JP7494816B2 - Electric car - Google Patents

Description

The present invention relates to an electric vehicle equipped with a rotating electric machine that outputs torque to be transmitted to the wheels.

Patent Document 1 discloses a technology for producing a pseudo-shift change in an electric vehicle driven by a drive motor. In this electric vehicle, at a predetermined trigger for producing a pseudo-shift change, the torque of the drive motor is reduced by a set amount of fluctuation, and then increased, performing torque fluctuation control for a predetermined period of time, thereby producing a feeling of shifting.

JP 2018-166386 A

The electric vehicle disclosed in Patent Document 1 does not have a clutch device or shift device for gear shifting that are provided in manual transmission vehicles (hereinafter referred to as "MT vehicles"). Therefore, pseudo-shift changes that do not involve gear shifting by the driver may give the driver of the MT vehicle an uncomfortable driving sensation. Therefore, it is conceivable to provide the electric vehicle with a clutch device and shift device for gear shifting, and perform pseudo-shift changes in response to the driver's gear shifting operation of the clutch device and shift device.

However, unlike actual MT vehicles, electric vehicles that are simply equipped with a clutch device and a shift device can still be driven even if there is an error in operating the clutch device or the shift device. This means that there is a risk that the driver will not be able to learn or practice the optimal operation of the clutch device and the shift device according to the vehicle's conditions, such as vehicle speed and gear position.

The present invention was made in consideration of the above problems, and its purpose is to provide an electric vehicle that allows the driver to learn and practice optimal operation of the clutch device and shift device according to the vehicle's condition.

In order to solve the above problems and achieve the objectives, the electric vehicle of the present invention comprises a rotating electric machine that receives power from an inverter and outputs torque to be transmitted to wheels, a clutch device that can simulate the connection and disconnection of torque from the rotating electric machine to the wheels in response to operation by the driver, a shift device that can select one of a number of simulated gear stages by operating while the clutch device is being operated, a score calculation unit that scores the operation of the driver based on the operation by the driver of at least one of the clutch device and the shift device or the timing of said operation, and an output device that can notify the driver of the score calculation unit's results.

According to the present invention, the output device allows the driver to know the results of scoring the operation content by the score calculation unit based on the operation of at least one of the clutch device and the shift device or the timing of said operation. This makes it possible to provide an electric vehicle that allows the driver to learn and practice the optimal operation of the clutch device and the shift device according to the state of the vehicle.

FIG. 1 is an exemplary schematic diagram of an electric vehicle according to an embodiment. FIG. 2 is a diagram showing functional blocks of the control device relating to torque control of the rotating electric machine of the electric vehicle according to the embodiment. FIG. 3 is a diagram showing a calculation map of a virtual engine output torque of the electric vehicle according to the embodiment. FIG. 4 is a diagram showing a calculation map for the torque transmission gain of the electric vehicle according to the embodiment. FIG. 5 is a diagram showing a gear ratio calculation map for the electric vehicle according to the embodiment. FIG. 6 is an operational flow diagram showing the procedure of a pseudo manual gear shift operation executed by the driver of the electric vehicle of the embodiment. FIG. 7 is a flowchart showing an example of the MT training mode of the electric vehicle according to the embodiment. FIG. 8 is a diagram illustrating torque characteristics of a rotating electric machine corresponding to a plurality of modes of the electric vehicle according to the modified example. FIG. 9 is a block diagram showing the configuration and functions related to the torque characteristic setting process for an electric vehicle according to a modified example. FIG. 10 is a diagram showing an example of a torque characteristic setting process using a touch panel of an electric vehicle according to a modified example. FIG. 11 is a functional block diagram of a control device for an electric vehicle according to a modified example. FIG. 12 is a flowchart showing a calculation map for a hypothetical exhaust gas amount of an electric vehicle according to a modified example.

Below, exemplary embodiments and variations of the present invention are disclosed. The configurations of the embodiments and variations shown below, and the actions and effects brought about by said configurations, are merely examples. The present invention can also be realized by configurations other than those disclosed in the following embodiments and variations. Furthermore, according to the present invention, it is possible to obtain at least one of the various effects (including derivative effects) obtained by the configurations.

Furthermore, the embodiments and modifications disclosed below include similar components. Therefore, in the following, the similar components are given the same reference numerals, and duplicated explanations are omitted. Note that when the numbers, quantities, amounts, ranges, etc. of each element are mentioned in the following embodiments and modifications, the present invention is not limited to the mentioned numbers, unless otherwise specified or clearly specified in principle. Furthermore, the structures, steps, etc. described in the following embodiments are not necessarily essential to the present invention, unless otherwise specified or clearly specified in principle.

