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A propulsion system for a vehicle is provided. The propulsion system includes a first traction drive system and a second traction drive system. The first traction drive system includes a heat engine and a first drive motor. The heat engine supplies energy to the first drive motor to propel the vehic

A propulsion system for a vehicle is provided. The propulsion system includes a first traction drive system and a second traction drive system. The first traction drive system includes a heat engine and a first drive motor. The heat engine supplies energy to the first drive motor to propel the vehicle. The second traction drive system includes a second drive motor and a first energy storage device. The second drive motor both supplies energy to the first energy storage device and receives energy from the first energy storage device. Also provided is a propulsion system for a vehicle that includes the first traction drive system and a propulsion means for supplying energy to a first energy storage device and for receiving energy from the first energy storage device.

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The invention claimed is: 1. A propulsion system for a vehicle, comprising: a first traction drive system coupled to an engine and comprising a first drive motor, wherein the engine is operable to supply energy to the first drive motor to propel the vehicle; and a second traction drive system compr

The invention claimed is: 1. A propulsion system for a vehicle, comprising: a first traction drive system coupled to an engine and comprising a first drive motor, wherein the engine is operable to supply energy to the first drive motor to propel the vehicle; and a second traction drive system comprising a second drive motor and a first energy storage device, wherein the second drive motor is operable to both supply energy to the first energy storage device and to receive energy from the first energy storage device, wherein the first drive motor is electrically coupled to only the first traction drive system. 2. The system as defined in claim 1, further comprising a third traction drive system comprising a third drive motor and a second energy storage device, wherein the third drive motor is operable to both supply energy to the second energy storage device and to receive energy from the second energy storage device. 3. The system as defined in claim 2, wherein at least one of the second traction drive system or the third traction drive system is reversibly electrically decoupled from the first traction drive system. 4. The system as defined in claim 1, wherein the first traction drive system further comprises a dynamic brake resistor grid. 5. The system as defined in claim 1, wherein the first energy storage device has a first portion and a second portion, and the first portion and the second portion are switchable from a first operating mode in which the first portion and the second portion are electrically connected in parallel, and a second operating mode in which the first portion and the second portion are electrically connected in serial. 6. The system as defined in claim 1, further comprising a temperature control system capable of affecting a temperature in the first energy storage device. 7. The system as defined in claim 6, wherein the first energy storage device comprises a first portion and a second portion, both of which are disposed in a common housing, and the common housing is in operational association with the temperature control system. 8. The system as defined in claim 7, wherein the temperature control system comprises at least one temperature sensor, at least one temperature control device, and a thaw controller that communicates with the sensor and controls the thermal source to change or maintain the environment inside the common housing. 9. The system as defined in claim 6, wherein the first energy storage device comprises a first portion and a second portion, and the first portion and the second portion are disposed in a respective first housing and second housing, and each of the first housing and the second housing is in operational association with the temperature control system. 10. The system as defined in claim 9, wherein the temperature control system comprises at least one temperature sensor in each of the first housing and the second housing, at least one thermal source in each of the first housing and the second housing, and a thaw controller that communicates with each sensor and controls each thermal source to change or maintain an environment inside at least a respective one of the first housing and the second housing. 11. The system as defined in claim 10, wherein the thaw controller is operable to initiate a thaw process by controlling the thermal source to increase a local environment temperature up to and within an operating temperature range based on determined heat ramp rates. 12. The system as defined in claim 10, wherein the thaw controller is operable to initiate a cooling process to control the thermal source to decrease a local environment temperature down to and within an operating temperature range. 13. The system as defined in claim 10, wherein the environment has an operating temperature range of from about 260 degrees Celsius to about 400 degrees Celsius. 14. The system as defined in claim 1, wherein the first energy storage device comprises a plurality of electrically coupled batteries. 15. The system as defined in claim 14, wherein the first energy storage device comprises an energy battery that has an energy to power ratio that is greater than about 0.5:1. 