CPC B60L 15/20 (2013.01) [B60K 1/00 (2013.01); B60L 50/00 (2019.02)] | 28 Claims |
1. An apparatus comprising:
a vehicle wheel comprising:
at least one energy storage component within the wheel; and
at least one traction component within the wheel,
at least one sensor, and
at least one controller, wherein the controller is configured to monitor values of at least one sensor, and responsive to the values, direct the conversion of energy between the at least one energy storage component and the at least one traction component, and wherein the controller is configured to convert kinetic energy from the at least one traction component to electrical energy stored in the at least one energy storage component when the vehicle is accelerating,
wherein the at least one sensor comprises at least one acceleration sensor selected from the group consisting of a pressure sensor, a motion sensor, an accelerometer, and a piezoelectric sensor, and
wherein the at least one acceleration sensor is responsive to a first operator input, wherein when said first operator input is applied to the at least one acceleration sensor below a threshold speed of the vehicle, the at least one traction component is signaled to transfer energy from the at least one energy storage component to a forward propulsion of a vehicle, and wherein when said first operator input is applied to the at least one acceleration sensor above a threshold speed of the vehicle, the at least one traction component is signaled to transfer energy to the at least one energy storage component.
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