Abstract:
Regenerative braking and regenerative suspension in hybrid electric or all electric vehicles provides for an increased range by exploiting the energy previously provided to propel the vehicle to regenerate electricity to recharge the battery (or batteries) of the vehicle. Whilst suited to city and urban environments where vehicles are braking frequently there is no regeneration during prolonged propulsion of the vehicle. According to embodiments of the invention electricity generation is provided for the electricity storage during normal propulsion of the vehicle or whenever the engine/motor is on. Embodiments are presented that may be localized or distributed within the vehicle and associated with elements of the vehicle that provide rotary motion during propulsion of the vehicle.

Description:
FIELD OF THE INVENTION 
       [0001]    This invention relates electric vehicles and more specifically to providing a generator for recharging the electric vehicle during use. 
       BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
       [0002]    The use of electricity for motive power started with a small railway operated by a miniature electric motor in 1835. In 1838 Robert Davidson built an electric locomotive that attained a speed of four miles per hour (6 km/h), and a UK patent was granted in 1840 for the use of rails as conductors of electric current, with similar first US patents issued in 1847. In the 1830s Robert Anderson invented the first crude electric carriage, powered by non-rechargeable primary cells. However, electric vehicles remained a niche solution until the late 20 th  century where electric railway transport became commonplace, with and commercial electric automobiles increasingly common in specialist roles, such as platform trucks, forklift trucks, tow tractors and urban delivery vehicles, such as the iconic British milk float which for most of the 20th century made the UK was the world&#39;s largest user of electric road vehicles. One of the earliest rechargeable batteries, the nickel-iron battery, was favored by Edison for use in electric cars. 
         [0003]    During the last few decades, increased concern over the environmental impact of the petroleum-based transportation infrastructure, along with the spectre of peak oil (being the point in time when the maximum rate of global petroleum extraction is reached, after which the rate of production enters terminal decline) has led to renewed interest in an electric transportation infrastructure. Electric vehicles differ from fossil fuel-powered vehicles in that the electricity they consume can be generated from a wide range of sources, including fossil fuels, nuclear power, and renewable sources such as tidal power, solar power, and wind power or any combination of those. However it is generated, this energy is then transmitted to the vehicle through use of overhead lines, wireless energy transfer such as inductive charging, or a direct connection through an electrical cable wherein it may be stored onboard the vehicle by various techniques including battery, flywheel, or supercapacitors. 
         [0004]    Vehicles making use of internal combustion engines can usually only derive their energy from a single or a few sources, which are dominated by non-renewable fossil fuels such as petroleum gas (petrol) and diesel, although ethanol, green diesel, biodiesel, and other biofuels are becoming more common At present there are estimated to be over 600 million vehicles globally, the vast majority of these being petroleum gas or diesel fueled. In 2008 alone over 52 million cars alone were produced from a wide range of manufacturers including BMW, Chrysler, Daewoo, Daihatsu, DaimlerChrysler, Fiat, Ford, General Motors, Honda, Hyundai, Isuzu, Kia, Mazda, Mercedes Benz, Mitsubishi, Nissan, Renault, Scania, Suzuki, Toyota, Volkswagen, and Volvo. 
         [0005]    In 1997 Toyota started to sell the Prius, making it the first mass-produced hybrid vehicle, with global sales beginning in 2001. In May 2007, global cumulative Prius sales reached the milestone 1 million vehicle mark, and by June 2010, the Prius reached worldwide cumulative sales reached 2.7 million units. At present the Prius represents 50% of the US sales of hybrid electric vehicles. Hybrid electric vehicles combine a conventional (usually fossil fuel-powered) power train with some form of electric propulsion. An advantage of electric or hybrid electric vehicles is that they can take advantage of techniques such as regenerative braking and suspension to recover energy normally lost during braking as electricity to be restored to the on-board battery. Regenerative braking mechanisms typically consist of a motor controller and an electrical motor that can reduce a vehicle&#39;s speed. 