[Embodiment]
FIG. 1 is an exemplary schematic diagram of an electric vehicle 10 according to an embodiment. As shown in FIG. 1, the electric vehicle 10 includes a rotating electric machine 2 as a drive source. The rotating electric machine 2 is, for example, a three-phase AC motor. An output shaft 3 of the rotating electric machine 2 is connected to one end of a propeller shaft 5 via a gear mechanism 4. The other end of the propeller shaft 5 is connected to a drive shaft 7 at the front of the vehicle via a differential gear 6. The electric vehicle 10 includes driving wheels 8 as front wheels and driven wheels 12 as rear wheels. The driving wheels 8 are provided at both ends of the drive shaft 7. A rotation speed sensor 40 for detecting a shaft rotation speed Np is disposed on the propeller shaft 5.

The electric vehicle 10 includes a battery 14 and an inverter 16. The battery 14 stores electric energy to be used to drive the rotating electric machine 2. The inverter 16 converts the direct current stored in the battery 14 into three-phase alternating current, for example, by performing pulse width modulation (PWM). The inverter 16 also has a function of controlling the drive torque of the rotating electric machine 2 based on a target drive torque input from an ECU (Electronic Control Unit) 50, which will be described later.

The electric vehicle 10 is equipped with an accelerator pedal 22 for inputting an acceleration request and a brake pedal 24 for inputting a braking request, as operation request input devices for the driver to input operation requests to the electric vehicle 10. The accelerator pedal 22 is provided with an accelerator position sensor 32 for detecting the accelerator opening Pap (%). The brake pedal 24 is provided with a brake position sensor 34 for detecting the pedal depression amount. The signals detected by the accelerator position sensor 32 and the brake position sensor 34 are each output to the ECU 50, which will be described later.

The electric vehicle 10 further includes a shift lever 26 and a clutch pedal 28 as operation request input devices. The shift lever 26 is an example of a shift device, and the clutch pedal 28 is an example of a clutch device. However, the electric vehicle 10 of this embodiment is a vehicle driven by a rotating electric machine 2 and does not include an engine, and therefore does not include a transmission and clutch mechanism that are included in MT vehicles. Therefore, the shift lever 26 and the clutch pedal 28 are given the following functions instead of the function of mechanically operating an actual transmission and clutch mechanism.

The shift lever 26 functions as a shift device that allows the driver to select one of a number of modes in which the torque characteristics relative to the rotation speed of the rotating electric machine 2 are specified in stages. The multiple modes here are shift modes that simulate the gear stages of an MT vehicle, and include, for example, modes corresponding to the multiple pseudo-reproduced gear stages, such as 1st to 6th gears as forward stages, reverse as reverse stage, and neutral. The torque characteristics of each mode are preset to the torque characteristics that simulate the gear stages of an MT vehicle. However, since each of these modes is merely a simulated reproduction of the gear stages of an MT vehicle, there are no constraints on the torque characteristics to correspond to an actual fixed gear ratio. In other words, the torque characteristics of each of the multiple modes can be freely preset as long as they are within the output range of the rotating electric machine 2.

The shift lever 26 has a structure that mimics a shift lever equipped in an MT vehicle. The arrangement and operation feel of the shift lever 26 are the same as those of an actual MT vehicle. The shift lever 26 has positions that correspond to multiple modes with different torque characteristics. The shift lever 26 is provided with a shift position sensor 36 that detects the shift position Gp that indicates the mode position. The signal detected by the shift position sensor 36 is output to the ECU 50, which will be described later.

The clutch pedal 28 functions as a clutch device having a structure simulating a clutch pedal equipped in an MT vehicle. The clutch pedal 28 is operated by the driver, and can virtually switch between connecting and disconnecting torque from the rotating electric machine 2 to the drive wheels 8. The clutch pedal 28 is depressed when the driver operates the shift lever 26. The arrangement and operational feel of the clutch pedal 28 are the same as those of an actual MT vehicle. The clutch pedal 28 is provided with a clutch position sensor 38 for detecting the clutch pedal depression amount Pc (%), which is the amount of operation of the clutch pedal 28. A signal detected by the clutch position sensor 38 is output to the ECU 50, which will be described later.

