WO2024228008A1

WO2024228008A1 - Improved electric vehicle and operation therof

Info

Publication number: WO2024228008A1
Application number: PCT/GB2024/051007
Authority: WO
Inventors: Roger Blakey
Original assignee: Switch Mobility Ltd
Current assignee: Switch Mobility Ltd
Priority date: 2023-05-01
Filing date: 2024-04-18
Publication date: 2024-11-07
Anticipated expiration: 2025-11-01
Also published as: GB202306418D0

Abstract

The invention generally relates to vehicle and fleet of said vehicles configured to implement a method of controlling such as vehicle, said vehicle having: a battery for powering the vehicle and a battery management system; and at least two modes, comprising an operational mode for movably operating the vehicle, and a charging mode for charging the battery, preferably while the vehicle is stationary. The operational battery temperature is controlled in the operational mode to improve the operational efficiency of the vehicle in the charging mode; and/or the operational battery temperature in the charging mode is managed to improve the operational efficiency of the vehicle in the operational mode. The charging mode has a predetermined charging window between successive operational period e.g. shifts. Controlling can include lowering an operational battery temperature at or below a threshold target temperature at the end of the operational mode, such that following the end of the first operational task a target state of charge required for a second operational task can be achieved. The vehicle can be controllably de-rated to achieve the threshold target temperature prior to switching to the charging mode.

Description

IMPROVED ELECTRIC VEHICLE AND OPERATION THEROF

The invention relates to an electric vehicle, and a method of operating said vehicle. More specifically, the invention relates to controlling the operation of the vehicle to optimise battery management and/or vehicle performance. In particular, the battery management is optimised across multiple modes of operation to improve operational efficiency.

BACKGROUND

Known electric vehicles, such as those used for public transport e.g. buses, can operate to carry at least one occupant and/or goods over a known route during predetermined operational hours. Route information and environmental factors are often known and predictable, and can be considered when operating such an electric vehicle and its electrical battery. Operational hours of such vehicles are often pre-determined.

Various techniques for managing the state of charge (SOC) of a battery can be found in disclosures including: US8975866B2, in which consumption is estimated for a specific route of the electric vehicle and setting a target end point for the energy storage system based upon a minimum state of charge level; US20140005847A1, in which journey planning includes utilising various modules, including a retrieval module for retrieving mobile computer system journey context data and user profile data for a user; and KR20180118873A, in which a target charging state is achieved by housing at least a portion of a vehicle in an air-conditioned chamber.

Battery performance can be influenced by temperature, and techniques for managing battery performance are known from: EP3771593, in which route information can be used to influence the power consumption along a route and estimate the cooling needs of the battery for the route as a whole; CN112151904A, in which battery temperature is managed according to environmental temperature; CN112977400A, in which the SOC of a battery in a hybrid electric vehicle driving system is managed by taking into account factors such as environmental temperature data; and US2018297483, in which a battery system is cooled on a journey based on route data.

Overall, known electric vehicles aim to have an optimum level of charge or performance during a journey or during a charging period. Known solutions generally appear to focus on route planning. Overall performance can be achieved by increasing the size of the battery and/or improving cooling, however this is neither efficient nor commercially viable. The invention seeks to address problems associated with known electric vehicle and/or battery management systems by improving efficiency and/or utilisation through optimum use of at least one of the vehicle, vehicle resources and support infrastructure.

SUMMARY

All electric vehicles require a battery management system (BMS), which includes thermal management. Thermal management, which can be a function of a vehicle controller, such as a BMS, is required to inhibit thermal runaway A thermal limit for the operational temperature can be set e g. 45 degrees Celsius. The thermal limit is set beneath a maximum operational temperature of the battery to provide a safety margin e.g. runaway can occur around 60-70 degrees Celsius, and a safety margin is required. When a thermal limit is reached, the vehicle is ‘de-rated’ to manage the charge flow i.e. current flow (positive or negative) from the battery, which creates heat in the battery. When de-rated, the vehicle can be inhibited from at least one of (i) driving the electric motor using the battery (ii) inhibiting charging of the battery, and (iii) inhibiting regenerative braking. To be clear, any component or function of a vehicle that impacts on the charge flow upon battery cells can be selectively switched off or de-rated to maintain the thermal limit of the battery. During normal operation, vehicle performance is controllably de-rated, with selected functionality and/or operation of functions being managed to maintain the battery just below the thermal limit when driven.

Some electric vehicles have pre-determined use patterns, being operational for set periods of time over known routes e.g. shifts. Public transport e.g. buses is one such example of an electric vehicle having set operational hours during which passengers are carried along a known route before being charged e.g. overnight in a depot. Such vehicles can have a limited amount of time to charge, and for a public transport bus a recharge ‘window’ can be typically between 22.00 and 07.00, when the bus is in the depot.

An electric vehicle running with a battery at its thermal limit may not be able to fully utilise the recharge window because the BMS will de-rate charging capability to maintain a thermal limit and avoid runaway. Charging induces current flow into the battery, which results in heating of the battery, and charge mode can require greater current flow than an operational mode. Starting to charge a battery that is already at its thermal limit on arrival to the depot will take longer because the charging process is de-rated, or otherwise reduced or limited in performance, to maintain the thermal limit.

Cooling the battery during its operation and/or charging or increasing the size of the battery or the capacity of the charging system e.g. increasing the capacity of the charging system from a 22kW system to a 150kW system may not improve charging efficiency or may not be commercially viable. Even charging a battery with a high capacity charger e g. 500kW system can result in a thermal limit being reached and charging being de-rated after a short period of time e.g. when fully charging a ‘cool’ battery e.g. ambient temperature, with a 500kW charger, a full charge may be achievable in a short period of time e.g. ~8mins, but a significant portion of that time e.g. the last 5 minutes, are sub- optimal because the thermal limit is quickly reached e.g. after 3 minutes.

According to one aspect, there is a method of controlling a vehicle, said vehicle having: a battery for powering the vehicle and a battery management system; and at least two modes, comprising an operational mode for movably operating the vehicle, and a charging mode for charging the battery, preferably while the vehicle is stationary. The method can control the vehicle’s operations over a period comprising two modes of operation to balance levels of performance that improve the overall efficiency of the vehicle’s operations. The vehicle can be an electric vehicle without a combustion engine.

The method includes: controlling the operational battery temperature in the operational mode to improve the operational efficiency of the vehicle in the charging mode; and/or controlling the operational battery temperature in the charging mode to improve the operational efficiency of the vehicle in the operational mode. The charging mode has a predetermined charging window.

Examples herein describe the operational mode in the context of a vehicle such as a public bus, although the invention is not so limited and can be applied to any movable electrically powered device.

Controlling the operation of the vehicle for a first operational task can lower an operational battery temperature at or below a threshold target temperature at the end of the operational mode. Therefore, when switching to the charging mode following the end of the first operational task the battery can achieve a target state of charge required for a second operational task. The charging mode can have a predetermined charging window defined by the time between the end of the first operational task and the start of the second operational task. The operational task can be a predetermined journey or route of a vehicle.

