Hybrid Vehicle Drivetrain With Standardized Motor Control Units

Solution Overview

Problem

The increased costs and complexity associated with vehicles having multiple drive sources, such as internal combustion engines and electric motors, due to additional components and complex control systems.

Innovation Solution

A vehicle drivetrain system featuring first and second front electric motors, a rear electric motor, and an internal combustion engine, with three motor control units, where all electric motors share a common set of physical characteristics and are controlled by identical hardware, allowing for interchangeable components and simplified control systems.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Adaptability or versatility

If multiple drive sources (internal combustion engine and electric motors) are used in a vehicle, then vehicle performance and drive capability are improved, but production costs and system complexity increase

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvedrive capabilityVSAvoidsystem complexity

Core Design Contradiction:

Adaptability or versatilityVSDevice complexity

Solution Approach 1:

The patent applies universality by designing all four electric motors (two front, two rear) with identical physical characteristics and using a single standardized motor control unit design for all motors. This allows the same control unit hardware to universally control any electric motor in the vehicle, reducing the number of different component types needed in the multi-drive system.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #6Universality (Multi-functionality)

Solution Approach 2:

The patent uses parameter changes by allowing software configuration to define different control parameters for each motor control unit while using identical hardware. This enables the same physical control unit design to adapt to different motor positions and functions through software parameter adjustment rather than requiring different hardware designs.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #35Parameter changes

2Adaptability or versatility

If multiple drive sources (internal combustion engine and electric motors) are used in a vehicle, then vehicle performance and drive capability are improved, but production costs increase

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvedrive capabilityVSAvoidproduction cost

Core Design Contradiction:

Adaptability or versatilityVSEase of manufacture

Solution Approach 1:

The patent applies universality by designing all four electric motors (two front, two rear) with identical physical characteristics and using a single standardized motor control unit design for all motors. This allows the same control unit hardware to universally control any electric motor in the vehicle, reducing the number of different component types needed in the multi-drive system.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #6Universality (Multi-functionality)

Solution Approach 2:

The patent uses parameter changes by allowing software configuration to define different control parameters for each motor control unit while using identical hardware. This enables the same physical control unit design to adapt to different motor positions and functions through software parameter adjustment rather than requiring different hardware designs.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #35Parameter changes

3Reliability

If different motor control units are used for different electric motors, then specific motor control requirements are met, but device complexity and manufacturing costs increase

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvemotor control performanceVSAvoidcontrol unit complexity

Core Design Contradiction:

ReliabilityVSDevice complexity

Solution Approach 1:

The patent applies universality by designing all four electric motors (two front, two rear) with identical physical characteristics and using a single standardized motor control unit design for all motors. This allows the same control unit hardware to universally control any electric motor in the vehicle, reducing the number of different component types needed in the multi-drive system.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #6Universality (Multi-functionality)

Solution Approach 2:

The patent uses parameter changes by allowing software configuration to define different control parameters for each motor control unit while using identical hardware. This enables the same physical control unit design to adapt to different motor positions and functions through software parameter adjustment rather than requiring different hardware designs.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #35Parameter changes

Data Source

PatentEP4088960B1Vehicle drivetrain

Publication Date: 2026.04.15 MCLAREN AUTOMOTIVE LTD

Figure 1

AI summary

A vehicle comprising: first and second front electric motors, each front electric motor being coupled to a respective front wheel to drive that front wheel; a rear electric motor; an internal combustion engine, the internal combustion engine and rear electric motor being coupled to a rear axle to drive rear wheels; and three motor control units each comprising drive components, each motor control unit being coupled to a respective electric motor to drive that electric motor using the drive components, and the front and rear electric motors having a common set of physical characteristics so that each of the motor control units has identical drive components.