SYSTEM AND METHOD FOR CONTROLLING AN ELECTRIC MACHINE FOR A VEHICLE

Embodiments of the present invention provide an electric machine control system for a vehicle, the electric machine control system comprising one or more controllers, wherein the vehicle comprises an electric machine arranged to be selectively coupleable to provide torque to at least one wheel of an axle of the vehicle, the control system comprising input means to receive a speed signal indicative of a speed of the vehicle, processing means arranged to determine a desired coupling state () of the electric machine to the at least one wheel of the axle in dependence on the speed signal, wherein the processing means is arranged to determine the desired coupling state as coupled in dependence on the speed signal being indicative of a vehicle speed equal to or below a first low-speed threshold () and to determine the desired coupling state as no-request in dependence on the speed signal being indicative of a vehicle speed above a second low-speed threshold (), wherein the second low-speed threshold represents a vehicle speed greater than the first low-speed threshold, and output means arranged to output a coupling signal indicative of a request to couple the electric machine to the at least one wheel of the axle in dependence on the desired coupling state being coupled.