The vehicle can be de-rated during the first operational task to reduce the operational battery temperature to be at or below the threshold target temperature prior to switching to the charging mode. De-rating can be a self-protective and/or load limiting function that a vehicle can implement to control the flow of current to and/or from a battery. A vehicle can be re-rated to ensure the operational temperature of the battery does not exceed a temperature limit. A vehicle can be further de-rated e g. controllably operated to reduce the operational temperature of the battery to a threshold target temperature. The threshold target temperature is lower than the temperature limit and, therefore, the vehicle must be further de-rated. A plurality of vehicles can be controlled for respective first operational tasks, and each vehicle is controllably operated to maintain its battery temperature at or below a threshold target temperature at the end of the operational mode and/or before the charging period; and switching each vehicle to the charging mode after the end of the first operational task and charging, in-tum, each vehicle sharing the use of a common charger, wherein each vehicle achieves a target state of charge required within the charging window. The plurality of vehicles can operate concurrently. The plurality of vehicles can be charged consecutively The plurality of vehicles can operate on the same shift pattern. The plurality of vehicles can share a resource, such as a charger, such that each of the plurality of vehicles can be charged to their target charge level e.g. 100% within a common charging window. The target level of charge enables the or each vehicle to perform a subsequent operational task i.e. its next task e.g. a second journey following a first journey.

The vehicle can be controlled in the charging mode to regulate the battery temperature by transferring waste heat to at least one of: a vehicle heater, a vehicle component and a thermal storage system. The waste heat can be converted to electrical energy for use during the operational period.

According to another aspect, there is a vehicle configured to implement the methods taught herein. According to another aspect, there is a fleet of vehicles, said fleet having a plurality of vehicles as taught herein. Said vehicles can operate having at least one of: parallel shifts; substantially simultaneously; the same shift pattern; comparable operational shifts and/or hours of operation; common designated hours of operation; and common designated tasks. A shift can be defined as an operational pattern over a period of time e.g. a 24 hour period. The vehicles taught herein can be operated more efficiently because they are configured for using a common resource, such as a common charger. For example, a common charger can charge two or more vehicles within a charging window. A charging window can be defined as a period between two successive shifts during which vehicles are charged.

According to another aspect, there is a vehicle having a computer comprising: a processor; and memory including executable instructions that, as a result of execution by the processor, causes the vehicle to perform the methods claimed herein. According to another aspect, there is a non-transitory computer-readable storage medium having stored thereon executable instructions that, as a result of being executed by a processor of a computer system, cause the computer system to perform the methods claimed herein.

Overall, the aspects and examples taught herein consider different modes of operation e.g. in- use, operating on a shift e.g. on a determined route, and charging, between consecutive shifts, at a charging station e g. depot. Operation of the vehicle during an operational mode can be controlled to improve the efficiency of the vehicle in the charging mode - and vice-versa. This can be achieved, in part, by selectively controlling e.g. de-rating, or further de-rating, vehicle performance using known and/or predictable vehicle use and/or conditions e.g. route data and/or environmental data. Route data can include route characteristics that includes: a fixed route, including predictable stops, gradients, braking zones, acceleration patterns etc; and local environmental characteristics that are predicted and/or measured.

Rather than conventionally manage the operational temperature at a thermal limit across the operational period, the vehicle e.g. the BMS of the vehicle controllably de-rates the vehicle such that it completes the operational period with a battery temperature e.g. threshold target temperature, that enables adequate charging between shifts. For example, the threshold enables the battery to be fully charged in the depot before use the following day. By arriving at the depot at the threshold lower temperature, charging (i) is not de-rated, or can at least be reduced to improve efficiency and/or (ii) requires less cooling, or no auxiliary cooling at all. The vehicle, using for example the battery management system, can use ‘in-use’ data and ‘charging’ data to determine current flow levels and selectively control vehicle functions to achieve a threshold target temperature required on return to the depot that (i) permits maximum performance in-use e.g. minimum de-rating and (ii) achieves optimum charging e.g. a bus achieves the required level of charge to operate on the next route.

By having the route data and/or environmental data, the vehicle can operate at its maximum limit for as long as possible e.g. during a first stage before being de-rated to reduce the temperature of the battery to the required threshold target temperature e.g. during a second stage by the time it reaches the depot and/or charging station. The threshold target temperature is variable according to operational requirements e.g. the route, environmental conditions, vehicle/battery age, and ambient conditions.

Not only do the aspects herein improve the efficiency of the operation of the vehicle but the overheads required to support the vehicle, or fleet of vehicles, can be reduced e g. lower cooling costs associated with charging, because (i) the battery does not start charging at the thermal limit, and/or (ii) a charger can be shared between two or more vehicles due to the reduced charging time.

In light of the teaching of the present invention, the skilled person would appreciate that aspects of the invention were interchangeable and transferrable between the aspects described herein, and can be combined to provide improved aspects of the invention. Further aspects of the invention will be appreciated from the following description. DESCRIPTION OF THE FIGURES

In order that the invention can be more readily understood reference is made, by way of example, to the remaining drawings, in which:

Figure 1 shows a schematic representation of a vehicle configured to implement the invention;

Figure 2 is a graph illustrating a 24-hour period having an operational period (OP) and a charging period (CP), wherein the state-of-charge (SoC) of a vehicle battery falls and rises while an operational temperature (T-ops) is maintained beneath an operational temperature limit (T-limit),

Figure 3 is a graph comparable to Figure 2, in which the operational temperature of the battery is reduced to a threshold target temperature before the start of the charging period;

Figure 4 is a graph illustrating a 24-hour period having three operational periods (OP) and three charging periods (CP), representing three shifts, wherein the state-of-charge (SoC) of a vehicle battery falls and rises while an operational temperature (T-ops) is maintained beneath an operational temperature limit (T-limit), while said operational temperature of the battery is reduced to a threshold target temperature before the start of the charging period; and

Figures 5a and 5b are comparable to Figure 3, in which the SoC and operational temperature of the battery are indicated for two vehicles operating in parallel over the same fixed period e.g. shared shift pattern, wherein said vehicles share a charger and are charged in sequence;

Figure 6 is a schematic of a control system of the vehicle of Figure 1.

