Battery System, Hybrid Drive: Description and Operation

Plug-In Charging System Description and Operation

Plug-In Charging System components

The high voltage battery charging system consists of four main components: The drive motor battery charger cable, the vehicle charge port (including receptacle), the battery charger, and the drive motor battery, sometimes called the hybrid/EV battery pack. A variety of mechanical, visual and audio indicators / devices are used to communicate / interface with the customer or other user of the charging equipment.

Drive Motor Battery Charger Equipment

The drive motor battery charger cable provided with the vehicle features a standard household electrical plug on one end and a plug designed to interface with the vehicle charge port receptacle on the other end. The drive motor battery charger cable features a charge current interrupt device with AC power, fault and missing ground indicators, and it is stored beneath the vehicle's load floor. An optional charge station may be available to some customers who want to reduce the amount of time needed to recharge the high voltage battery. The optional charge station, if available, is hard-wired to a 230/240 V power supply and mounted to the wall in the customer's garage, and features the same plug on the vehicle end as the drive motor battery charger cable.

The Drive Motor Battery Charger Cable Indicators and the Vehicle Indicators

The drive motor battery charger cable has two indicators, the AC Present Indicator and the Fault Indicator. The AC Present Indicator becomes solid green when AC voltage is present at the wall plug. A flashing red AC Present Indicator means the AC voltage is out of range. Flashing red AC Present Indicator and Fault Indicator means the AC outlet does not have a proper safety ground and charging is not permitted for safety reasons. The Fault Indicator becomes solid red for a current trip or failed self check.

The battery charger is supervised and controlled by the hybrid/EV powertrain control module 2. The hybrid/EV powertrain control module 2 is the primary controller, and all diagnostic trouble codes will set in that module even though some of the diagnostics are actually run within the battery charger. Charging events can be delayed at customer request to take advantage of lower rates during non-peak hours. The status of charging events, including delays, is communicated to the user through visual indications (instrument panel mounted charge status indicator) and audio tones (charge status enunciator). The vehicle charge status indicator, located on the top middle of the instrument panel, will be solid green when the vehicle is charging under automatic control. It will have a fast flash green if the charging is delayed and will begin later. It will have a slow flash green when charging is complete. A solid yellow indicator means the vehicle is not able to accept a charge. If there is no indicator, the drive motor battery charger cable is not working properly or not connected.

Vehicle Receptacle

The vehicle receptacle is located behind the charging port door on the driver's side front fender. The receptacle is accessed by depressing a switch located on the inside of the driver's door.

Battery Charger

The drive motor battery charger is a serviceable assembly containing several micro-processors, two separate high voltage chargers and a single low voltage charger. It is mounted behind the passenger's side headlamp assembly, is programmable, and communicates via serial data. Engine coolant is used to ensure that the charger does not exceed its maximum designed operating temperature. The low voltage charger is used to ensure that the 12 V battery does not become depleted during a charge event, while one of the high voltage chargers is used with a 120 V charge source and both are used with a 230/240 V charge source.