The rotating electric machine 2 of the electric vehicle 10 is controlled by the ECU 50. The ECU 50 is an example of a control device. The processing circuit of the ECU 50 includes at least an input/output interface 52, at least one memory 54, and at least one CPU (Central Processing Unit) 56. The input/output interface 52 is provided to capture sensor signals from various sensors attached to the electric vehicle 10 and to output operation signals to various actuators equipped in the electric vehicle 10. The sensors from which the ECU 50 captures signals include the various sensors described above as well as various sensors necessary for controlling the electric vehicle 10. The actuators from which the ECU 50 outputs operation signals include various actuators such as the rotating electric machine 2 described above. The memory 54 stores various control programs for controlling the electric vehicle 10, the latest shift position Gp, maps, etc. The CPU (processor) 56 reads and executes the control programs, etc. from the memory, and generates operation signals based on the captured sensor signals.

Each function of the ECU 50 is realized by software, firmware, or a combination of software and firmware. In addition, when the processing circuit of the ECU 50 includes at least one dedicated hardware, the processing circuit is, for example, a single circuit, a composite circuit, a programmed processor, a parallel programmed processor, an ASIC, an FPGA, or a combination of these. The functions of each part of the ECU 50 may be realized by a processing circuit. The functions of each part of the ECU 50 may be realized collectively by a processing circuit. In addition, some of the functions of the ECU 50 may be realized by dedicated hardware, and other parts may be realized by software or firmware. In this way, the processing circuit realizes each function of the ECU 50 by hardware, software, firmware, or a combination of these.

The control of the electric vehicle 10 performed by the ECU 50 includes torque control for controlling the torque transmitted to the drive wheels 8. In this torque control, the driving torque Tp of the rotating electric machine 2 transmitted to the propeller shaft 5 is controlled so that it becomes the required driving torque Tpreq of the rotating electric machine 2. In other words, the ECU 50 functions as a torque control unit provided in the electric vehicle 10.

Here, in torque control of the rotating electric machine 2, the ECU 50 performs calculations assuming that the running state of the electric vehicle 10 is realized by a MT vehicle equipped with a virtual engine and transmission. The ECU 50 then calculates the transmission output torque Tgout output from the transmission, and uses the calculated transmission output torque Tgout as the required drive torque Tpreq of the rotating electric machine 2. In the following description, the engine virtually installed in the electric vehicle 10 is referred to as a "virtual engine", the engine output torque of the virtual engine is referred to as a "virtual engine output torque Teout", and the rotation speed of the virtual engine is referred to as a "virtual engine rotation speed Ne".

Figure 2 shows the functional blocks of the ECU 50 related to the torque control of the rotating electric machine 2. As shown in Figure 2, the ECU 50 has a torque control unit 520 as a functional block related to the torque control of the rotating electric machine 2. The torque control unit 520 includes, for example, a virtual engine rotation speed calculation unit 500, a virtual engine output torque calculation unit 502, a torque transmission gain calculation unit 504, a clutch output torque calculation unit 506, a gear ratio calculation unit 508, and a transmission output torque calculation unit 510. Each functional block will be described in detail below.

While the electric vehicle 10 is traveling, the ECU 50 dynamically calculates the virtual engine speed Ne based on the driving state. For example, the ECU 50 back-calculates the virtual engine speed Ne during traveling from the following formula (1) using the shaft speed Np of the propeller shaft 5, the gear ratio r corresponding to the shift position Gp, and the slip ratio slip of the clutch mechanism calculated from the clutch pedal depression amount Pc, etc.

Ne = Np x (1/r) x slip ... (1)

It can be assumed that the kinetic energy output from the engine that is not used to transmit torque to the propeller shaft 5 is used to increase the virtual engine rotation speed Ne. Therefore, the virtual engine rotation speed Ne may be calculated dynamically based on a motion equation based on kinetic energy.

When the MT vehicle is idling, idle speed control (ISC control) is performed to maintain the engine speed at a constant speed. Therefore, taking into account the ISC control in the virtual engine, for example, when the shaft rotation speed Np is 0 (zero) and the accelerator opening Pap is 0%, the ECU 50 assumes that the virtual engine is idling and outputs the virtual engine rotation speed Ne as a predetermined idling rotation speed (for example, 1000 rpm). The calculated virtual engine rotation speed Ne is output to the virtual engine output torque calculation unit 502.

The virtual engine output torque calculation unit 502 is a functional block that executes a process to calculate the virtual engine output torque Teout. The accelerator opening Pap and the virtual engine rotation speed Ne are input to the virtual engine output torque calculation unit 502. The memory 54 of the ECU 50 stores a map in which the virtual engine output torque Teout relative to the virtual engine rotation speed Ne is specified for each accelerator opening Pap.