Like reference numerals refer to like features.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION

Vehicle overview

In Figure 1, a vehicle 10 is provided with a motor 12, which can be an electric traction motor, and a regeneration unit 14, which can be a generator configured to provide regenerative braking. The motor 12 and generator 14 can draw current from, and charge, respectively, a battery 16. The battery has a battery management system (BMS) 18, which can include thermal management control of the vehicle 10. The battery 16 is connected to the BMS 18 and a vehicle control unit 20, which incorporates thermal management for the vehicle. The vehicle control unit is configured to manage all vehicle components and functions, including HVAC systems. A controller 22, which can include a processor supports the vehicle control unit and/or battery management system and/or vehicle management by providing an environmental data unit 24 and a route data unit 26, which can be stored on memory and/or retrieved through a communication module 28. The controller 22 can provide one or more of the other vehicle functions, such as the vehicle control unit 22 and/or battery management system 18. The vehicle 10 can operate in at least two modes, one of which is an operational mode, when the vehicle travels to move itself, goods and/or passengers. In another mode, the vehicle is charged. While the vehicle can be charged while moving it is preferably stationary e.g. at a depot. Whether the vehicle is moving or stationary while being charged, controlling the operational battery temperature in the operational mode can improve the operational efficiency of the vehicle in the charging mode. Similarly, controlling the operational battery temperature in the charging mode, and managing the temperature of the battery can improve the operational efficiency of the vehicle in the charging mode.

Efficiency can be improved when, for example, there is a limited time for charging the battery, thus the charging mode has a predetermined charging window. The charging window can be defined by the time between the end of the first journey and the start of the second journey. The journey is representative of an operational task, and the charging window can be defined by the time between the end of the first operational task and the start of a second operational task.

The charging window can also be defined as a period between the end of a first non-charging period and the start of a second non-charging period e.g. when the vehicle is charged while dynamically on the move by an external source. Two or more vehicles can be charged, consecutively, from the same charger within a charging window. Said two or more vehicles can be charged independently.

Known vehicle example

Some electric vehicles have pre-determined use patterns, being operational for set periods of time over known routes. Public transport e.g. buses is one such example of an electric vehicle having set operational hours during which passengers are carried along a known route before being charged e.g. overnight in a depot. Such vehicles can have a limited amount of time to charge, and for a public transport bus a recharge ‘window’ can be typically between 22.00 and 07.00, when the bus is in the depot.

By way of non-limiting example, aspects of the invention are described herein using an electric vehicle 10 operating as a public bus 10. Figure 2 illustrates an example of the state of charge C, shown as a percentage on the left-hand Y-axis. The state of charge (SoC) is shown over a 24-hour period, as indicated on the x-axis, shown as 100% at ‘t7’ i.e. 07.00 through to 100% at ‘t6’ i.e. 06.00 the next day. The bus 10 has an operational period OP between t7 and t22 in which time the charge falls to -10% at t22. The vehicle is dynamic and operable between the hours of 07.00 and 22.00, while it is, preferably, stationary and connected to a charger during a charging period CP between t23 and t6, when the SoC increased from 10% back to 100%. It is to be noted that the values of the SoC are provided by way of example only. Figure 2 also illustrates temperatures of the battery, shown as a value of degrees Celsius on the right-hand Y-axis, and are also shown over the 24-hour period - in particular: the operational temperature ‘T-ops’ is shown with a dotted-line and having a value of around 45 degrees Celsius; the operational temperature is substantially constantly at or below a thermal limit ‘T-limit’, which is around 46 degrees Celsius for illustration purposes because during the operational period OP and the charging period CP the battery management system operates to de-rate the vehicle and/or the battery to obtain a maximum possible performance, which can occur while de-rated, by regulating the operational temperature to is substantially constantly at or below the thermal limit; the maximum operable temperature ‘T-max’ is shown as a constant at around 55 degrees Celsius, and a safe level above the thermal limit; and an ambient temperature ‘T-amb’ is illustrated to provide an indicative reference to real-world fluctuating conditions in which temperatures at night are lower than during the day, which can influence the operation and/or charging of the vehicle and its battery.

It is to be noted that graphical values are indicative of an average for a given period e.g. average for the hour 22.00 i.e. between 22.00 and 23.00, and a skilled person can apply invention as claimed to other electric vehicles and their operating conditions in light of the teaching herein.

In Figure 2, at t7, the vehicle 10 typically leaves a depot with 100% charge. The operating temperature is likely to be at its lowest at this point because the ambient temperature is low and the battery may have recently finished charging, therefore current flow to/from the battery is minimal. During the operating period OP the charge C falls to approximately 10% by t22 while travelling on its route. To optimise performance of the vehicle the operational temperature T-ops is allowed to reach the thermal limit, which is reached quickly and maintained. On return to the depot at ~t22 i.e. around 22.00 at the end of the first journey, or shift, the battery charge C can be returned to 100% before the next shift i.e. by t7, for a second journey. In this example the charging period is between -22.00 and 07.00 and defines a charging ‘window’. Returning a battery 16 to full charge C within a given window typically requires de-rating and/or cooling the battery to maintain an operational temperature, which is inefficient and costly for the vehicle operator. This arises because the vehicle returns with a battery having a temperature at its thermal limit. Letting it cool prior to charging shortens the charging window.

The charging window can be the time between the end of the first journey and the start of the second journey. Figure 2 assumes that each vehicle has its own charger and the vehicle works in shifts, thus the charging window is a limited time available to charge the vehicle. It may be the case that the charging window is too short to enable a charge C to return to 100%, thus limiting the vehicles range during the second j ourney or operational period the following day. Auxiliary cooling may be required to achieve a 100% charge. Known vehicles, therefore, suffer from sub-optimal charging conditions during the charging period CP and/or require additional overheads to enable adequate charging.

Improved charging mode

The invention seeks to optimise a vehicles performance in operational mode and charging mode, independently of the battery size, charger type, vehicle power and ancillary cooling either on the vehicle or during charging. This can avoid increasing the specification of components and/or providing support systems e.g. ancillary cooling that is costly and expensive.

The vehicle and methods herein therefore operate in at least two modes e.g. an operational mode and a charging mode, wherein said charging can occur while the vehicle is stationary e.g. on charge in a depot. Improvements to the performance can be made by operating the vehicle during its operation e.g. travelling on a journey to adjust the operational battery temperature to a level that improves the operational efficiency of the vehicle in the charging mode. This enables more efficient charging, which can occur in a shorter period of time, which can enable a shorter charging window. The operational temperature adjustment can further reduce and/or eliminate the need for ancillary cooling of the vehicle 10 and/or battery 16 during the charging window. A shorter charging window can enable a longer operating period.

More specifically, operation of the vehicle is controlled for a first journey to lower an operational battery temperature to a threshold target temperature ‘ T-th’ , or below said threshold target temperature, by the end of the operational mode and/or by the beginning of the charging period. Therefore, when switching to the charging mode following the end of the first journey e.g. at t22, the charging efficiency is increased because, for at least a portion of the charging period the operation temperature T-ops is below the thermal limit T-limit.