         [0006]    Hybrid electric vehicles are typically classified according to the way in which power is supplied to the drive train, including parallel hybrids where the internal combustion engine (ICE) and electric motor are both connected to the mechanical transmission and can simultaneously transmit power to drive the wheels. Current, commercialized parallel hybrids use a single, small (&lt;20 kW) electric motor and small battery pack as the electric motor is not designed to be the sole source of motive power from launch. Parallel hybrids are more efficient that comparable non-hybrid vehicles especially during urban stop-and-go conditions and at times during highway operation where the electric motor is permitted to contribute. 
         [0007]    In series hybrids only the electric motor drives the drive train and the ICE works as a generator to power the electric motor or to recharge the batteries. The battery pack can recharged from regenerative braking and from the ICE. Series hybrids usually have a smaller combustion engine but a larger battery pack as compared to parallel hybrids, which makes them more expensive, but more efficient in city driving. Power-split hybrids have the benefits of a combination of series and parallel characteristics and as a result are more efficient overall, because series hybrids tend to be more efficient at lower speeds and parallel tend to be more efficient at high speeds. Examples of power-split (referred to be some as “series-parallel”) hybrid power trains include current models of Ford, General Motors, Lexus, Nissan, and Toyota. 
         [0008]    Full hybrids are vehicles that can just run on just the engine, just the batteries, or a combination of both and example include Ford&#39;s hybrid system, Toyota&#39;s Hybrid Synergy Drive and General Motors/Chrysler&#39;s Two-Mode Hybrid. A large, high-capacity battery pack is needed for battery-only operation and the vehicles have a split power path that allows more flexibility in the drive train by interconverting mechanical and electrical power, at some cost in complexity. A so-called mild hybrid is a vehicle that cannot be driven solely on its electric motor, because the electric motor does not have enough power to propel the vehicle on its own include some of the features found in hybrid technology, and usually achieve limited fuel consumption savings, typically up to 15 percent in urban driving and 10 percent overall. A mild hybrid is essentially a conventional vehicle with oversize starter motor; allowing the engine to be turned off whenever the car is coasting, braking, or stopped, yet restart quickly and cleanly. The motor is often mounted between the engine and transmission, taking the place of the torque converter, and is used to supply additional propulsion energy when accelerating. Accessories can continue to run on electrical power while the gasoline engine is off, and as in other hybrid designs, the motor can be used for regenerative braking to recapture energy. As compared to full hybrids, mild hybrids have smaller batteries and a smaller, weaker motor/generator, which allows manufacturers to reduce cost and weight. 
         [0009]    Additionally, the major vehicle manufacturers including for example Ford, General Motors, Toyota, Mazda, Renault, and Suzuki are also actively researching and developing true electric vehicles for commercial production and sale which exploit only electrical propulsion. These are paralleled by a number of small start-up companies including for example Tesla Motors which produces the Tesla Roadster with a range of 200 miles (320 km) on a single charge and had sold 1,000 units by January 2010, Commuter Cars, Phoenix Motorcars, Miles Electric Vehicles which specializes in fleet type vehicles with limited maximum speed, and Aptera Motors. The majority of these exploiting recent advances in lithium-based battery technology, in large part driven by the consumer electronics industry, that allow full-sized, highway-capable electric vehicles to be propelled as far on a single charge as conventional cars go on a single tank of gasoline. Lithium batteries have been made safe, can be recharged in minutes instead of hours, and now last longer than the typical vehicle. The production cost of these lighter, higher-capacity lithium batteries is gradually decreasing as the technology matures and production volumes increase. 
         [0010]    Competitive technologies to lithium-based batteries are lithium electrochemical cells and the whole class of fuel cells based upon electrochemical reactions that convert a source fuel into an electrical current by reactions of the fuel and an oxidant, triggered in the presence of an electrolyte, generating byproducts typically of water and/or carbon dioxide. The reactants flow into the cell, and the reaction products flow out of it, while the electrolyte remains within it. Fuel cells can operate continuously as long as the necessary reactant and oxidant flows are maintained which has provided the spur for their development against battery based systems. However, the most common fuel, hydrogen, introduces requirements for special handling and issues of safety in consumer applications. Accordingly research has focused to allowing other hydrocarbon fuels, including diesel and methanol, together with solid oxide fuel cells (SOFC) “because of a possibility of using a wide variety of fuel” (K. Hayashi et al “Portable solid oxide fuel cells using butane gas as fuel. Solid State Ionics, No. 302 pp. 343-345) allowing them to run on hydrogen, butane, methanol, and other petroleum products. Molten carbonate fuel cells (MCFCs) operate in a similar manner, except the electrolyte consists of a liquid carbonate material. Fuel cells typically are being geared to heavy duty applications such as trucks, busses etc for automobile applications as well as marine applications. 
