Vehicle drive system

Claim 1

A drive system for a vehicle having at least one drive wheel and means for producing a signal for controlling the speed of rotation of said drive wheel, having: an electric motor mechanically coupled to said drive wheel; a rechargeable electric energy accumulator; an internal combustion engine; an electric energy generator mechanically coupled to said internal combustion engine; electric energy transfer means electrically connected to said electric motor, to said generator and to said accumulator to cause a first electric energy flux to pass between said accumulator and said electric motor, a second electric energy flux to pass between said generator and said electric motor, and a third electric energy flux to pass between said generator and said accumulator; and means to produce a first measurement signal representative of the amount of electric energy stored in said accumulator; wherein said electric energy transfer means have: first regulating means to regulate the intensity of said first and of said second electric energy flux in response to a first regulating signal; and second regulating means to regulate the intensity of said second and of said third electric energy flux in response to a second regulating signal; and wherein said system also has: means to produce a second measurement signal representative of the electric power transmitted by said first and said second electric energy flux; means to produce a third measurement signal representative of the electric power transmitted by said second and said third electric energy flux; and a control circuit arranged so as to produce said first regulating signal as a function of said speed controlling signal and to produce said second regulating signal as a function of the difference between said third and said second measurement signal.