Hybrid utility vehicle

Abstract

A hybrid driveline assembly for a vehicle includes an engine, an electric motor, and a transmission having an input and an output. The transmission input is selectively coupled to the engine and electric motor. The transmission is shiftable between a plurality of drive modes. The driveline assembly further includes a final drive assembly operably coupled to the transmission output. The final drive assembly has a front final drive operably coupled to a rear final drive.

What is claimed is: 
     
         1 . A hybrid driveline assembly for a vehicle, comprising:
 an engine;   an electric motor;   a transmission having an input and an output, the transmission input being selectively coupled to the engine and electric motor, and the transmission including a shiftable gearbox operably coupled to the engine, the transmission configurable between a plurality of drive modes; and   a final drive assembly operably coupled to the transmission output, the final drive assembly having a front final drive operably coupled to a rear final drive.   
     
     
         2 . The hybrid driveline assembly of  claim 1 , wherein the electric motor is directly coupled to the transmission input. 
     
     
         3 . The hybrid driveline assembly of  claim 1 , further comprising a continuously variable transmission operably coupled to the engine and the transmission input. 
     
     
         4 . The hybrid driveline assembly of  claim 1 , wherein, in a first drive mode of the plurality of drive modes, the transmission is configured to selectively couple the electric motor to the transmission output and selectively decouple the engine from the transmission output. 
     
     
         5 . The hybrid driveline assembly of  claim 4 , wherein the first drive mode is a silent drive mode and the transmission is configured to receive torque from the electric motor and to provide torque to the rear final drive. 
     
     
         6 . The hybrid driveline assembly of  claim 4 , wherein, in a second drive mode of the plurality of drive modes, the transmission is configured to selectively couple the electric motor to the transmission output and selectively couple the engine to the transmission output. 
     
     
         7 . The hybrid driveline assembly of  claim 6 , wherein the second drive mode is a full performance mode and the transmission is configured to receive torque from the engine and the electric motor and to provide torque to the rear final drive. 
     
     
         8 . The hybrid driveline assembly of  claim 1 , wherein, in a first drive mode of the plurality of drive modes, the transmission is configured to selectively couple the electric motor to the transmission input and to selectively couple the engine to the transmission input. 
     
     
         9 . The hybrid driveline assembly of  claim 8 , wherein in the first drive mode is a charge-and-drive mode and the transmission is configured to provide torque to the electric motor. 
     
     
         10 . The hybrid driveline assembly of  claim 9 , wherein, upon deceleration, the front final drive is configured to provide torque to the rear final drive and the rear final drive is configured to provide torque to the transmission. 
     
     
         11 . The hybrid driveline assembly of  claim 1 , wherein the final drive assembly further includes a prop shaft operatively coupling the front and rear final drives and configured to transfer torque between the front and rear final drives. 
     
     
         12 . The hybrid driveline assembly of  claim 11 , wherein a bidirectional clutch is located intermediate the prop shaft and the front final drive. 
     
     
         13 . The hybrid driveline assembly of  claim 1 , wherein at least the engine is supported in a rear portion of the vehicle. 
     
     
         14 . A hybrid transmission system for a vehicle, comprising:
 an engine;   an electric motor;   a first final drive;   a second final drive configured to transfer torque to the first final drive; and   a transmission comprising:
 a first transmission portion operably coupled to the engine and configured to transfer torque from the engine; 
 a second transmission portion operably coupled to the electric motor and configured to transfer torque from the electric motor; and 
 a third transmission portion operably coupled to the first final drive and the second final drive, the third transmission portion configured to be selectively drivingly coupled to and decoupled from at least one of the first transmission portion and the second transmission portion. 
   
     
     
         15 . The hybrid transmission system of  claim 14 , wherein the third transmission portion is configured to be selectively drivingly coupled to and decoupled from the first transmission portion. 
     
     
         16 . The hybrid transmission system of  claim 14 , wherein the third transmission portion is configured to be selectively drivingly coupled to and decoupled from the second transmission portion. 
     
     
         17 . The hybrid transmission system of  claim 14 , wherein the first and second transmission portions define an input of the transmission and the third transmission portion defines an output of the transmission. 
     
     
         18 . The hybrid transmission system of  claim 14 , wherein the third transmission portion is configured to be selectively drivingly coupled to the second transmission portion in a first drive mode. 
     
     
         19 . The hybrid transmission system of  claim 18 , wherein the first drive mode is one of a silent drive mode where the second transmission portion is configured to provide torque to the third transmission portion and a charge-and-drive mode where the third transmission portion is configured to provide torque to the second transmission portion. 
     
     
         20 . The hybrid transmission system of  claim 18 , wherein the third transmission portion is selectively decoupled from the first transmission portion in the first drive mode. 
     
     
         21 . The hybrid transmission system of  claim 18 , wherein the third transmission portion is configured to be selectively coupled to the first transmission portion and the second transmission portion in a second drive mode. 
     
     
         22 . The hybrid transmission system of  claim 21 , wherein the second drive mode is a full performance mode and the third transmission portion is configured to receive torque from the first transmission portion and the second transmission portion and to provide torque to the second final drive. 
     
     
         23 - 28 . (canceled) 
     
     
         29 . The hybrid transmission system of  claim 14 , further comprising a gear box coupled to the engine. 
     
     
         30 . The hybrid transmission system of  claim 14 , wherein the first final drive is a front final drive and the second final drive is a rear final drive. 
     
     
         31 . The hybrid transmission system of  claim 14 , wherein the third transmission portion is operably coupled to the first final drive via the second final drive.