         [0011]    As is evident from regenerative braking and regenerative suspension in hybrid electric vehicles there is benefit in exploiting the energy provided to propel the vehicle to regenerate electricity to recharge the battery (or batteries) of the vehicle. Whilst in dense city and urban environments electric vehicles are expected to be braking frequently, thereby making regenerative braking beneficial as otherwise the vehicles range would be severely reduced. However, in all electric vehicles including hybrid electric vehicles there is no regeneration of electricity during the period of time that the vehicle is being propelled. 
         [0012]    It is, therefore, desirable to provide a means of generating electricity whilst the vehicle is in motion. 
       SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
       [0013]    It is an object of the present invention to obviate or mitigate at least one disadvantage of the prior art. 
         [0014]    In accordance with an embodiment of the invention there is provided a method comprising:
       providing a vehicle having at least a front axle, a rear axle, a battery and an engine;   providing a drive shaft for transmitting rotary motion from the engine to a first gearbox disposed at the rear axle wherein the drive shaft rotates at the same rate as the revolutions per minute of the engine and the first gearbox provides a predetermined scaling between the rotation rate of the drive shaft and that applied to the rear axle; and   providing a generator for generating electricity to charge the battery, a predetermined portion of the generator comprising a predetermined section of the drive shaft.       
 
         [0018]    In accordance with another embodiment of the invention there is provided a method comprising:
       providing a vehicle having at least a battery and an engine;   providing a generator for generating an electric current;   providing a gearbox for receiving a rotary output of the engine at a first rate of rotation and converting it to a rotary input at a second rate of rotation for the generator, the first scaling between the first rate of rotation and the second rate of rotation determined by an aspect of the gearbox.       
 
         [0022]    In accordance with another embodiment of the invention there is provided a method comprising:
       providing a wheel assembly for a vehicle comprising at least an axle and a hub to which a wheel is attached;   providing a first predetermined rotating portion of a first generator as a predetermined portion of at least one of the axle and the hub;   providing a second predetermined non-rotating portion of the first generator;   operating the vehicle to provide motion and charging a battery of the vehicle from the generator.       
 
         [0027]    Other aspects and features of the present invention will become apparent to those ordinarily skilled in the art upon review of the following description of specific embodiments of the invention in conjunction with the accompanying figures. 
     
    
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
         [0028]    Embodiments of the present invention will now be described, by way of example only, with reference to the attached Figures, wherein: 
           [0029]      FIG. 1  is a schematic of an electric vehicle according to an embodiment of the invention; 
           [0030]      FIG. 2A  is a schematic of a drive shaft generator for an electric vehicle according to an embodiment of the invention; 
           [0031]      FIG. 2B  is a schematic of a crank shaft generator for an electric vehicle according to an embodiment of the invention; 
           [0032]      FIG. 3  is a schematic of a generator axle for an electric vehicle according to an embodiment of the invention; 
           [0033]      FIG. 4  is a schematic of an electric vehicle according to an embodiment of the invention employing multiple axle generators and drive shaft generator; 
           [0034]      FIG. 5  is a schematic of an electric vehicle according to an embodiment of the invention employing a drive shaft generator with auxiliary generators; 
           [0035]      FIG. 6  is a schematic of an electric vehicle according to an embodiment of the invention employing drive shaft, axle and auxiliary generators; 
           [0036]      FIG. 7  is a schematic of an electric vehicle according to an embodiment of the invention employing auxiliary generators; 
           [0037]      FIG. 8  is a schematic of auxiliary generators coupled to the gearbox of an electric vehicle according to an embodiment of the invention; 
           [0038]      FIG. 9  is a schematic of auxiliary generators coupled to the gearbox of an electric vehicle according to an embodiment of the invention; 
           [0039]      FIG. 10  is a schematic of a modified drive shaft employing multiple generators for an electric vehicle according to an embodiment of the invention; and 
           [0040]      FIG. 11  is a schematic of an electric vehicle according to an embodiment of the invention employing hub mounted generators. 