Figure 3 illustrates the threshold target temperature T-th, nominally shown as 30 degree Celsius, and the reduction of the operating temperature that is controllably lowered to the threshold target temperature by the end of the operating period OP and/or by the beginning of the charging period CP. The operating temperature is reduced by further de-rating the vehicle performance to reduce the load on the battery and/or controllably lower the operating temperature to the threshold target temperature by the end of the operating period e.g. by t22. By reducing the temperature during the operating period the efficiency of the battery charging during the charging period, beginning in t23, is improved. The improvement in efficiency is achieved because the battery temperature is not in or around its thermal limit, thus charging is quicker and/or requires less cooling, and preferably no cooling e.g. ancillary cooling because battery charging is not de-rated. The threshold target temperature shown is a nominal example - the vehicle control unit 20 and/or the battery management system 18 operate the vehicle to lower the operational battery temperature to a level that enables the battery to be quickly and efficiently changed in the charging window, and preferably without ancillary cooling. The operational battery temperature can be lowered to at least 90%, and preferably at least 50%, and more preferably to at least 10%, of the threshold temperature limit T-limit prior to switching to the charging mode. The operational battery temperature can be lowered to at least ambient temperature prior to switching to the charge mode. In this way, as can be seen in the example of Figure 3, the operational temperature is reduced to between tl 8 to t22 e.g. the second stage, to a threshold target temperature resulting in the battery having a temperature at the start of the charging period that avoids the need for de-rating. While the operational temperature T-ops of the battery can increase to the thermal limit T-limit, at least a portion of the charging period is more efficient and charging can be implemented faster and/or in less time compared to Figure 2.

Charging to 100% in the charging period of Figure 3 is shown by way of example. In practice, the vehicle is operated to lower the operational battery temperature to a level that enables the battery to be quickly and efficiently charged in the charging window to enable the vehicle to travel on its second journey which can, for example, only require an 80% charge. The lowering of the operational temperature can, therefore, be adjusted e.g. occur only in t20, t21 and t22, such that optimum vehicle performance is achieved in the operational mode and in the charging mode.

Lowering the operational battery temperature by de-rating, or further de-rating, to the required level that enables charging (i) to a required level for the next journey, and/or (ii) within a charging window, which in the example of Figure 3 is from t23 to t6. The required charge level and/or charging window can be adjusted by knowing the route data 26 and/or environmental data 24. Further data known and/or determinable by the battery management system 18 can be used to establish an optimum threshold target temperature T-th. For example, the BMS can take into account the battery age and/or condition. Overall, information available can include the route characteristics, which can include at least one of: predictable stops, gradients, braking zones, acceleration patterns, road-junctions; exterior temperature profiles; weather conditions; UV levels.

Overall, any factor e.g. an operating component or function, such as a heater, or regenerative braking system, that influences the performance of the vehicle and the charge flow upon the battery can be taken into consideration - and said factor controllably adjusted or deactivated to inhibit temperature increases within the battery. Based on forecast use and environmental conditions, the vehicle e g. controller 18, control unit 20 and/or BMS 18 can determine a threshold target temperature required for achieving (i) a required level of charge and/or (ii) a charge window, and then further adjust or otherwise de-rate the vehicle to reduce the operating temperature to the required threshold target. In this way, charging starts at a lower battery temperature such that de-rating during charging is at least reduced, if not avoided, and preferably achieved with at least a reduced level of cooling e g. ancillary cooling.

For example, a vehicle, such as a public bus, can have a first journey that requires 20 laps of a given route around a city during an operating period between 07.00 and 22.00, and the vehicle can determine that a threshold target temperature is required in order to enable the battery to charge to 100% before the next journey. The vehicle can determine, based on the route data and/or environmental data, that the charge flow from the battery must be reduced before the vehicle returns to the depot for charging - so that the battery temperature reaches the threshold target temperature. For example, to reach the threshold target temperature the vehicle can switch off the heating output of the vehicle for a period before the end of the operating period OP e.g. at tl9, the heater is switched off, thus reducing charge flow from the battery and allowing it to cool.

Determining a threshold target temperature and reducing the operational temperature to said threshold target during operation, in preparation for charging: supports optimum use of the charging period in the depot, by permitting efficient charging that is possible because the charging does not have to be de-rated, or the charging can be de-rated for a shorter period of time, to ensure the operational temperature T-ops remains below the maximum temperature T-max i.e. not starting charging when the battery is at its temperature limit T-limit; enables auxiliary cooling costs to be lowered or avoided, because the battery does not start charging at the thermal limit T-limit; can be achieved by knowing the journey and/or route profile that the vehicle will traverse, which enables the vehicle to determine the fluctuations in charge flow upon the battery and the influence upon the operational temperature T-max, which in turn enables the vehicle to determine which components and/or functions of the vehicle need to be controlled e.g. switched-off, or de-rated, in order to lower the battery temperature to a required threshold target; can be achieved by taking into account environmental data, said data including forecast weather conditions along the journey and/or route, and the forecast temperature in the depot charging station during the charging period.

The purpose of the threshold target temperature T-th can be to achieve a target state of charge required from the subsequent journey within the charging window, which is set as the time between each shift e.g. journey. Setting a threshold target temperature enables the vehicle to determine which factors to controllably select or adjust e.g. components and/or functions and to de-rate or switch off those factors to reduce the charge flow upon the battery, because one or more factors can be selected to de-rate the vehicle performance in an imperceptible manner. For example, if traffic is heavy and vehicle speed and/or acceleration are not beneficial to the journey then the power output, and therefore the charge flow from the battery can be reduced. In a further example, as a vehicle approaches the end of a journey the heaters can be switched off because there will be sufficient residual heat in the vehicle and/or there is a fewer number of passengers to keep warm at the end of a shift.

Factors that can be controllably selected or adjusted e g. de-rated, can include: heating; heatpump operations; heat-recovery systems e g. heat exchanger; ventilation; cooling e g. air- conditioning; re-generative braking; battery regeneration systems e.g. from solar panels; and available power to drive vehicle motors.

Overall, the operational temperature can be managed in stages, said stages including: a first stage, wherein operation of the vehicle permits the battery to operate up to the maximum battery temperature; and a second stage, immediately preceding the end of the operational mode, wherein operation of the vehicle ensures the battery temperature is kept at or below the threshold target temperature.

It is possible to allow a battery to cool naturally in the charging window prior to charging. However, this reduces the charging window. The teaching herein seeks to reduce the battery to a threshold target temperature to enable charging within the charging window. To make the most of the time, a quick change-over when a vehicle returns to its depot or charging station is required. For example, the switching time between operational mode and the charging mode is less than 1% of the charging window, and preferably less than 10% of the charging window. The switching time between operational mode and the charging mode can be less than 1 minute, and preferably within between 10 and 20 minutes.

Overall, the teaching herein is directed to an improved vehicle, wherein the vehicle has an electric motor for driving the vehicle and a battery for providing charge to the motor. The vehicle has a controller, configured to switch the vehicle between at least two modes, said modes comprising an operational mode for movably operating the vehicle, and a charging mode for charging the battery preferably while the vehicle is stationary.