Figure 3 shows a calculation map for the virtual engine output torque Teout. Using the map shown in Figure 3, the virtual engine output torque calculation unit 502 calculates the virtual engine output torque Teout corresponding to the input accelerator opening Pap and virtual engine rotation speed Ne. The calculated virtual engine output torque Teout is output to the clutch output torque calculation unit 506.

The torque transmission gain calculation unit 504 is a functional block that executes a process to calculate the torque transmission gain k. The torque transmission gain k is a gain for calculating the degree of torque transmission according to the amount of clutch depression of the virtual engine. The clutch pedal depression amount Pc is input to the torque transmission gain calculation unit 504. The memory 54 of the ECU 50 stores a map that specifies the torque transmission gain k for the clutch pedal depression amount Pc.

Figure 4 is a diagram showing a calculation map of the torque transmission gain k. As shown in Figure 4, the torque transmission gain k is 1 when the clutch pedal depression amount Pc is in the range of pc0 to pc1, gradually decreases toward 0 as the clutch pedal depression amount Pc increases when the clutch pedal depression amount Pc is in the range of Pc1 to Pc2, and is 0 when the clutch pedal depression amount Pc is in the range of Pc2 to Pc3. Here, Pc0 corresponds to the position where the clutch pedal depression amount Pc is 0%, Pc1 corresponds to the position of the play limit when depressing from Pc0, Pc3 corresponds to the position where the clutch pedal depression amount Pc is 100%, and Pc2 corresponds to the position of the play limit when returning from Pc3. In the torque transmission gain calculation unit 504, the torque transmission gain k corresponding to the input clutch pedal depression amount Pc is calculated using the map shown in Figure 4. The calculated torque transmission gain k is output to the clutch output torque calculation unit 506.

The change in torque transmission gain k with respect to the increase in clutch pedal depression amount Pc shown in FIG. 4 is not limited to a change curve as long as it is a broadly-defined monotonically decreasing (non-monotonically increasing) curve toward 0. For example, the change in torque transmission gain k in the range from Pc1 to Pc2 is not limited to a linear monotonically decreasing curve, and may be a monotonically decreasing curve that is convex upward or downward.

The clutch output torque calculation unit 506 is a functional block that executes a process to calculate the clutch output torque Tcout. The clutch output torque Tcout is the torque output from the clutch mechanism connected to the virtual engine. The virtual engine output torque Teout and the torque transmission gain k are input to the torque transmission gain calculation unit 504. The clutch output torque calculation unit 506 calculates the clutch output torque Tcout using the following equation (2) that multiplies the virtual engine output torque Teout by the torque transmission gain k. The calculated clutch output torque Tcout is output to the transmission output torque calculation unit 510.

Tcout = Teout x k ... (2)

In addition, actual clutch mechanisms often include damping devices such as springs and dampers. For this reason, the clutch output torque Tcout may be calculated as a dynamic transmission torque taking into account the characteristics of each.

The gear ratio calculation unit 508 is a functional block that executes a process to calculate the gear ratio r. The gear ratio r is a torque characteristic of the rotating electric machine 2 that corresponds to a plurality of modes, and simulates the gear ratio of the transmission. The shift position Gp is input to the gear ratio calculation unit 508. The memory 54 of the ECU 50 stores a map that specifies the gear ratio r for the shift position Gp.

Figure 5 shows a calculation map for gear ratio r. As shown in Figure 5, the gear ratio r is defined so that the higher the shift position Gp, the lower the gear ratio r. The gear ratio calculation unit 508 uses the map shown in Figure 5 to calculate the gear ratio corresponding to the input shift position Gp. The calculated gear ratio r is output to the transmission output torque calculation unit 510.

The transmission output torque calculation unit 510 is a functional block that executes a process to calculate the transmission output torque Tgout. The transmission output torque Tgout is the torque output from the transmission. The clutch output torque Tcout and the gear ratio r are input to the transmission output torque calculation unit 510. The transmission output torque calculation unit 510 calculates the transmission output torque Tgout using the following equation (3), which multiplies the clutch output torque Tcout by the gear ratio r.

Tgout = Tcout x r ... (3)

In torque control, the ECU 50 sequentially executes the processes in the virtual engine output torque calculation unit 502, the torque transmission gain calculation unit 504, the clutch output torque calculation unit 506, the gear ratio calculation unit 508, and the transmission output torque calculation unit 510. The calculated transmission output torque Tgout is output to the inverter 16 as the required drive torque Tpreq of the rotating electric machine 2. The inverter 16 controls the command value to the rotating electric machine 2 so that the drive torque Tp of the rotating electric machine 2 approaches the calculated required drive torque Tpreq of the rotating electric machine 2. In torque control, such processes are repeatedly executed at a predetermined control period, so that the drive torque Tp of the rotating electric machine 2 is controlled to the required drive torque Tpreq of the rotating electric machine 2.