       
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION 
       [0041]    The present invention is directed to generating electricity for storage within batteries or other suitable means to recharge the batteries of an electric or hybrid electric vehicle during its propulsion as opposed to during braking. 
         [0042]    Reference may be made below to specific elements, numbered in accordance with the attached figures. The discussion below should be taken to be exemplary in nature, and not as limiting of the scope of the present invention. The scope of the present invention is defined in the claims, and should not be considered as limited by the implementation details described below, which as one skilled in the art will appreciate, can be modified by replacing elements with equivalent functional elements. 
         [0043]    As illustrated in  FIG. 1  there is shown a chassis  100  for an electric vehicle according to an embodiment of the invention. As shown the chassis  100  comprises an engine  130 , for example a petrol ICE, which engages to drive shaft  140  via drive combiner  190 . Also connected to the drive combiner  190  is electric motor  120  which is coupled to primary battery  110  and secondary battery  115 . Drive combiner  190  selectively combines the rotary motion of either the crank shaft (not shown for clarity) of engine  130  or rotor shaft (not shown for clarity) of motor  120  to the drive shaft  140 . Also coupled to the chassis is front axle  150  and to the drive shaft  140  by rear gearbox  170  is rear axle  180 . Attached to front axle  150  and rear axle  180  are wheels  190 . In propelling the vehicle of which chassis  100  forms part the hybrid drive, comprising engine  130  and electric motor  120 , provide rotary drive to the drive shaft  140  via the drive combiner  190  to the rear gearbox  170  therein driving the rear axle  180 . However, according to this embodiment of the invention, as will be expanded further below in respect of  FIGS. 2 and 10  the drive shaft  140  is replaced with a generating drive shaft such that rotary motion of the drive shaft  140  in conjunction with outer body  160  provides generation of electricity that is selectively coupled to one or both of the primary battery  110  and secondary battery  115 . 
         [0044]    It would be evident to one skilled in the art that the resulting generator comprising drive shaft  140  in conjunction with outer body  160  would produce electricity during all forward or backwards motion of the vehicle of which it forms part. Further when the electric motor  120  is engaged and is being provided electricity from the first battery  110  then the second battery  115  may be recharged or vice-versa. Optionally the charging may be switched periodically to keep both batteries as fully charged as possible given the current used and recharging current. Alternatively when the engine  130  is providing all the propulsion then both batteries may be recharged simultaneously. It would also be evident that the usage of engine  130  may be reduced or the vehicle range increased as the electric motor  120  may be employed more frequently and with in-use recharging will not discharge as quickly. 
         [0045]    Now referring to  FIG. 2A  there is shown a schematic of a drive shaft generator  200  for an electric vehicle according to an embodiment of the invention. As shown there are first and second batteries  205 A and  205 B that are coupled to a motor, not shown for clarity, and a charging director  215 . The motor, and in some embodiments an engine which is also not shown for clarity, are connected to the gearbox  210  that drives a first element of an overall drive shaft, this being first shaft  220  that connects to second shaft  250  and therein to third shaft  255  which is coupled to axle gearbox  260 . Disposed on first shaft  220  are first commutator  225 A and second commutator  225 B that are connected to the charging director  215  through first and second commutator contacts  230 A and  230 B respectively. Connected to first commutator  225 A is first coil portion  245 A that is disposed onto second shaft  250 , and connected to second commutator  225 B is second coil portion  245 B that is similarly disposed onto second shaft  250 . 
         [0046]    Second shaft  250  is disposed between first magnet  235 A and second magnet  235 B, which provide the magnetic field within which the coil, formed from at least first coil portion  245 A and second coil portion  245 B rotates to generate the electric potential and therein current. The first commutator  225 A and second commutator  225 B mean that the output is a DC current from the drive shaft generator  200  to the charging director  215  and therein to one or both of the first and second batteries  205 A and  205 B respectively. 