Examples herein use an example of a public transport bus, in which the operational mode involves a journey including a route, although any electrically powered vehicle that requires charging between operational modes in which it performs an operational task can benefit from the invention as claimed e.g. an electric excavator on a construction site, which has no journey, as such, but is required to be movable to perform a series of operations during a shift. The vehicle can control the operational battery temperature in the operational mode to improve the operational efficiency of the vehicle in the charging mode; and/or control the operational battery temperature in the charging mode to improve the operational efficiency of the vehicle in the operational mode.

Optimising the use of the vehicle requires maximising the time in operational mode and minimising the time spent in charging mode, and for this reason the non-limiting examples herein are based upon a charging mode that has a predetermined charging window defined by the time between the end of the first operational period e.g. journey and the start of the second operational period e.g. sub sequent j ourney .

The vehicle includes a controller that can at least one of record, store in memory and retrieve route data, said route data associated with at least the first and second operational task e.g. journey, and environmental data associated with: the first operational task e.g. journey; and/or the location at which the vehicle is operated in charging mode. Using the route data and/or environmental data the vehicle can determine the levels of charge flow during operation and adjust the operation of the vehicle accordingly to achieve a threshold target temperature of the battery at the end of the operational period. Improved utilisation

The example of Figure 3 assumes that the vehicle operates a single shift per 24-hour period, which is typical for a public transport vehicle. A vehicle, however, can be required to operate a plurality of shifts within a 24-hour period as illustrated, by way of non-limiting example, in Figure 4.

Figure 4 shows a charging cycle for a vehicle across a 24-hour period, from tl to t24. The vehicle operates on three shifts, and is charged between each shift. The operational periods are 7 hours long and the charging period only one hour long. Efficient charging, therefore, is imperative to ensuring optimum charge by the start of each shift, said optimum is shown in this example as 100% charge C. As described in relation to Figure 3, the operational temperature T-ops is regulated by the vehicle, preferably using operational data e.g. route data and/or environmental data. As described above, operation of the vehicle can be adjusted in the operational mode to reduce the operational temperature to a threshold target temperature required at the beginning of the charging period to enable optimum charging e.g. 100%.

In this example, it can be seen in the second shift, from t9 to tl 5, that a higher ambient temperature requires the operation of the vehicle to be controlled to reduce the operational temperature of the battery earlier e.g. around 112 or tl 3, compared to the first and third shifts, in which the vehicle controllably adjusts the operations to reduce the operational temperature later in the shift e.g. around t6, or around t22, respectively.

As described above, operation of the vehicle can be adjusted in the operational mode to improve the efficiency of the performance in the charging mode - improving the performance of the vehicle overall, when maximising its operational use.

Additionally or alternatively, operation of the vehicle can be to control the operational battery temperature in the charging mode to improve the operational efficiency of the vehicle in the operational mode. By way of example, the operational temperature of the battery 18 can be lowered and/or regulated during the charging mode by transferring waste heat from the battery to at least one of: a vehicle heater, a vehicle component e g. a thermal transfer component such as a heat exchanger, and a thermal storage system. In this way, when switching to the operational mode following the end of the charging period, at least a portion of the vehicle has been heated by waste heat from the battery during the charging mode such that the load upon the battery at the beginning of the operational period is lowered because less heating is required. Waste battery heat arising during the charging period can be converted to another form of energy to support another factor of the vehicle other than a heater, e.g. heat can be converted to electrical energy to charge a compressor, or drive a blower-motor to demist windows. fleet

Scheduling resources for shift work is a known challenge when limited resources and/or time are available. Shift work, in the examples herein, requires vehicles to be available for set periods within a window of time e.g. a 24-hour period. At least two vehicles can be required to perform comparable tasks substantially simultaneously, such that their charging windows occur at substantially the same time.

The efficiency of operating a vehicle can include the overheads required to support the vehicle e.g. the charger. A vehicle operator managing a fleet of vehicles can benefit by operating improved vehicles as taught herein, which can be controlled to reduce the operational temperature to the threshold target temperature by the end of an operating period and/or by the beginning of the charging period such that, by way of example, two vehicles can use the same charger. This can arise when a charge window of two or more vehicles overlap and they must share a resource e.g. charging device.

Figures 5a and 5b show, respectively, the charge C and operational temperatures for a first and second vehicles. In a real -world context these can be two public buses operating on comparable routes over an operational period between hours t7 to t22, and being charged in a charging period between t23 to t6. These vehicles use the same charger, which is switched to charge the second vehicle after the first vehicle has reached its target charge level e.g. 100%. While these vehicles share the overhead of the charger, the charging periods e.g. charging windows are shorter, staggered and in this example halved because both vehicles must be charged in the charging window.

The first vehicle, of Figure 5a, has its operational temperature T-ops reduced to below the threshold target temperature T-th by the end of the operating period. In a first stage, from t7 to tl 7, the operational temperature is controlled to at or below a temperature limit T-limit. In a second stage, the vehicle operates to initiate the temperature reduction at approximately tl 8 to achieve a threshold target temperature, or lower, for the battery by the end of the operational period and before the charging period. When the charging period is complete, the charger can be connected to the second vehicle with the first vehicle remaining idle, causing the operational temperature of the battery to naturally fall in the hours t3 to t6.

Similarly, the second vehicle of Figure 5b, has its operational temperature T-ops reduced to below the threshold target temperature T-th by the beginning of the charging period. The charging period is delayed, while the vehicle waits for the charger to become available. When the operating period ends, the second vehicle is idle for a period of time causing the operational temperature of the battery to naturally fall in the hours t23 to t2. This cooling, which can be natural or passive, can be factored into the controlled temperature reduction, which can occur later compared to the first vehicle. The second stage, therefore, begins at approximately t21 to achieve a threshold target temperature T- th, or lower, for the battery before the charging period.

For both the first and second vehicle, the operational temperature i.e. the battery temperature, is controlled for their respective first journeys, wherein each vehicle is controllably operated to maintain its battery temperature below a threshold at the end of the operational mode and/or by the beginning of the charging period; and switching each vehicle to the charging mode after the end of the first journey and charging, in-tum, each vehicle sharing the use of a common charger, wherein each vehicle achieves a target state of charge required within the charging window.

A fleet of vehicles, has, therefore, at least two vehicles that are controllable for respective first operational tasks substantially simultaneously. In other words, the vehicles have the same shift pattern and have the same, or comparable operational shifts and/or hours of operation - or at least common designated hours of operation. Each vehicle is configured to controllably operate to: maintain its battery temperature at or below a threshold target temperature at the end of the operational mode, such that each vehicle is chargeable to a target state of charge within the charging window using a common charger, which enables the efficiency in the charging mode to be improved by controlling the temperature in the operational mode e g. by selectively de-rating functions of the vehicle; and/or regulate the battery temperature during charging mode by transferring waste heat within the vehicle to heat at least a portion of the vehicle e.g. converting the energy from the waste heat to a usable form of energy that can be utilised during the operational mode after switching to the operational mode following the end of the charging period, wherein the plurality of vehicles share a common resource, such as a charging device, and have a common charging window.