Figure 6 is an operation flow diagram showing the procedure of a pseudo manual shifting operation performed by a driver. The driver of the electric vehicle 10 performs a manual shifting operation at any timing while driving. As shown in Figure 6, when the driver performs a pseudo manual shifting operation in the electric vehicle 10 of this embodiment, the driver first depresses the clutch pedal 28 (step S100). When the clutch pedal depression amount Pc exceeds Pc1, the clutch output torque Tcout changes toward 0 as the clutch pedal depression amount Pc increases. Then, when the clutch pedal depression amount Pc exceeds Pc2, the clutch output torque Tcout becomes 0. According to such a depression operation of the clutch pedal 28, the driving torque Tp of the rotating electric machine 2 changes toward 0 in response to the depression operation of the clutch pedal 28, so that the driver can feel the sensation of torque being released when depressing the clutch pedal of an MT vehicle.

Next, the driver operates the shift lever 26 with the clutch pedal 28 depressed (step S102). Here, for example, the mode of the shift lever 26 is changed from 1st gear to 2nd gear. By operating the shift lever 26 while depressing the clutch pedal 28 in this manner, the driver can obtain a feeling similar to the manual gear shifting operation of an MT vehicle.

Next, the driver releases the clutch pedal 28 (step S104). When the clutch pedal depression amount Pc falls below Pc2, the clutch output torque Tcout changes toward the virtual engine output torque Teout as the clutch pedal depression amount Pc decreases. Then, when the clutch pedal depression amount Pc falls below Pc1, the clutch output torque Tcout becomes the virtual engine output torque Teout. With this type of clutch pedal 28 return operation, the driving torque Tp of the rotating electric machine 2 changes toward the driving torque Tp of the rotating electric machine 2 reflecting the current mode in response to the clutch pedal 28 return operation, so the driver can feel the sensation of torque being connected when releasing the clutch pedal of an MT vehicle.

In this way, with the electric vehicle 10 of this embodiment, the torque changes in response to the operation of the clutch pedal 28, allowing the driver to virtually experience the unique behavior of a manual transmission vehicle when shifting gears manually.

In addition, in this embodiment, the ECU 50 has a detection unit 512, a score calculation unit 514, and an output control unit 516 shown in FIG. 2 as functional blocks related to the simulated shift change by the driver. Each functional block will be described in detail below.

The detection unit 512 is a functional block that detects the operation of the clutch pedal 28 or the operation of the shift lever 26 by the driver, or the timing of these operations. The detection unit 512 can detect, for example, the amount of depression of the clutch pedal 28, the upshift or downshift operation of the shift lever 26, and the timing of the above-mentioned operation of depressing the clutch pedal 28 (step S100) and the shift operation of the shift lever 26 (step S102).

The score calculation unit 514 is a functional block that scores the operation content of the driver based on the operation detected by the above-mentioned detection unit 512. The score calculation unit 514 is configured to be able to score the operation content (driving) of the driver based on, for example, the amount of deviation between the operation detected by the above-mentioned detection unit 512 and a database that serves as a model (example) of operation set according to the vehicle speed and gear position.

Specifically, the score calculation unit 514 can deduct points from the score the greater the deviation between the gear change destination selected by the driver by operating the shift lever 26 and the gear change destination corresponding to the vehicle speed, and can add points to the score the smaller the deviation.

The score calculation unit 514 can also deduct points from the score when the driver operates the shift lever 26 while the clutch pedal 28 is not depressed or is only lightly depressed, in other words, while the clutch is not disengaged in a pseudo manner, and can add points to the score when the driver operates the shift lever 26 while the clutch is disengaged in a pseudo manner.

The score calculation unit 514 can also add points to the score when the driver correctly performs a so-called double clutch operation, for example, by depressing the clutch pedal 28 twice in one operation of upshifting or downshifting the shift lever 26, and can subtract points from the score when the double clutch operation is not performed correctly.

The output control unit 516 controls the speaker 60, the display device 62, etc., based on the scoring result of the score calculation unit 514. In this embodiment, the speaker 60 is configured to be able to notify the driver of the scoring result by the score calculation unit 514 by voice guidance or the like. The speaker 60 is an example of an output device.

The display device 62 is, for example, an instrument panel or a center monitor. In this embodiment, the display device 62 is configured to notify the driver of the scoring result by the score calculation unit 514 by directly displaying the score as numbers, or by using different colors, marks, or letters depending on the score. The display device 62 is an example of an output device.

