Patent ID: 7595606

Claim:
A vehicle comprising an electric motor having an engine powering function and a storage battery for running the electric motor, comprising means for charging the battery from an electric power source external to the vehicle with a power permitting rapid charge, further comprising a switch having a first position, in which the electric motor is connected to the battery and a second position in which the battery is connected with the external power source via a connector of the vehicle adapted to cooperate with a complementary connector of the external power source, the connection between the motor and the battery being interrupted when the switch is in the second position, wherein the electric motor is of the three phase type, wherein the means for charging the battery are arranged such as to permit charging via a three-phase supply network, wherein the means for charging the battery comprise a means acting as a rectifier for the charging of the battery from the electric motor and operating as an inverter when the electric motor is supplied by the battery when the switch is in the first position, and wherein the means acting as a rectifier and operating as an inverter is disposed between the battery and the switch, so as to act as a rectifier to charge the battery from the external power source when the switch is in the second position in which the battery is connected with the external power source.