System

The vehicle can be driven by an operator, operated autonomously and/or via a remote operator. All movable and/or operable components of the vehicle are controllable to regulate the charge flow, which can be positive or negative, from the battery, such that its temperature can be managed.

Figure 5 is a schematic of a system 100, representative of at least one of the controller 22, vehicle control unit 20 and battery management system 18, configured to control the or each of the components of the vehicle. The system 100 can be scalable in size to accommodate additional components adopted on to the vehicle that draw current from the battery 16. The system 100 includes a bus 102, at least one processor 104, at least one communication port 106, a main memory 108 and/or a removable storage media 110, a read only memory 112 and a random access memory 114. The components of system 100 can be configured across two or more devices, or the components can reside in a single system 100. The system can also include an additional battery 116. The port 106 can be complimented by input means 118 and output connection 120. The processor 104 can be any such device such as, but not limited to, an Intel(R), AMD(R) or ARM processor. The processor may be specifically dedicated to the device. The port 106 can be a wired connection, such as an RS-232 connection, or a Bluetooth connection or any such wireless connection. The port can be configured to communicate on a network such a Local Area Network (LAN), Wide Area Network (WAN), or any network to which the system 100 connects. The read only memory 112 can store instructions for the processor 104.

The bus 102 communicably couples the processor 104 with the other memory 110, 112, 114, 108 and port 106, as well as the input and output connections 118, 120. The bus can be a PCI /PCI- X or SCSI based system bus depending on the storage devices used, for example. Removable memory 110 can be any kind of external hard-drives, floppy drives, flash drives, for example. The device and components therein are provided by way of example and does not limit the scope of the invention. The processor 104 can implement the methods and perform any of the calculations described herein. The processor 104 can be configured to retrieve and/or receive information from a remote server or other device.

The system 100 can also include an application program interface (API) 122 for processing instructions received from a user’s device e.g. via an app on a mobile device. The system can include a driver interface 124 for driving and operating the vehicle, and an energy management system 126. A control module 128 can be configured to operate each of the changeable components of the vehicle. Route data can be held in a route data memory 130 can store the detailed route information. An environmental data module 132 can obtain and store detailed environmental data associated with the vehicle route and charging location.

Enumerated Clauses

Enumerated clauses are now provided for the purpose of illustrative some possible embodiments that may be provided in accordance with the disclosure. Also disclosed herein is: computer equipment comprising memory comprising one or more memory units and processing apparatus comprising one or more processing units, wherein the memory stores code arranged to run on the processing apparatus, the code being configured so as when on the processing apparatus to perform the method of any embodiment described or defined herein; and/or a computer program embodied on computer-readable storage and configured so as, when run on one or more processors, to perform the method of any described or defined herein. There may be provided:

Clause 1.1 - A method comprising controlling a vehicle, said vehicle having: a battery for powering the vehicle and a battery management system; and at least two modes, comprising an operational mode for movably operating the vehicle, and a charging mode for charging the battery preferably while the vehicle is stationary, the method comprising: controlling the operational battery temperature in the operational mode to improve the operational efficiency of the vehicle in the charging mode. The charging mode can have a predetermined charging window. The charging window can be between two consecutive periods of operation in operation mode.

Clause 1.2. The method of clause 1.1, wherein the method comprises: controlling the operation of the vehicle for a first operational task to lower an operational battery temperature at or below a threshold target temperature at the end of the operational mode; and switching to the charging mode following the end of the first operational task for achieving a target state of charge required for a second operational task, wherein the charging mode has a predetermined charging window defined by the time between the end of the first operational task and the start of the second operational task.

Clause 1.3. The method of clause 1.1 or 1.2, wherein a threshold target temperature (T-th) is set below an operational thermal limit (T-limit). The operational thermal limit can be set beneath a maximum operational temperature providing a safety margin.

Clause 1.4. The method of any preceding clause, wherein the vehicle is de-rated during the first operational task to reduce the operational battery temperature to be at or below the threshold target temperature prior to switching to the charging mode. Clause 1.5. The method of clause 1.4, wherein the operational battery temperature is lowered to at least 10%, and preferably at 90%, of the thermal limit (T-limit) during the operational mode prior to switching to the charging mode.

Clause 1.6. The method of clause 1.4 or 1.5, wherein at least one of the following vehicle functions is de-rated: heating; heat-pump; heat-recovery system e.g. heat exchanger; ventilation; cooling e.g. air-conditioning; re-generative braking; battery regeneration systems e g. from solar panels; and available power to drive vehicle motors De-rating can include at least one of: switching off; reducing the output; and lowering the level of performance of a vehicle function. De-rating can comprise reducing the charge flow to or from the battery that is associated with the function.

Clause 1.7. The method of any preceding clause, wherein the first operational task comprises a plurality of routes, and controlling the operation of the vehicle comprises using at least one of: route data; and environmental data associated with: the first operational task; and/or the location at which the vehicle is operated in charging mode.

Clause 1.8. The method of any preceding clause, wherein the first operational task has a first stage, wherein operation of the vehicle permits the battery to operate up to the maximum battery temperature; and a second stage, immediately preceding the end of the operational mode, wherein operation of the vehicle ensures the battery temperature is kept at or below the threshold target temperature.

Clause 1.9. The method of any preceding clause, wherein at least one of: the switching time between operational mode and the charging mode is less than 1% of the charging window.

The switching time can be less than 10% of the charging window. The switching time can be between the operational mode and the charging mode and can be less than 1 minute, and preferably within between 10 and 20 minutes.

Clause 1.10. A method of any preceding clause, wherein a plurality of vehicles are controlled for respective first operational tasks, and each vehicle is controllably operated to maintain its battery temperature at or below a threshold target temperature at the end of the operational mode and/or before the charging period; and switching each vehicle to the charging mode after the end of the first operational task and charging, in-turn, each vehicle sharing the use of a common charger, wherein each vehicle achieves a target state of charge required within the charging window. The vehicles can be assigned the same or comparable operational task e.g. carrying passengers or a specified route, although said task is not identical e.g. said routes are different. Clause 1.11. A method of any preceding clause, wherein the method additionally or alternatively controlling the operational battery temperature in the charging mode to improve the operational efficiency of the vehicle in the operational mode.

Clause 1.12. The method of clause 11, wherein the method comprises controlling the operation of the vehicle in the charging mode to regulate the battery temperature by transferring waste heat to at least one of: a vehicle heater, a vehicle component and a thermal storage system, switching to the operational mode following the end of the charging period, wherein at least a portion of the vehicle has been heated by waste heat from the battery during the charging mode.