Figure 7 is a flowchart showing an example of the MT training mode of the electric vehicle 10. As shown in Figure 7, the electric vehicle 10 is configured to be switchable between, for example, an MT training mode in which the operation of the clutch pedal 28 and the shift lever 26 by the driver is scored, and a normal MT mode in which the operation of the clutch pedal 28 and the shift lever 26 by the driver is not scored. In this case, the electric vehicle 10 may be configured to switch between the MT training mode and the normal MT mode by, for example, a switch or the like.

As shown in FIG. 7, in the MT training mode, first, the ECU 50 detects the operation of at least one of the clutch pedal 28 and the shift lever 26 by the driver or the timing of that operation (step S200). Next, the ECU 50 calculates a score for the driver's operation from the detected operation of the clutch pedal 28 and/or the shift lever 26 or the timing of that operation (step S202). Next, the ECU 50 notifies the driver of the calculated score from the speaker 60 or the display device 62 (step S204). Then, the ECU 50 ends the series of controls.

As described above, in this embodiment, the electric vehicle 10 is equipped with a clutch pedal 28 (clutch device) that can virtually switch between connecting and disconnecting torque from the rotating electric machine 2 to the drive wheels 8 (wheels) in response to operation by the driver, a shift lever 26 (shift device) that can select one of a number of simulated gear stages by operating the clutch pedal 28 while the clutch pedal 28 is being operated, a score calculation unit 514 that scores the driver's operation based on the driver's operation of at least one of the clutch pedal 28 and the shift lever 26 or the timing of said operation, and a speaker 60 and a display device 62 (output device) that can notify the driver of the results of the score calculation unit 514.

With this configuration, for example, the driver can know the results of the scoring of the operation content by the score calculation unit 514 based on the operation of at least one of the clutch pedal 28 and the shift lever 26 or the timing of the operation through at least one of the speaker 60 and the display device 62. This makes it possible to provide an electric vehicle 10 that allows the driver to learn and practice the optimal operation of the clutch pedal 28 and the shift lever 26 according to the state of the vehicle.

The electric vehicle 10 of the embodiment may adopt the following modified aspects. Several modified examples are described below, but these modified examples may be combined as appropriate to form a structure.

[Modification 1]
The electric vehicle 10 may be configured to be switchable between an MT driving mode (MT training mode and MT normal mode) in which the electric vehicle 10 travels with a pseudo manual shifting operation, and an EV driving mode in which the electric vehicle 10 travels as a general EV without a pseudo manual shifting operation. In this case, the electric vehicle 10 may be configured to switch between the MT driving mode and the EV driving mode by a switch or the like.

In addition, if the electric vehicle 10 has an automatic driving function that performs autonomous driving to a destination, in addition to the MT driving mode and the EV driving mode, it may also have an autonomous driving mode that performs autonomous driving. With such a configuration for switching driving modes, it is possible to switch driving modes according to the purpose of use, so that it is possible to accommodate a variety of usage patterns, for example, if the electric vehicle 10 is used by three people: a father, a mother, and a child, the MT driving mode is selected when the father is driving, the EV driving mode is selected when the mother is driving, and the autonomous driving mode is selected when the child is driving.

[Modification 2]
In an MT vehicle, the gear cannot be changed unless the clutch pedal is depressed. Therefore, in the electric vehicle 10 of this modified example, in order to approximate the actual operation feeling of an MT vehicle, the mode selection operation by operating the shift lever 26 may be permitted only when the driver depresses the clutch pedal 28. For example, such a configuration may be such that the ECU 50 permits writing to the memory 54 as the latest shift position only the shift position Gp input when the clutch pedal depression amount Pc is greater than a predetermined depression amount Pcth.

In addition, in MT vehicles, it is usually possible to change the mode to the neutral position without depressing the clutch pedal. Therefore, in the electric vehicle 10 of this modified example, as in MT vehicles, the mode can be changed to the neutral position regardless of whether the clutch pedal 28 is depressed or not. This makes it possible to further approximate the operational feel of the manual gear shift operation of MT vehicles.

[Modification 3]
In the electric vehicle 10, the torque characteristics can be freely set within the output range of the rotating electric machine 2. Therefore, the electric vehicle 10 of this modified example may be provided with a plurality of preset patterns of torque characteristics corresponding to a plurality of modes, and a configuration may be adopted in which the driver can select a preferred preset pattern from among these preset patterns.