16. The system as defined in claim 15, wherein the energy battery comprises a metal halide energy storage device. 17. The system as defined in claim 15, wherein the first energy storage device further comprises a lithium battery, a nickel metal hydride battery, a flywheel, or an ultracapacitor. 18. The system as defined in claim 1, further comprising an auxiliary electrical system that is electrically connected to the first energy storage device. 19. The system as defined in claim 18, wherein the auxiliary electrical system is operable to supplement a prime auxiliary electrical system by supplying electrical energy to the prime auxiliary electrical system. 20. The system as defined in claim 19, wherein the auxiliary electrical system is operable to supplement the prime auxiliary electrical system by supplying electrical energy to some subcomponents, and the prime auxiliary electrical system supplies electrical energy to other subcomponents. 21. The system as defined in claim 18, wherein the auxiliary electrical system has a plurality of modes of operation, such modes comprising: the second drive motor or third drive motor supplies energy to the respective first or second energy storage devices, or the engine is in a shut-off mode, or the engine is operating in a mode of reduced power or reduced emissions in an environmentally sensitive region, and during such modes of operation the auxiliary electrical system supplies electrical energy to some electrical subcomponents, and the prime auxiliary electrical system supplies electrical energy to other electrical subcomponents, and the system further comprises: a controller that is operable to switch the mode of operation of the auxiliary electrical system. 22. The system as defined in claim 2, wherein the first energy storage device differs from the second energy storage device. 23. The system as defined in claim 2, wherein the first energy storage device is the same as the second energy storage device. 24. A propulsion system for a vehicle, comprising: a first traction drive system coupled to an engine and comprising a first drive motor, wherein the engine is operable to supply energy to the first drive motor to propel the vehicle; and a second traction drive system comprising a second drive motor and a first energy storage device, wherein the second drive motor is operable to both supply energy to the first energy storage device and to receive energy from the first energy storage device, wherein the first traction drive system operates at a first voltage that is a different voltage than a second voltage at which at least a portion of the second traction drive system operates. 25. The system as defined in claim 24, wherein the first voltage is variable, and wherein the second voltage is less than the first voltage. 26. The system as defined in claim 25, wherein the first voltage is variable in a range of from about 200 volts to about 350 volts. 27. The system as defined in claim 25, wherein the first voltage is variable in a range of from about 800 volts to about 1500 volts. 28. The system as defined in claim 25, wherein the first voltage is variable in a range of from about 1500 volts to about 3000 volts. 29. The system as defined in claim 24, wherein the first energy storage device has a first portion and a second portion, and the first portion and the second portion are electrically connected in parallel, and together the first portion and the second portion generate the second voltage, which is a lower voltage than the first voltage. 30. The system as defined in claim 24, wherein the system can propel the vehicle at relatively lower speed, at relatively higher torque, or a combination of relatively higher torque and lower speed, by using the second traction drive system alone or in combination with the first traction drive system, and the system can propel the vehicle at relatively lower torque or relatively higher speed by using at least the first traction drive system. 31. The system as defined in claim 24, wherein the first energy storage device has a first portion and a second portion, and the first portion and the second portion are electrically connected in serial, and each of the first portion and the second portion generate the second voltage that is a lower voltage than the first voltage and together the first portion and the second portion generate a voltage that is about the same as the first voltage. 32. A propulsion system for a vehicle, comprising: a first traction drive system comprising an engine and a first drive motor, wherein the engine is operable to supply energy to the first drive motor to propel the vehicle; and a propulsion means for supplying energy to a first energy storage device and for receiving energy from the first energy storage device, wherein the propulsion means is electrically coupled to the first traction drive system. 33. The system as defined in claim 32, wherein the propulsion means is electrically decoupled from the first traction drive system, and is mechanically indirectly coupled to the first traction drive system by regeneratively capturing energy during braking and converting the regeneratively captured energy into electricity to supply electrical energy to the first energy storage device, and optionally, the first energy storage device is coupled to a serial/parallel switch. 34. The system as defined in claim 32, further comprising a second propulsion means for supplying energy to a second energy storage device and for receiving energy from the second energy storage device. 35. The system as defined in claim 32, wherein the engine is coupled to a generator to supply energy to the first drive motor to propel the vehicle.