         [0047]    It would also be evident that since the electrical potential, and hence current for a fixed load, generated in a generator is proportional to the number of turns of the electrical coil rotating within the magnetic field (N) and the rate of change of the magnetic field seen by the electric coil (δψ/δt) that the drive shaft generator  200  may be designed in varying configurations. For example usually the high rotation rate of an ICE engine that operates over a range of 600 to about 7000 revolutions per minute (rpm), though this varies according to engine design aspects such as cylinder capacity, number of cylinders, cylinder configuration etc and is typically less for diesel engines, is converted through a gearbox positioned close to the ICE engine to the drive shaft rotations as the vehicle&#39;s wheels rotate between 0 rpm to around a maximum of 1800 rpm. 
         [0048]    Therefore in one possible embodiment the number of turns is increased in the drive shaft generator  200  that operates with the drive shaft rotating at the reduced rate from the gearbox or the gearbox is displaced within the vehicle for example allowing the drive shaft generator  200  to operate at the higher rotation rate of the engine before the gearbox reduces the rotation rate for driving the wheels through an axle connected to the output of the gearbox. Accordingly, there is benefit to adjusting the normal configuration of the chassis and drive train to position the gearbox to the rear of the vehicle and operating the vehicle with rear wheel drive. 
         [0049]    Now referring to  FIG. 2B  there is shown a schematic of an auxiliary shaft generator  2000  for an electric vehicle according to an embodiment of the invention. As shown there are first and second batteries  2005 A and  2005 B that are coupled to a motor, not shown for clarity, and a charging director  2015 . The motor, and in some embodiments an engine which is also not shown for clarity, are connected through gearbox  2010  that drives a first element of an overall crank shaft, this being first crank  2020  that connects to second crank  2050  and therein to third crank  2055 . Disposed on first crank  2020  are first commutator  2025 A and second commutator  2025 B that are connected to the charging director  2015  through first and second commutator contacts  2030 A and  2030 B respectively. Connected to first commutator  2025 A is first coil portion  2045 A that is disposed onto second crank  2050 , and connected to second commutator  2025 B is second coil portion  2045 B that is similarly disposed onto second crank  2050 . The crank shaft rather than terminating within the gearbox  20010  or shortly thereafter as with conventional designs now runs for an extended length with the end of the overall crank shaft, being third crank  2060 , mounted to crank mount  2060 . 
         [0050]    Second crank  2050  is disposed between first magnet  2035 A and second magnet  2035 B, which provide the magnetic field within which the coil, formed from at least first coil portion  2045 A and second coil portion  2045 B rotates to generate the electric potential and therein current. The first commutator  2025 A and second commutator  2025 B mean that the output is a DC current from the auxiliary shaft generator  2000  to the charging director  2015  and therein to one or both of the first and second batteries  2005 A and  2005 B respectively. 
         [0051]    It would also be evident that since the electrical potential, and hence current for a fixed load, generated in a generator is proportional to the number of turns of the electrical coil rotating within the magnetic field (N) and the rate of change of the magnetic field seen by the electric coil (δΦ/δt) that the crank shaft generator  2000  may be designed in varying configurations. For example usually the high rotation rate of an ICE engine that operates over a range of 600 to about 7000 revolutions per minute (rpm), though this varies according to engine design aspects such as cylinder capacity, number of cylinders, cylinder configuration etc and is typically less for diesel engines, is converted through a gearbox positioned close to the ICE engine to the drive shaft rotations as the vehicle&#39;s wheels rotate between 0 rpm to around a maximum of 1800 rpm. 
         [0052]    Therefore in one possible embodiment the auxiliary shaft, formed from first crank  2020 , second crank  2050 , and third crank  2055 , is connected to the crank shaft of the engine within the gearbox so that the auxiliary shaft generator  2000  operates with the crank shaft rotating at higher rate than the crank shaft of the engine. In this manner the gearbox, whilst modified to provide gearing for the drive shaft and auxiliary shaft may be disposed in a conventional position close to the engine allowing front wheel drive configurations as well as rear wheel drive and all-wheel drive configurations. 
         [0053]    Referring to  FIG. 3  there is shown a schematic of a generator axle  300  for an electric vehicle according to an embodiment of the invention. As shown a wheel  360  is connected via an axle, comprising first portion  320 B, second portion  350 , and third portion  355  to differential  320 A which connects to the drive shaft, not shown for clarity, of the vehicle. Disposed on first portion  320 B are first commutator  325 A and second commutator  325 B that are connected to the charging director  315  through first and second commutator contacts  330 A and  330 B respectively. Connected to first commutator  325 A is first coil portion  345 A that is disposed onto second portion  350 , and connected to second commutator  325 B is second coil portion  345 B that is similarly disposed onto second crank  350 . 
