Low-floor electric vehicle

• US 10,505,164 B2
• Filed: 05/08/2017
• Issued: 12/10/2019
• Est. Priority Date: 06/27/2008
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Proterra Operating Co., Inc.
• Original Assignee: Proterra AG
• Inventors: Hill, Dale, Walker, Michael, Onorato, Shaun, Morris, Donald, Misencik, Stephen, Winkel, John
• Primary Examiner(s): Phan, Hau V
• Application Number:
  US15/589,170
• Publication Number:
  US 20180006283A1
• Time in Patent Office: 946 Days
• CPC Class Codes: B60K 1/04 of the electric storage means for propulsion exchanging batteries for electric propulsion of vehicles B60L53/80; for auxiliary purposes only B60R16/04; supplying batteries to, or removing batteries from, vehicles B60S5/06
• CPC Class Codes: B60K 2001/0438 Arrangement under the floor
• CPC Class Codes: B60K 6/20 the prime-movers consisting of electric motors and internal combustion engines, e.g. HEVs
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 2200/18 Buses
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 2200/26 Rail vehicles
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 2200/28 Trailers
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 2270/40 related to technical updates when adding new parts or software
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 3/0046 relating to electric energy storage systems, e.g. batteries or capacitors
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 50/62 charged by low-power generators primarily intended to support the batteries, e.g. range extenders
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 50/64 Constructional details of batteries specially adapted for electric vehicles
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 50/66 Arrangements of batteries
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 53/11 DC charging controlled by the charging station, e.g. mode 4
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 58/12 responding to state of charge [SoC]
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 58/18 of two or more battery modules
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 58/21 having the same nominal voltage
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 58/26 by cooling
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 16/04 Arrangement of batteries
• CPC Class Codes: B60W 10/24 including control of energy storage means
• CPC Class Codes: B60Y 2200/14 Trucks; Load vehicles, Busses
• CPC Class Codes: B60Y 2200/1432 Low floor busses
• CPC Class Codes: B60Y 2200/15 : Fork lift trucks, Industrial trucks
• CPC Class Codes: B62D 29/00 : Superstructures, understructures, or sub-units thereof, characterised by the material thereof B62D33/044, B62D33/048 take precedence
• CPC Class Codes: B62D 29/02 : predominantly of wood
• CPC Class Codes: B62D 47/02 : for large numbers of passengers, e.g. omnibus
• CPC Class Codes: H01M 10/052 : Li-accumulators
• CPC Class Codes: H01M 10/42 : Methods or arrangements for servicing or maintenance of secondary cells or secondary half-cells H01M10/60 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: H01M 10/4207 : for several batteries or cells simultaneously or sequentially
• CPC Class Codes: H01M 10/613 : Cooling or keeping cold
• CPC Class Codes: H01M 2010/4271 : Battery management systems including electronic circuits, e.g. control of current or voltage to keep battery in healthy state, cell balancing
• CPC Class Codes: H01M 2220/20 : Batteries in motive systems, e.g. vehicle, ship, plane
• CPC Class Codes: H01M 4/485 : of mixed oxides or hydroxides for inserting or intercalating light metals, e.g. LiTi2O4 or LiTi2OxFy H01M4/505, H01M4/525 take precedence
• CPC Class Codes: H01M 50/209 : adapted for prismatic or rectangular cells H01M50/216 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: H01M 50/24 : adapted for protecting batteries from their environment, e.g. from corrosion thermal insulation H01M10/658
• CPC Class Codes: H01M 50/249 : specially adapted for aircraft or vehicles, e.g. cars or trains constructional details of batteries specially adapted for electric vehicles B60L50/64
• CPC Class Codes: H01M 50/509 : characterised by the type of connection, e.g. mixed connections
• CPC Class Codes: H01M 50/516 : by welding, soldering or brazing
• CPC Class Codes: Y02E 60/10 : Energy storage using batteries
• CPC Class Codes: Y02P 70/50 : Manufacturing or production processes characterised by the final manufactured product
• CPC Class Codes: Y02T 10/62 : Hybrid vehicles
• CPC Class Codes: Y02T 10/70 : Energy storage systems for electromobility, e.g. batteries
• CPC Class Codes: Y02T 10/7072 : Electromobility specific charging systems or methods for batteries, ultracapacitors, supercapacitors or double-layer capacitors
• CPC Class Codes: Y02T 90/12 : Electric charging stations
• CPC Class Codes: Y02T 90/14 : Plug-in electric vehicles

Abstract

The invention provides for a high occupancy or heavy-duty vehicle with a battery propulsion power source, which may include lithium titanate batteries. The vehicle may be all-battery or may be a hybrid, and may have a composite body. The vehicle battery system may be housed within the floor of the vehicle and may have different groupings and arrangements.