Clause 1.13. A vehicle, said vehicle having: a battery for powering the vehicle and a battery management system; and a controller, configured to switch the vehicle between at least two modes, said modes comprising an operational mode for movably operating the vehicle, and a charging mode for charging the battery preferably while the vehicle is stationary, wherein the controller is configured to: control the operational battery temperature in the operational mode to improve the operational efficiency of the vehicle in the charging mode; and/or controlling the operational battery temperature in the charging mode to improve the operational efficiency of the vehicle in the operational mode. The charging mode can have a predetermined charging window defined by the time between the end of the first operational task and the start of a second operational task. The second operational task can succeed or otherwise follow-on from the first operational task and the charge window.

Clause 1.14. The vehicle of clause 1.13, wherein the vehicle is configured to: maintain the battery temperature at or below a threshold target temperature at the end of the operational mode for a first operational task; switch to the charging mode at the end of the first operational task and charge the battery to a target state of charge required for a second operational task within a predetermined charging window defined by the time between the end of the first operational task and the start of the second operational task.

Clause 1.15. The vehicle of clause 1.13 or 1.14, wherein the vehicle is configured to de-rate at least one function during the first operational task to achieve a threshold target temperature (T-th) prior to switching to the charging mode.

Clause 1.16. The vehicle of any of clauses 1.13 to 1.15, further comprising a controller having memory configured to retrieve and/or store at least one of: route data, said route data associated with at least the first and second operational task, which has at least one route; and environmental data associated with: the first operational task; and/or the location at which the vehicle is operated in charging mode. Said route data and/or environmental data can be used to control the operation of the vehicle. Clause 1.17. The vehicle of any of clauses 1.13 to 1.16, the vehicle additionally or alternatively controlling the operational battery temperature in the charging mode to improve the operational efficiency of the vehicle in the operational mode, wherein the vehicle preferably is configured to control the operation of the vehicle in the charging mode to regulate the battery temperature by transferring waste heat to at least one of: a vehicle heater, a vehicle component and a thermal storage system, and switching to the operational mode following the end of the charging period, wherein at least a portion of the vehicle has been heated by waste heat from the battery during the charging mode.

The vehicle can additionally or alternatively control the operational battery temperature in the charging mode to improve the operational efficiency of the vehicle in the operational mode, wherein the vehicle preferably is configured to control the operation of the vehicle in the charging mode to regulate the battery temperature by converting electrical energy derived from waste heat to at least one other function of the vehicle.

Clause 1.18. A fleet of vehicles, wherein a plurality of vehicles according to any of clauses 1.13 to 1.17, or vehicles operating according to any of the methods of clauses 1.1 to 1.12, are controllable for respective first operational tasks substantially simultaneously, wherein each vehicle is configured to controllably operate to: maintain its battery temperature at or below a threshold target temperature at the end of the operational mode, each vehicle is chargeable to a target state of charge within the charging window using a common charger; and/or regulate the battery temperature during charging mode by transferring and/or converting waste heat within the vehicle to heat at least a portion of the vehicle with the waste heat after switching to the operational mode following the end of the charging period. The fleet can share a common resource, such as a charging device, and have a common charging window.

Clause 1.19. A vehicle having a computer comprising: a processor; and memory including executable instructions that, as a result of execution by the processor, causes the vehicle to perform any of clauses 1.1 to 1.12.

Clause 1.20. A non-transitory computer-readable storage medium having stored thereon executable instructions that, as a result of being executed by a processor of a computer system, cause the computer system to perform any of clauses 1.1 to 1.12.

General

While several embodiments of the present disclosure have been described and illustrated herein, those of ordinary skill in the art will readily envision a variety of other means and/or structures for performing the functions and/or obtaining the results and/or one or more of the advantages described herein, and each of such variations and/or modifications is deemed to be within the scope of the present disclosure. More generally, those skilled in the art will readily appreciate that all parameters, dimensions, materials, and configurations described herein are meant to be exemplary and that the actual parameters, dimensions, materials, and/or configurations will depend upon the specific application or applications for which the teaching of the present disclosure is/are used. Those skilled in the art will recognize or be able to ascertain using no more than routine experimentation, many equivalents to the specific embodiments of the disclosure described herein. It is, therefore, to be understood that the foregoing embodiments are presented by way of example only and that, within the scope of the appended claims and equivalents thereto, the invention may be practiced otherwise than as specifically described and claimed. The present invention is directed to each individual feature, system, article, material, and/or method described herein. In addition, any combination of two or more such features, systems, articles, materials, and/or methods, if such features, systems, articles, materials, and/or methods are not mutually inconsistent, is included within the scope of the present invention.

The indefinite articles “a” and “an,” as used herein in the specification and in the claims, unless clearly indicated to the contrary, should be understood to mean “at least one.” The phrase “and/or,” as used herein in the specification and in the claims, should be understood to mean “either or both” of the elements so conjoined, i.e., elements that are conjunctively present in some cases and disjunctively present in other cases. Other elements may optionally be present other than the elements specifically identified by the “and/or” clause, whether related or unrelated to those elements specifically identified unless clearly indicated to the contrary. Thus, as a non-limiting example, a reference to “A and/or B,” when used in conjunction with open-ended language such as “comprising” can refer, in one embodiment, to A without B (optionally including elements other than B); in another embodiment, to B without A (optionally including elements other than A); in yet another embodiment, to both A and B (optionally including other elements); etc. As used herein in the specification and in the claims, “or” should be understood to have the same meaning as “and/or” as defined above. For example, when separating items in a list, “or” or “and/or” shall be interpreted as being inclusive, i.e., the inclusion of at least one, but also including more than one of a number or list of elements, and, optionally, additional unlisted items. Only terms clearly indicated to the contrary, such as “only one of’ or “exactly one of,” or, when used in the claims, “consisting of,” will refer to the inclusion of exactly one element of a number or list of elements. In general, the term “or” as used herein shall only be interpreted as indicating exclusive alternatives (i.e. “one or the other but not both”) when preceded by terms of exclusivity, such as “either,” “one of,” “only one of,” or “exactly one of.” “Consisting essentially of,” when used in the claims, shall have its ordinary meaning as used in the field of patent law.

As used herein in the specification and in the claims, the phrase “at least one,” in reference to a list of one or more elements, should be understood to mean at least one element selected from any one or more of the elements in the list of elements, but not necessarily including at least one of each and every element specifically listed within the list of elements and not excluding any combinations of elements in the list of elements. This definition also allows that elements may optionally be present other than the elements specifically identified within the list of elements to which the phrase “at least one” refers, whether related or unrelated to those elements specifically identified. Thus, as a nonlimiting example, “at least one of A and B” (or, equivalently, “at least one of A or B,” or, equivalently “at least one of A and/or B”) can refer, in one embodiment, to at least one, optionally including more than one, A, with no B present (and optionally including elements other than B); in another embodiment, to at least one, optionally including more than one, B, with no A present (and optionally including elements other than A); in yet another embodiment, to at least one, optionally including more than one, A, and at least one, optionally including more than one, B (and optionally including other elements); etc.