         [0054]    Second crank  350  is disposed between first magnet  335 A and second magnet  335 B, which provide the magnetic field within which the coil, formed from at least first coil portion  345 A and second coil portion  345 B rotates to generate the electric potential and therein current. The first commutator  325 A and second commutator  325 B mean that the output is a DC current from the generator axle  300  to the charging director  315  and therein to the battery  310 . 
         [0055]    Now referring to  FIG. 4  there is shown chassis  400  for an electric vehicle according to an embodiment of the invention employing multiple axle generators  410 A through  410 D and drive shaft generator  420 . As shown engine  480  is connected to a drive shaft through a gearbox, neither identified for clarity, to front differential  430 A and rear differential  430 B. From the front differential  430 A first and second drive axle assemblies  410 A and  410 B are connected to provide the front axle, whilst the rear differential  430 B connects to third and fourth drive axle assemblies  410 C and  410 D respectively. Each of the four drive axle generators  410 A through  410 D respectively being for example of a construction similar to that of generator axle  300  in  FIG. 3  respectively. 
         [0056]    First and third drive axle assemblies  410 A and  410 C are connected to first charging circuit  440  and therein to charge director  470  that directs the charging current to either the first battery  460  or second battery  490 . Second and fourth drive axle assemblies  410 B and  410 D are connected to second charging circuit  450  and therein to charge director  470 . It would be evident to one skilled in the art that where engine  480  is an ICE engine and the electric motor, not shown for clarity, is not engaged that the charge director  470  may direct charge to both batteries simultaneously but wherein the electric motor is operating then the charging may be to one of the two batteries whilst the other provides power for propulsion. Optionally engine  480  is only an electric motor for a pure electric vehicle rather than a hybrid electric vehicle. 
         [0057]    Now referring to  FIG. 5  is a schematic  500  of an electric vehicle according to an embodiment of the invention employing a drive shaft generator  540  with first and second auxiliary generators  530  and  550  respectively. As shown drive shaft  510  from front differential  570  couples to splitter  520 , from which drive shaft generator  540  is coupled which couples to second drive shaft  560  and therein to the rear differential  580 . Drive shaft generator  540  for example being constructed as per drive shaft generator  200  of  FIG. 2 . Also coupled to splitter  520  are first and second auxiliary generators  530  and  550  respectively which may be similarly implemented as per drive shaft generator  200  of  FIG. 2 . Alternatively first and second auxiliary generators  530  and  550  respectively may be driven from the splitter  520  with an increased rotation rate to that of drive shaft generator  540 . Optionally splitter  520  may provide a gear option for the first and second auxiliary generators  530  and  550  so that they are operating at high rotation rates even at low rpm for the drive shaft  510  from the engine. 
         [0058]    Now referring to  FIG. 6  there is a schematic  600  for an electric vehicle according to an embodiment of the invention employing drive shaft generator  660 , axle generators and first and second auxiliary generators  610  and  620  respectively. Accordingly an engine  650  provides rotary drive to a drive shaft that runs the length of the chassis of the electric vehicle. The electric vehicle comprises a single front axle  670  with a pair of axle generators, not identified for clarity but shown, and a pair of rear axles  680  and  690  respectively, each again with a pair of axle generators. The axle generators each being for example a generator axle  300 , as shown in  FIG. 3 . Disposed between the front axle  670  and first rear axle  680  is a drive shaft generator  660  implemented for example as per drive shaft generator  200  of  FIG. 2 . Also coupled to the engine  650  is auxiliary gearing  640  that provides rotary motion to the first and second auxiliary generators  610  and  620  respectively which may be implemented as variations of either drive shaft generator  200  or auxiliary shaft generator  2000  of  FIGS. 2A and 2B  respectively. All of the generators provide electric charge for the batteries  630 . 