Claims

1. A low-floor electric bus comprising:

a body;

a floor; and

a plurality of battery packs mounted under the floor of the low-floor electric bus such that (a) one or more of the plurality of battery packs form exposed surfaces of an underside of the low-floor electric bus and (b) between a front axle and a rear axle of the bus, the floor inside the bus under passenger seats is substantially level with the floor not under the passenger seats, wherein each battery pack of the plurality of battery packs includes a cooling plate adapted to cool the battery pack.

2. The low-floor electric bus of claim 1, wherein each battery pack of the plurality of packs has a height of 8 inches or less.

3. The low-floor electric bus of claim 2, wherein each battery pack of the plurality of battery packs has a height of 6.75 inches or less.

4. The low-floor electric bus of claim 1, wherein each battery pack of the plurality of battery packs includes a box that encloses contents of the battery pack.

5. The low-floor electric bus of claim 1, wherein each battery pack of the plurality of battery packs includes multiple battery modules, and each battery module includes multiple battery cells.

6. The low-floor electric bus of claim 1, wherein each battery pack of the plurality of battery packs is positioned in a cavity under the floor.

7. The low-floor electric bus of claim 1, wherein the plurality of battery packs includes a plurality of lithium titanate battery packs.

8. The low-floor electric bus of claim 1, wherein the cooling plate is adapted to cool the battery pack using active cooling.

9. The low-floor electric bus of claim 1, wherein the cooling plate is adapted to circulate a fluid therethrough.

10. The low-floor electric bus of claim 1, further including a thermal shield on a side of the plurality of battery packs opposite the floor.

11. A low-floor electric bus, comprising:

a body;

a floor; and

a plurality of battery packs positioned under the floor of the low-floor electric bus such that the floor has a low-floor configuration, wherein the floor inside the bus between a front axle and a rear axle is substantially flat and one or more of the plurality of battery packs form exposed surfaces of an underside of the low-floor electric bus, and wherein each battery pack of the plurality of battery packs is fluidly coupled to a cooling system of the bus.

12. The low-floor electric bus of claim 11, wherein the plurality of battery pack include one or more lithium titanate battery packs.

13. The low-floor electric bus of claim 12, wherein the plurality of battery packs include at least one battery pack having a chemistry different from the one or more lithium titanate battery packs.

14. The low-floor electric bus of claim 12, wherein each battery pack of the one or more lithium titanate battery packs has a height of 8 inches or less.

15. The low-floor electric bus of claim 11, wherein each battery pack of the plurality of battery packs includes multiple battery modules, and each battery module includes multiple battery cells.

16. The low-floor electric bus of claim 11, wherein the one or more cavities permit mounting of the plurality of battery packs into the one or more cavities from below an underside of the low-floor electric bus.

17. A low-floor electric bus, comprising:

a body;

a drive motor;

a bus cooling system;

a floor; and

a battery power source configured to provide power to the drive motor, the battery power source including a plurality of battery packs under the floor of the low-floor electric bus such that the floor inside the bus in an area that extends the width of the bus between a front axle and a rear axle is substantially flat and one or more of the plurality of battery packs form exposed surfaces of an underside of the low-floor electric bus, wherein each battery pack of the plurality of battery packs is fluidly coupled to the bus cooling system.

18. The low-floor electric bus of claim 17, wherein each battery pack of the plurality of battery packs have a height of 8 inches or less.

19. The low-floor electric bus of claim 17, wherein each battery pack of the plurality of battery packs is mounted in a cavity formed under the floor.

20. The low-floor electric bus of claim 17, wherein the plurality of battery packs includes one or more lithium titanate battery packs.