Ford Global Technolgoies, LLC

Edward Ball

David Cox

David Hesketh

Aaron Walker

Matthew David George Shynn

Matthew Mitchell

David Ramiro Garcia

John Marsh

Jonathan Thombs

A battery housing assembly for an electric vehicle includes a battery housing, at least one mounting structure, and a strike bar. The battery housing is configured to house battery components. The mounting structure is secured to the battery housing and is configured to mount the battery housing to a vehicle frame. The mounting structure includes a recess. The strike bar is disposed within the recess and is secured to the mounting structure. The strike bar extends beyond an exterior profile of the battery housing and includes an upper end portion that tapers inwardly within the recess. The strike bar is configured to detach from the mounting structure in a downward direction during a vehicle impact event.

Battery housing assembly having strike bar

Systems and methods for operating an electric power distribution bus of an electric or hybrid vehicle are described. In one example, an output of an electric power consumer is decoupled from other electric power consumers so that electric current drawn from the electric power distribution bus is lowered while the electric power consumer provides a capacitive load to the electric power distribution bus, thereby reducing voltage ripple associated with the electric power distribution bus.

Methods and system for improving operation of a vehicle electric power distribution bus

A vehicle includes an internal combustion engine, an electric machine, and a controller. The electric machine is rotatably coupled to the engine and is configured to deliver electrical power to electrical accessories. The controller is programmed to, in response to a control signal loss between the electric machine and the controller, limit torque output of electric machine to less than a torque threshold that corresponds to the power threshold. The controller is further programmed to, in response an accessory power demand being greater than the power threshold, control the engine to power the electric machine to increase the torque output of electric machine to greater than the torque threshold to meet the accessory power demand.

Hybrid vehicle control system

Growing community of inventors

London, United Kingdom

Edward Ball