Gen2/Motor Controller/Feature Usage
From Unofficial Zero Manual
< Gen2 | Motor Controller
This describes how the Sevcon controller's features are used on Zero models.
- Throttle
- Sevcon provides the throttle with two mappings:
- Mapping voltage to value in the first place (separately for forward and reverse)
- An "input characteristic" profile which has linear, curved, crawl, and user-defined segmented options.
- The controller also supports:
- Control modes targeting speed (used through 2012) versus torque (used in 2013+).
- The control mode translates the throttle signal into motor operation, so it makes the throttle target a speed or a level of torque.
- Dual throttle inputs.
- Regen proportional to the throttle.
- Directional throttle.
- Speed limit proportional to throttle.
- Reverse speed limit.
- Control modes targeting speed (used through 2012) versus torque (used in 2013+).
- Regen
- The Sevcon controller manual refers to regen as braking, and has a number of recommendations and features disabled to help prevent wheel lockup for "on-highway applications".
- Braking
- The Sevcon can also apply reverse torque as braking or a reverse gear, and supports separate speed and torque limits while the motor is rotating in reverse, very important if used on a Zero since motorcycles are unstable when reversed so must operate within human walking speeds.
- OEM Programming
- Zero programs the Sevcon controller for their needs, above and beyond DOT, NHTSA, and EU vehicle manufacturing standards.
- Some of this is a bunch of settings and some of this seems to be a custom version of the firmware code.
- The new IPM motor may have demanded further customization than previous models, where custom firmware code is particularly relevant.
- Settings can be changed and restored, but not code without some OEM-supported technical assistance.