         [0059]    Now referring to  FIG. 7  is a schematic  700  of an electric vehicle according to an embodiment of the invention employing first and second auxiliary generators  710  and  720  respectively which are coupled to auxiliary gearing  750  that is driven from the engine  760  which may be an ICE, electric motor, or a hybrid. The first and second auxiliary generators  710  and  720  coupled to first and second batteries  730  and  740  respectively. In schematic  700  as opposed to schematic  600  the front axle  770  and first and second rear axles  780  and  790  respectively do not comprise generators. The first and second auxiliary generators  710  and  720  respectively may be implemented for example as variations of either drive shaft generator  200  or auxiliary shaft generator  2000  of  FIGS. 2A and 2B  respectively. 
         [0060]    Referring to  FIG. 8  there is shown a schematic  800  of first and second generators  802 A and  802 B that recharge batteries  801 A and  801 B and are coupled to the gearbox  803  of an electric/hybrid vehicle according to an embodiment of the invention. Shown in schematic  800  are first section X-X and second section Y-Y which are shown in first and second views  800 X and  800 Y respectively. Considering first view  800 X which represents cross-section X-X of schematic  800 , there is shown an engine  870  which is coupled to gearbox  803  via crankshaft  850 . Coupled to the crankshaft  850  within the gearbox  860  is gear  840  that engages first and second generator gears  830 A and  830 B respectively. Disposed atop the engine  870  are first and second generators  802 A and  802 B respectively that are connected to the first and second generator gears  830 A and  830 B respectively by first and second belts  820 A and  820 B respectively. In this manner the crankshaft  850  rotation is transferred to the first and second generators  802 A and  820 B respectively such that they generate electricity to charge the first and second batteries  801 A and  801 B respectively. 
         [0061]    Referring now to second view  800 Y which represents cross-section Y-Y of schematic  800 , there is shown crankshaft  850  that is engaged with first gear  860  and therein to drive gear  880  which is connected to the driveshaft  890 . As such rotary motion of the crankshaft  850  is provided to the driveshaft  890  based upon the ratio of the first gear  860  and drive gear  880 . It would be evident to one skilled in the art that a gearbox  803  would normally provide multiple first gears  860  and drive gears  880  to provide the required ratios for the multiple gears which are selected either automatically or manually. As such the gearbox  803  in  FIG. 8  provides for driving the generators that recharge the batteries all the time that the engine  870  is on and hence the crankshaft  850  is rotating. It would also be evident that the gearing of gear  840  and first and second generator gears  830 A and  830 B may be selected to provide a high rate of change δΦ/δt to maximize generation of electricity for recharging the battery or batteries. It would also be evident to one skilled in the art that just as a plurality of first gears  860  and drive gears  880  may be provided that a plurality of gears  840  and generator gears  830 A/ 830 B may be provided so that the generators are operating within a predetermined range under varying crankshaft  850  rotation rates. Hence, at low speeds with low engine rpm the gearing ratio to the generator may be high to achieve a high rpm on the generator but this gearing ratio may be lowered at higher speeds where the engine rpm is higher. 
         [0062]    Referring now to  FIG. 9  there is shown a schematic  900  of auxiliary generators coupled to an engine of an electric vehicle according to an embodiment of the invention. As shown in schematic  900  first and second generators  902 A and  902 B are disposed in respect to an engine  970  that recharge batteries  901 A and  901 B and are not coupled to the gearbox  803  of an electric/hybrid vehicle according to an embodiment of the invention. Shown in schematic  900  are first section X-X and second section Y-Y which are shown in first and second views  900 X and  900 Y respectively. Considering first view  900 X which represents cross-section X-X of schematic  900 , there is shown an engine  970  which has a crankshaft  950  with gear  840  coupled to it that engages first and second generator gears  930 A and  930 B respectively. Disposed atop the engine  970  are first and second generators  902 A and  902 B respectively that are connected to the first and second generator gears  930 A and  930 B respectively by first and second belts  920 A and  920 B respectively. In this manner the crankshaft  950  rotation is transferred to the first and second generators  902 A and  920 B respectively such that they generate electricity to charge the first and second batteries  901 A and  901 B respectively. 
