 16 receive the required electrical energy from the battery unit 17. Only after reaching the target operating temperature is the electrical energy required for driving the vehicle supplied by the drive unit 1. The control of the electric motors 14, 15, the combustion engine 2, and the generator 3, as well as the state of charge of the battery unit 17, is carried out by the control unit 19.

[0062] The operation of a vehicle equipped with the drive system according to the invention is carried out such that, during the starting or acceleration process, the temperature in the exhaust system 10 is determined in a first step. If the temperature is below the target operating temperature of the catalysts, the vehicle is started or activated by drawing electrical energy for the electric motor(s) 12 or 15; 16 from the battery unit 17.

[0063] The combustion engine 2 is driven in towing mode via the generator 3. Air is supplied to the cylinder-piston unit via the supercharger 5 or supercharger 5 and auxiliary blower 7. The intake air can be preheated via the charge air heater 8. The output air supplied to the cylinder-piston units of the internal combustion engine 2 is compressed and heated accordingly without the addition of fuel.

[0064] During towing operation, the temperature of the catalytic converters is continuously measured and compared in the control unit with the target operating temperature of the catalytic converters. If the target operating temperature is reached or exceeded, the fuel supply is opened and the ignition of the combustion engine 2 is switched on. The air supply then takes place via the turbocharger 5, the three-way valve 6 and the charge air cooler 9.

[0065] The combustion engine 2 starts and drives the generator 3, which generates electrical energy and supplies it to the electric motors. The combustion engine 2, and thus the generator 3, is controlled in such a way that the available electrical power is constantly sufficient for energy-efficient driving. Furthermore, additional power should be available for charging the battery unit when needed.

[0066] The efficiency of a gasoline engine at optimal speed and load is a maximum of approximately 37%. It is highly load-dependent at a given speed – highest just below full load and dropping to zero at idle. This means that gasoline engines have poor efficiency under partial load, when the throttle is light. Partial load and idling are common in city traffic and can be avoided. The combustion engine can then be operated at a favorable efficiency under high load.

[0067] This results in a vehicle that can be driven with high efficiency across a wide operating range, with the combustion engine operating at moderate speeds and in a low specific fuel consumption range when needed. Peak loads can be handled exclusively by the electric motor, without altering the combustion engine's operating state. The battery unit acts as a buffer for the required electrical energy, balancing the continuous power output of an efficiently operated combustion engine with the short-term, discontinuous power demands typical of modern vehicles.

[0068] The proposed concept allows for a reduction in battery mass of 400 to 450 kg with a mass application of approximately 100 kg. This also reduces the Fuel consumption is reduced in BEV mode. The use of critical materials for battery production is significantly reduced. This results in a substantial cost advantage combined with the characteristics of a pure BEV in ferry operation and the range of a combustion engine vehicle.

[0069] Reference numeral list 1 - Drive unit 2 - Internal combustion engine 3 - Generator 4 - Mounting point for internal combustion engine and turbocharger 5 - charger 6 - Three-way valve 7 - Auxiliary blower 8 - Charge air heater 9 - Intercooler 10 - Exhaust system 11 - Internal combustion engine bearing points 12 - Electric motor 13 - Front axle 14 - Rear axle 15 - Electric motor front axle 16 - Electric motor rear axle 17 - Battery unit 18 - Fuel tank

Claims

Patent claims 1. Drive system for a vehicle driven by at least one electric motor, the electrical energy of which is obtained from an electrical storage device or from an additional fuel carried on board by means of an internal combustion engine, characterized in that the drive system consists of a block-forming unit comprising a drive unit (1) and an electric motor (12) for driving the vehicle, and a battery unit (17), wherein the drive unit (1) comprises an internal combustion engine (2) with a generator (3) directly or indirectly flanged to one side of the crankshaft and a charger (5) directly or indirectly flanged to the opposite side of the crankshaft or a turbocharger arranged in the exhaust system of the drive unit (1).

2. Drive system for a vehicle according to claim 1, characterized in that the block-forming unit, comprising a drive unit (1) with generator (3) and an electric motor (12), is arranged on a subframe or auxiliary frame of the vehicle in such a way that it can be slid under the passenger compartment or is guided in the event of a crash.

3. Drive system for a vehicle according to claim 1, characterized in that the charger (5) is designed as a compressor or turbocharger and 4. Drive system for a vehicle according to claims 1 and 2, characterized in that a further additional blower (7) is arranged next to the charger (5).

5. Drive system for a vehicle according to claims 1 to 3, characterized in that boxer engines with two opposing piston-cylinder units are used as internal combustion engines (2).

6. Drive system for a vehicle according to claims 1 to 3, characterized in that opposed-piston engines (2) are used as internal combustion engines.

7. Drive system for a vehicle according to claims 1 to 6, characterized in that the assemblies internal combustion engine (2), generator (3), supercharger (5) and optionally an electric motor (12) form the drive unit (1) and are pre-assembled on a subframe or engine or front axle carrier of the vehicle via the bearing points (11 and 4), wherein two bearing points (11) are attached externally to the cylinder heads of the boxer engine and a third bearing point (4) functions as a common bearing point for the generator and the internal combustion engine.

8. Drive system for a vehicle according to claims 1 to 7, characterized in that in the start-up or starting mode the air can be supplied to the cylinders of the internal combustion engine (2) either via a supercharger (5), a three-way valve (6) and an charge air heater (8) or via an additional blower (7) and an charge air heater (8), wherein the additional blower (6) can be switched on in addition to the supercharger (5) if required during the warm-up phase.

9. Drive system for a vehicle according to claims 1 to 8, characterized in that the internal combustion engine (2) can be operated as an air pump in start-up or start-up mode until the target operating temperature of the catalysts in the exhaust system (10) is reached.

10. Drive system for a vehicle driven by at least one electric motor, the electrical energy of which is obtained from an electrical storage device or from an additional fuel carried on board by means of an internal combustion engine, characterized in that the drive system consists of a block-forming unit comprising a drive unit (1) and an electric motor (12) for driving the vehicle, and a battery unit (17), wherein the drive unit (1) comprises a free-piston engine with a linear generator.

11. Drive system for a vehicle according to claim 10, characterized in that the drive unit (1) designed as a free-piston motor with linear generator and optionally an electric motor (12) form the drive system and are pre-assembled on a subframe or engine or front axle carrier of the vehicle via the bearing points (11 and 4).

12. Vehicle with a drive system according to claim 1 and at least one of claims 2 to 9 or according to claims 10 and 11.

13. Vehicle with a drive system according to claim 12, characterized in that, when used in front-wheel drive vehicles, the drive unit (1) with generator (3) is directly connected to the electric motor (12) to form a single unit.

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