Patent ID: 8386109
Filing Date: 2013-02-26
Classification: B60K,B60L,B60W,Y02T

Abstract:
1. An apparatus comprising: a fuel burning actuator; a generator configured to be driven by the actuator and arranged to generate charge to recharge an energy storage device; a first electric machine operable to motor the actuator so as to cause the actuator to pump a fluid; a second electric machine operable to generate charge in a regenerative braking operation in order to recharge the energy storage device; wherein the apparatus is configured automatically to motor the actuator by means of the first electric machine when the actuator is not burning fuel in dependence on at least one operating parameter associated with the energy storage device, the apparatus being operable automatically to restrict by a restrictor device an amount of fluid pumped by the actuator by restricting an amount of fluid flowing out from the fuel burning actuator thereby to increase an amount of work done by the first electric machine when the actuator is motored, and wherein the apparatus is operable to control the restrictor device to increase an amount of work done by the first electric machine by restricting the amount of fluid flowing out from the fuel burning actuator, when the fuel burning actuator is motored, by an amount dependent on the value of at least one operating parameter associated with the energy storage device.