         [0063]    Referring now to second view  900 Y which represents cross-section Y-Y of schematic  900 , there is shown crankshaft  950  that is engaged with first gear  960  and therein to drive gear  980  which is connected to the driveshaft  990 . As such rotary motion of the crankshaft  950  is provided to the driveshaft  990  based upon the ratio of the first gear  960  and drive gear  980 . It would be evident to one skilled in the art that a gearbox  903  would normally provide multiple first gears  960  and drive gears  980  to provide the required ratios for the multiple gears which are selected either automatically or manually. It would also be evident to one skilled in the art that just as a plurality of first gears  960  and drive gears  980  may be provided that a plurality of gears  940  and generator gears  930 A/ 930 B may be provided so that the generators are operating within a predetermined range under varying crankshaft  950  rotation rates. Hence, at low speeds with low engine rpm the gearing ratio to the generator may be high to achieve a high rpm on the generator but this gearing ratio may be lowered at higher speeds where the engine rpm is higher. Accordingly this generator gearbox with plurality of gears  940  and generator gears  930 A/ 930 B may be changed out of synchronization with gearbox  903 . 
         [0064]    Referring to  FIG. 10  there is depicted a schematic  1000  of a modified shaft  1010  employing multiple generators  1090 A through  1090 D for an electric vehicle according to an embodiment of the invention. As shown modified shaft  1010  has disposed along it four generators  1090 A through  1090 D that provide electricity to recharge the batteries of an electric or hybrid electric vehicle, not shown for clarity. Each of the generators  1090 A through  1090 D comprises a coil formed from first segment  1050  and second segment  1080  that are disposed between first magnet pole  1040  and second magnet pole  1070 . First segment  1050  being electrically connected to first contact  1055  and second segment  1080  being electrically connected to second contact  1085 . As the modified shaft  1010  rotates then each of first contact  1055  and second contact  1085  engage alternately first commutator  1055  and second commutator  1085  such that the current generated within the multiple generators  1090 A through  1090 D is direct current rather than alternating current. 
         [0065]    Referring to  FIG. 11  there is shown a schematic  1100  of an electric vehicle according to an embodiment of the invention employing hub generators  1130 A through  1130 J. Schematic  1100  shows a chassis for a truck comprising an engine  1180  that has housed in association with it batteries  1160 , power module  1190  for directing charge from the batteries  1160  to engine  1180  and charging director  1170  for charging the batteries  1160  with the current generated from the hub generators  1130 A through  1130 J. From the engine  1180  a driveshaft  1160  engages first, second and third differentials  1120 A,  1120 B and  1120 C respectively to drive first, second, and third axles  111 A,  1110 B and  1110 C respectively. Attached to first axle  1110 A are front left tire  1140 A with first hub generator  1130 A and front right tire  1140 B with second hub generator  1130 B. Attached to second axle  1110 B are first through fourth rear tires  1140 C through  1140 F respectively with respective third through sixth hub generators  1130 C through  1130 F. Attached to third axle  1110 C are fifth through eighth rear tires  1140 G through  1140 ) respectively with respective seventh to tenth hub generators  1130 G through  1130 J. 
         [0066]    Further as shown the generators on the right side of the electric vehicle are coupled to first charging circuit  1150 R which is in turn connected to charging director  1170 . Also connected to charging director  1170  is second charging circuit  1150 L which is connected to the generators on the left side of the electric vehicle. It would be apparent to one skilled in the art that other configurations of charging circuit, batteries, generators, and charging director are possible without departing from the scope of the invention. For example the generators on the left side of the electric vehicle may charge one battery only or a subset of a plurality of batteries, whilst those on the right side charging the other battery or remainder of the batteries. 
         [0067]    Within the embodiments presented supra in respect of  FIGS. 1 through 11  above that the generator elements have been presented with fixed magnets and rotating coils. It would be evident to one skilled in the art that the generators may alternatively employ fixed coils and rotating magnets. Similarly the embodiments are described in respect of a single drive shaft from the engine but it would be evident to one skilled in the art that multiple drive shafts may be provided from the engine or that the engine may be disposed towards the middle of the vehicle and drive shaft(s) is provided to the front and the rear of the vehicle. 
         [0068]    The above-described embodiments of the present invention are intended to be examples only. Alterations, modifications and variations may be effected to the particular embodiments by those of skill in the art without departing from the scope of the invention, which is defined solely by the claims appended hereto