Patent ID: 7195087
Filing Date: 2007-03-27
Classification: B60K,B60T,B60W,Y02T,Y10S

Abstract:
1. A drive apparatus for a vehicle comprising: a first drive unit including at least a first non-permanent magnet electric motor configured and arranged to drive a first wheel, and a first reduction gear operatively coupled to the first non-permanent magnet electric motor to reduce speed of the first non-permanent magnet electric motor; a second drive unit including at least a second non-permanent magnet electric motor configured and arranged to drive a second wheel disposed on an opposite side of the vehicle from the first wheel, and a second reduction gear operatively coupled to the second non-permanent magnet electric motor to reduce speed of the second non-permanent magnet electric motor; first and second inverters configured and arranged to supply electric power separately to the first and second non-permanent magnet electric motors, respectively; and a driven wheel drive controller configured to control the first and second inverters to separately control a torque of each of the first and second non-permanent magnet electric motors, the driven wheel drive controller being further configured to control the first and second inverters to stop flows of drive currents to the first and second non-permanent magnet electric motors when a vehicle speed is equal to or greater than a prescribed vehicle speed.