Ford Global Technolgoies, LLC

Jacob Doan

Carol Louise Okubo

Kent Hancock

Erik Biberstein

Bryan Whitney D Belt

Stuart C Salter

Dennis Seung-Man Yang

Bryan Michael Bolger

Shunsuke Okubo

Katherine Howard-Cone

John William Schmotzer

Justin Badger

Floyd Cadwell

Kenneth L Pifher

Ryan Hunt

Justin Carmen Campanaro

Devin James O'Donnell

Mark Poll

Joshua Hoop

Larry J Wroza

Benjamin Nault

Systems and methods for modeling electric vehicle towing are disclosed herein. An example method includes determining that a trailer is connected to a vehicle, generating a surface mapping of the trailer based on output of a sensor assembly of the vehicle, predicting a drag coefficient of the trailer based on the surface mapping, estimating a drag force based on the drag coefficient and the surface mapping, calculating an estimated range for the vehicle based on the drag force, and displaying the estimated range on a human machine interface of the vehicle.

Systems and methods for modeling electric vehicle towing

An electrified vehicle having an electric machine coupled to a traction battery to selectively propel the vehicle and associated method for the electrified vehicle include receiving trip data from an external server, the trip data including a plurality of road segments of a selected route from a starting location to a destination, each road segment having an associated energy consumption and distance, calculating a distance-to-empty (DTE) based on a remaining trip distance to the destination, available energy of the traction battery, an estimated traction battery energy required for the remaining trip distance, and an overall vehicle efficiency, the estimated traction battery energy being based on a combination of the received segment energy consumption and distance of each remaining segment in the trip, and communicating the DTE to a display within the electrified vehicle to reduce fluctuations in displayed DTE during travel along routes with nonlinear energy consumption (changing energy efficiency).

Electrified vehicle control with dynamic segment-based distance-to-empty (DTE)

A vehicle includes an electric machine, a brake lamp, and a controller. The controller operates the electric machine to selectively brake the vehicle according to accelerator pedal input. The controller also activates the brake lamp responsive to the accelerator pedal input being less than a first threshold demand for at least a first predetermined period of time.

Vehicle brake light control during one-pedal drive

Methods and systems for a vehicle such as a plug-in hybrid electric vehicle (PHEV) having a traction battery are for improving the drivability of the vehicle the battery has low discharge limits. The battery may have such low discharge limits due to the battery being cold and/or the battery state-of-charge (SOC) being low. In operation, upon the battery having a discharge limit lower than a threshold while the vehicle is operating in a charge sustain mode, the engine of the vehicle is used to charge the battery to increase the SOC of the battery such that the battery has a discharge limit greater than the threshold. The vehicle is operated in the charge sustain mode using the battery with the increased SOC.

Method and system for improving drivability of PHEV having low traction battery discharge limits

Systems and methods for operating a vehicle that includes a continuously variable transmission are described. The systems and methods adjust engine speed according to one of a plurality of engine speed to vehicle speed profiles so that driveline noise, vibration, and harshness may be reduced. The different engine speed to vehicle speed profiles provide different levels of engine braking.

Methods and system for controlling engine braking

Methods and systems are provided for controlling a vehicle fuel pump at a fuel shut-off event based at least in part on whether combustion stability issues, or potential stall conditions, are indicated in a drive cycle prior to the fuel shut-off event. In one example, a method may include maintaining power to the fuel pump responsive to the potential stall condition being indicated, and independent of an indicated pressure in a fuel rail configured to receive pressurized fuel from the fuel pump, and where the fuel shut-off event includes a deceleration fuel shut-off event or an idle stop event. In this way, fuel may be kept flowing across the fuel pump during fuel shut-off events, responsive to indications of combustion stability issues, such that fuel pump cavitation and other engine and fuel pump-related complications may be avoided.

Systems and methods for controlling a fuel pump in start/stop and hybrid electric vehicles

A vehicle includes an engine. The vehicle includes a controller configured to start a timer having a duration defined by a charge limit of a traction battery and during which the engine braking is maintained and reduce a predetermined rate of change speed limit of the engine is reduced. The starting of the timer is responsive to application of an accelerator pedal during engine braking. The controller is further configured to increase the predetermined rate of change speed limit such that engine braking is predicted based on the limit of the battery, responsive to application of an accelerator pedal during engine braking.

Engine speed stabilization

A drivetrain system includes a controller that is programmed to, in a presence of a request for increased drivetrain torque that results in reversal of drivetrain torque direction, command an increase in drivetrain torque at a reduced rate while a value that is based on drivetrain speed difference remains within a predetermined range absent a braking torque request exceeding a threshold. The controller is further programmed to command the increase at an accelerated rate upon the braking torque request exceeding the threshold.

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Royal Oak, MI, United States of America

Jacob Doan