Figure 8 is a diagram illustrating torque characteristics of the rotating electric machine 2 corresponding to a plurality of modes. This diagram illustrates a first preset pattern of torque characteristics and a second preset pattern of torque characteristics set to a closer ratio than the first preset pattern. A gear ratio calculation map corresponding to the first preset pattern and a gear ratio calculation map corresponding to the second preset pattern are stored in the memory 54 of the ECU 50. The driver operates a mode change switch in the vehicle to select the desired pattern. The pattern selection result is output to the ECU 50. There is no limit to the number of preset patterns of torque characteristics and the pattern contents.

In addition to the shift position Gp, the pattern selection result is input to the gear ratio calculation unit 508. The gear ratio calculation unit 508 calculates the gear ratio corresponding to the input shift position Gp using a calculation map for the gear ratio corresponding to the pattern selection result. With this configuration, the driver can select a torque characteristic pattern depending on his or her mood that day. This makes it possible to realize a driving sensation that matches the driver's mood.

[Modification 4]
The torque characteristics corresponding to the multiple modes may be configured to be arbitrarily set by the driver. In the following description, the process of setting the torque characteristics by the driver is referred to as a "torque characteristics setting process," and the pattern of the torque characteristics that is set is referred to as a "user preset pattern."

Figure 9 is a block diagram showing the configuration and functions related to the torque characteristic setting process. As shown in Figure 9, the user preset pattern can be set using, for example, a touch panel 70. The touch panel 70 includes an input device 72 that receives touch operations on the display as input information, and an output device 74 that displays output information on the display. The ECU 50 includes a torque characteristic setting unit 518 as a functional block that executes the torque characteristic setting process. The torque characteristic setting unit 518 sets the user preset pattern based on the input information input by the driver from the input device 72, and outputs the result to the output device 74.

Figure 10 shows an example of a torque characteristic setting process using the touch panel 70. In the torque characteristic setting process, the torque characteristic setting unit 518 displays a base pattern of a torque characteristic curve as shown in Figure 10 on the output device 74 of the touch panel 70. The base pattern may be selected by the driver from stored preset patterns, or the torque characteristic setting unit 518 may display an arbitrary base pattern.

When the driver performs an operation such as touch and drag on the torque curve of the base pattern displayed on the touch panel 70, the information is input as input information to the torque characteristic setting unit 518. The torque characteristic setting unit 518 deforms the torque curve in the direction in which the driver dragged based on the input information. The torque characteristic setting unit 518 displays the deformed torque curve on the output device 74. FIG. 10 illustrates an example in which the driver changes the high rotation range of the sixth speed to a direction in which the driving force of the rotating electric machine 2 increases. This torque characteristic setting process allows the driver to set any user preset pattern that suits his or her preferences.

In the above modified example, the driver changes the base pattern to an arbitrary pattern, but the driver may set the pattern from scratch using the input device 72 of the touch panel 70. The input device 72 is not limited to the touch panel 70, and may be configured to use other input means such as button input or voice input.

[Modification 5]
An engine sound may be added to further enhance the feeling of driving an engine-equipped MT vehicle. For example, the ECU 50 may generate an engine sound according to the virtual engine speed Ne and output it from the speaker 60. The engine sound may be configured so that the driver can select a preferred engine sound from a plurality of types according to the engine type. In this case, the ECU 50 may generate an engine sound that imitates the sound of the selected engine type based on the engine type (e.g., V8) selected by the driver and the virtual engine speed Ne. This configuration allows the driver to use the electric vehicle 10 in a variety of ways, such as enjoying a V8 sound while driving the electric vehicle 10. In addition, since the engine sound is generated according to the virtual engine speed Ne, it is possible to reproduce the engine sound of a MT vehicle in a situation such as idling or half-clutch.

[Modification 6]
The electric vehicle 10 is not limited to a four-wheeled MT vehicle, and may be configured as a two-wheeled MT vehicle. A typical two-wheeled MT vehicle is equipped with a clutch lever operated by hand and a shift pedal operated by foot. Therefore, in a two-wheeled vehicle as the electric vehicle 10, the shift pedal may have the function of a shift device instead of the shift lever 26 of a four-wheeled vehicle, and the clutch lever may have the function of a clutch device instead of the clutch pedal 28 of a four-wheeled vehicle. This makes it possible to simulate the manual gear shifting operation of a MT vehicle in an electric motorcycle.

[Modification 7]
Fig. 11 is a diagram showing functional blocks of the ECU 50 of a modified electric vehicle 10. As shown in Fig. 11, the ECU 50 may have a virtual exhaust gas amount calculation unit 515 so that the ECU 50 can grasp the contribution of the electric vehicle 10 to environmental protection.