In the claims, as well as in the specification above, all transitional phrases such as “comprising,” “including,” “carrying,” “having,” “containing,” “involving,” “holding,” and the like are to be understood to be open-ended, i.e., to mean including but not limited to. Only the transitional phrases “consisting of’ and “consisting essentially of’ shall be closed or semi-closed transitional phrases, respectively, as set forth in the United States Patent Office Manual of Patent Examining Procedures, Section 2111.03. Use of ordinal terms such as “first,” “second,” “third,” etc., in the claims to modify a claim element does not by itself connote any priority, precedence, or order of one claim element over another or the temporal order in which acts of a method are performed, but are used merely as labels to distinguish one claim element having a certain name from another element having a same name (but for use of the ordinal term) to distinguish the claim elements.

The invention also consists in any individual features described or implicit herein or shown or implicit in the drawings or any combination of any such features or any generalisation of any such features or combination.

Claims

1. A method of controlling a vehicle, said vehicle having: a battery for powering the vehicle and a battery management system; and at least two modes, comprising an operational mode for movably operating the vehicle, and a charging mode for charging the battery preferably while the vehicle is stationary, the method comprising: controlling the operational battery temperature in the operational mode to improve the operational efficiency of the vehicle in the charging mode, wherein the charging mode has a predetermined charging window.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein the method comprises: controlling the operation of the vehicle for a first operational task to lower an operational battery temperature at or below a threshold target temperature at the end of the operational mode; and switching to the charging mode following the end of the first operational task for achieving a target state of charge required for a second operational task, wherein the charging mode has a predetermined charging window defined by the time between the end of the first operational task and the start of the second operational task.

3. The method of claim 1 or 2, wherein a threshold target temperature (T-th) is set below an operational thermal limit (T-limit).

4. The method of any preceding claim, wherein the vehicle is de-rated during the first operational task to reduce the operational battery temperature to be at or below the threshold target temperature prior to switching to the charging mode.

5. The method of claim 4, wherein the operational battery temperature is lowered to at least 90%, and preferably at 10%, of the thermal limit (T-limit) during the operational mode prior to switching to the charging mode.

6. The method of claim 4 or 5, wherein at least one of the following vehicle functions is de-rated: heating; heat-pump; heat-recovery system e.g. heat exchanger; ventilation; cooling e.g. air- conditioning; re-generative braking; battery regeneration systems e.g. from solar panels; and available power to drive vehicle motors.

7. The method of any preceding claim, wherein the first operational task comprises a plurality of routes, and controlling the operation of the vehicle comprises using at least one of: route data; and environmental data associated with: the first operational task; and/or the location at which the vehicle is operated in charging mode.

8. The method of any preceding claim, wherein the first operational task has a first stage, wherein operation of the vehicle permits the battery to operate up to the maximum battery temperature; and a second stage, immediately preceding the end of the operational mode, wherein operation of the vehicle ensures the battery temperature is kept at or below the threshold target temperature.

9. The method of any preceding claim, wherein at least one of: the switching time between operational mode and the charging mode is less than 1% of the charging window.

10. A method of any preceding claim, wherein a plurality of vehicles are controlled for respective first operational tasks, and each vehicle is controllably operated to maintain its battery temperature at or below a threshold target temperature at the end of the operational mode and/or before the charging period; and switching each vehicle to the charging mode after the end of the first operational task and charging, in-turn, each vehicle sharing the use of a common charger, wherein each vehicle achieves a target state of charge required within the charging window.

11. A method of any preceding claim, wherein the method additionally or alternatively controlling the operational battery temperature in the charging mode to improve the operational efficiency of the vehicle in the operational mode.

12. The method of claim 11, wherein the method comprises controlling the operation of the vehicle in the charging mode to regulate the battery temperature by transferring waste heat to at least one of: a vehicle heater, a vehicle component and a thermal storage system, switching to the operational mode following the end of the charging period, wherein at least a portion of the vehicle has been heated by waste heat from the battery during the charging mode.

13. A vehicle, said vehicle having: a battery for powering the vehicle and a battery management system; and a controller, configured to switch the vehicle between at least two modes, said modes comprising an operational mode for movably operating the vehicle, and a charging mode for charging the battery preferably while the vehicle is stationary, wherein the controller is configured to: control the operational battery temperature in the operational mode to improve the operational efficiency of the vehicle in the charging mode; and/or controlling the operational battery temperature in the charging mode to improve the operational efficiency of the vehicle in the operational mode, wherein the charging mode has a predetermined charging window defined by the time between the end of the first operational task and the start of the second operational task.

14. The vehicle of claim 13, wherein the vehicle is configured to: maintain the battery temperature at or below a threshold target temperature at the end of the operational mode for a first operational task; switch to the charging mode at the end of the first operational task and charge the battery to a target state of charge required for a second operational task within a predetermined charging window defined by the time between the end of the first operational task and the start of the second operational task.

15. The vehicle of claim 13 or 14, wherein the vehicle is configured to de-rate at least one function during the first operational task to achieve a threshold target temperature (T-th) prior to switching to the charging mode.

16. The vehicle of any of claims 13 to 15, further comprising a controller having memory configured to retrieve and/or store at least one of: route data, said route data associated with at least the first and second operational task, which has at least one route; and environmental data associated with: the first operational task; and/or the location at which the vehicle is operated in charging mode. said route data and/or environmental data used to control the operation of the vehicle.

17. The vehicle of any of claims 13 to 16, the vehicle additionally or alternatively controlling the operational battery temperature in the charging mode to improve the operational efficiency of the vehicle in the operational mode, wherein the vehicle preferably is configured to. control the operation of the vehicle in the charging mode to regulate the battery temperature by transferring waste heat to at least one of: a vehicle heater, a vehicle component and a thermal storage system, and switch to the operational mode following the end of the charging period, wherein at least a portion of the vehicle has been heated by waste heat from the battery during the charging mode.

18. A fleet of vehicles, wherein a plurality of vehicles according to any of claims 13 to 17 are controllable for respective first operational tasks substantially simultaneously, wherein each vehicle is configured to controllably operate to: maintain its battery temperature at or below a threshold target temperature at the end of the operational mode, each vehicle is chargeable to a target state of charge within the charging window using a common charger; and/or regulate the battery temperature during charging mode by transferring and/or converting waste heat within the vehicle to heat at least a portion of the vehicle with the waste heat after switching to the operational mode following the end of the charging period, wherein the plurality of vehicles share a common resource, such as a charging device, and have a common charging window.

19. A vehicle having a computer comprising: a processor; and memory including executable instructions that, as a result of execution by the processor, causes the vehicle to perform the method of any of claims 1 to 12.

20. A non-transitory computer-readable storage medium having stored thereon executable instructions that, as a result of being executed by a processor of a computer system, cause the computer system to perform the method of any of claims 1 to 12.