US 11,673,478 B2
Drive unit for electric vehicle
Young Doo, La Palma, CA (US); Steven E. Schulz, Torrance, CA (US); Silva Hiti, Redondo Beach, CA (US); and Henry Huang, Ann Arbor, MI (US)
Assigned to Rivian IP Holdings, LLC, Irvine, CA (US)
Filed by Rivian IP Holdings, LLC, Plymouth, MI (US)
Filed on Jul. 29, 2021, as Appl. No. 17/388,988.
Prior Publication US 2023/0034739 A1, Feb. 2, 2023
Int. Cl. B60L 50/51 (2019.01); B60W 10/26 (2006.01); B60L 50/14 (2019.01); B60L 50/60 (2019.01)
CPC B60L 50/51 (2019.02) [B60L 50/14 (2019.02); B60L 50/60 (2019.02); B60W 10/26 (2013.01); B60L 2210/40 (2013.01); B60L 2220/12 (2013.01); B60L 2220/14 (2013.01)] 20 Claims
OG exemplary drawing
 
1. A drive unit for an electric vehicle, the drive unit comprising:
a first electrical motor;
a first axle mechanically couplable to the first electrical motor;
a second electrical motor;
a second axle mechanically couplable to the second electrical motor; and
a dual power inverter module electrically couplable to a source of high voltage direct current (DC) electrical power, the dual power inverter module including:
a first inverter configured to convert the high voltage DC electrical power to three phase, high voltage alternating current (AC) electrical power and electrically couplable to provide the three phase, high voltage AC electrical power to the first electrical motor;
a second inverter configured to convert the high voltage DC electrical power to three phase, high voltage AC electrical power and electrically couplable to provide the three phase, high voltage AC electrical power to the second electrical motor; and
a common controller configured to control the first inverter and the second inverter, wherein a fault associated with either the first inverter or the second inverter results in application of a same fault action by the common controller to both the first inverter and the second inverter, equalizing torque to both the first axle and the second axle.