The virtual exhaust gas amount calculation unit 515 is a functional block that calculates the amount of exhaust gas that is expected to be emitted from the virtual engine when driving in the above-mentioned MT driving mode (MT training mode or MT normal mode) or the like. For example, the operation of the accelerator pedal 22, the clutch pedal 28, the shift lever 26, etc. by the driver are input to the virtual exhaust gas amount calculation unit 515.

The virtual exhaust gas amount calculation unit 515 calculates the amount of fuel used by the electric vehicle 10 based on, for example, the operation data during the MT driving mode by the driver described above and the vehicle's travel distance. The virtual exhaust gas amount calculation unit 515 then calculates the virtual amount of exhaust gas, specifically the virtual amount of CO2 generated, from the amount of fuel used by the electric vehicle 10.

The output control unit 516 controls the speaker 60, the display device 62, etc., based on the calculation results of the virtual exhaust gas amount calculation unit 515. In this case, for example, the speaker 60 can notify the driver of the virtual exhaust gas amount by audio guidance, and the display device 62 can display the virtual exhaust gas amount to the driver on the display screen.

Figure 12 is a flowchart showing a calculation map for the hypothetical exhaust gas amount of the electric vehicle 10 of the modified example. As shown in Figure 12, first, the driver turns on the ignition power (step S300). Next, the ECU 50 calculates the hypothetical exhaust gas amount of the electric vehicle 10 based on the operation data during the MT driving mode by the driver and the travel distance of the vehicle (step S302).

Next, the driver turns the ignition power OFF (step S304). The ECU 50 then notifies the driver of the calculated virtual exhaust gas amount via the speaker 60, the display device 62, etc. (step S306). The virtual exhaust gas amount calculation unit 515 can calculate the virtual exhaust gas amount based on, for example, the operation data by the driver from when the ignition power is turned ON to when it is turned OFF and the distance traveled by the vehicle.

The virtual exhaust gas amount calculation unit 515 is not limited to this example, and may calculate the virtual exhaust gas amount based on, for example, previous operation data by the driver and the mileage. The virtual exhaust gas amount may be calculated for the vehicle alone (Tank to Wheel) or based on an LCA (Life Cycle Assessment).

The ECU 50 may, for example, display different colors, marks, letters, etc. according to the virtual exhaust gas amount, or may award points in cooperation with other services. For example, the ECU 50 may be configured to be able to score the driver's operation (driving) based on the deviation between the virtual exhaust gas amount calculated by the virtual exhaust gas amount calculation unit 515 and a database that serves as a guideline for the amount of exhaust gas that is preset according to the vehicle's mileage, etc. This allows the driver to learn and train optimal driving operations that are environmentally friendly.

In this manner, in this modified example, the electric vehicle 10 has the virtual exhaust gas amount calculation unit 515, and therefore the driver can know the virtual exhaust gas amount that is expected to be generated when driving in MT driving mode or the like. This makes it possible to provide an electric vehicle 10 that allows the driver to understand the degree of his or her contribution to environmental protection by using the electric vehicle 10.

Although the above describes the embodiments and variations of the present invention, the above embodiments and variations are merely examples and are not intended to limit the scope of the invention. The above embodiments and variations can be implemented in various other forms, and various omissions, substitutions, combinations, and modifications can be made without departing from the spirit of the invention. Furthermore, the specifications of each configuration, shape, etc. (structure, type, direction, format, size, length, width, thickness, height, number, arrangement, position, material, etc.) can be modified as appropriate.

2... Rotating electric machine 8... Driving wheel (wheel)
10... Electric vehicle 16... Inverter 26... Shift lever (shift device)
28...Clutch pedal (clutch device)
50...ECU (control device)
60...Speaker (output device)
62...Display device (output device)
514...Score calculation unit

Claims (1)

a rotating electric machine that receives power from the inverter and outputs torque to be transmitted to wheels;
a clutch device capable of virtually switching between connection and disconnection of torque from the rotating electric machine to the wheels in response to an operation by a driver;
A shift device that can select one of a plurality of simulated gear stages by operating the shift device while the clutch device is operated;
A score calculation unit that scores the operation content of the driver based on the operation of at least one of the clutch device and the shift device by the driver or the timing of the operation;
An output device capable of notifying the driver of the scoring result of the score calculation unit ,
The score calculation unit scores the operation content of the driver based on the amount of deviation between the gear change destination selected by the driver by operating the shift device and the gear change destination corresponding to the vehicle speed, and based on the relationship between the operation amount of the clutch device and the operation timing of the shift device.

Images