ELECTRIC VEHICLE

• US 20100314182A1
• Filed: 06/15/2010
• Published: 12/16/2010
• Est. Priority Date: 06/15/2009
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Polaris Industries Incorporated (Polaris Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Polaris Industries Incorporated (Polaris Inc.)
• Inventors: Maki, Richard R., Olsen, Russ G., Leonard, Josh J., Crain, Stephen G., Notaro, Joel M.
• Granted Patent: US 8,256,549 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 180/60
• 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 17/346 the transfer gear being a differential gear
• CPC Class Codes: B60K 17/356 having fluid or electric motor, for driving one or more wheels disposition of motor in, or adjacent to, traction wheel B60K7/00
• CPC Class Codes: B60K 6/52 Driving a plurality of drive axles, e.g. four-wheel drive
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 2200/22 Microcars, e.g. golf cars
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 2210/12 Buck converters
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 2240/12 Speed
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 2240/36 Temperature of vehicle components or parts
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 2240/423 Torque
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 2240/425 Temperature
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 2260/28 Four wheel or all wheel drive
• 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 50/66 Arrangements of batteries
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 53/18 Cables specially adapted for charging electric vehicles
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 58/20 having different nominal voltages
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 58/21 having the same nominal voltage
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 7/12 for vehicles propelled by dc motors
• CPC Class Codes: Y02T 10/62 Hybrid vehicles
• CPC Class Codes: Y02T 10/64 Electric machine technologies in electromobility
• 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 10/72 : Electric energy management in electromobility
• CPC Class Codes: Y02T 90/12 : Electric charging stations
• CPC Class Codes: Y02T 90/14 : Plug-in electric vehicles

Abstract

A utility vehicle is disclosed having an electric drive. The drivetrain is comprised of batteries, a motor, a transaxle driven by the motor, a rear differential driven by the transaxle, and a prop shaft which is driven by the transaxle and drives a front differential. The batteries are provided in two groups and are supported on the frame of the vehicle.

Claims

1. An electric vehicle, comprising:

a frame;

a plurality of ground engaging members supporting the frame;

an electric motor supported by the frame and operatively coupled to at least one of the plurality of ground engaging members to propel the vehicle;

a battery supply supported by the frame, the battery supply being operatively coupled to the electric motor; and

a plurality of chargers supported by the frame operatively coupled to the battery supply to charge the battery supply, the plurality of chargers being coupled to the battery supply in parallel.

2. The electric vehicle of claim 1, further comprising

an electronic controller operatively coupled to the electric motor to control operation of the electric motor;

and

an operator area supported by the frame, the operator area including seating and operator controls, at least a first operator control providing an input to the electronic controller regarding a desired speed of the electric vehicle.

3. The electric vehicle of claim 2, wherein the plurality of chargers are positioned forward of a front plane of the seating and the electric motor is positioned rearward of the front plane of the seating.

4. The electric vehicle of claim 3, wherein the battery supply is positioned generally under the seating.

5. The electric vehicle of claim 4, further comprising

a first differential supported by the frame rearward of the front plane of the seating and operatively coupled to at least a first ground engaging member which is rearward of the front plane of the seating, the electric motor being operatively coupled to the first differential;

a second differential supported by the frame forward of the front plane of the seating and operatively coupled to at least a second ground engaging member which is forward of the front plane of the seating, the electric motor being operatively coupled to the second differential; and

a prop shaft coupling the electric motor to the second differential, wherein the battery supply is divided into a plurality of battery groups leaving at least one longitudinal opening therebetween, the prop shaft extending through the longitudinal opening.

6. The electric vehicle of claim 2, further comprising a cargo carrying portion positioned rearward of a front plane of the seating and a generator supported by the cargo carrying portion and electrically coupled to at least one of the plurality of chargers.

7. The electric vehicle of claim 6, wherein the generator is removably coupled to the cargo carrying portion through at least one expansion retainer.

8. The electric vehicle of claim 6, wherein the cargo carrying portion is a cargo bed and an electrical cable which couples the generator to the at least one of the plurality of chargers is routed between the operator area and the cargo bed.

9. The electric vehicle of claim 1, wherein the plurality of chargers are coupled to a common connector which is adapted to be coupled to a charging cable.

10. A method of charging a battery supply of an electric vehicle, the method comprising the steps of:

providing at least a first charger and a second charger on board the electric vehicle operatively coupled to the battery supply;

connecting a power source to the first charger and the second charger; and

charging the battery supply with both the first charger and the second charger when the power source is a first type of power source and with only one of the first charger and the second charger when the power source is a second type of power source.

11. The method of claim 10, wherein the first charger and the second charger are coupled to the battery supply in parallel.

12. The method of claim 10, wherein the step of connecting the power source to the first charger and the second charger includes the steps of:

connecting the first charger to the power source through a first connection; and

connecting the second charger to the power source through a second connection which is independent of the first connection.

13. The method of claim 10, further comprising the steps of

connecting the first charger and the second charger to a first connector;

coupling a second connector of a charging cable to the first connector, the first connector and the second connector cooperating to identify the power source as one of first type of power source and the second type of power source.

14. The method of claim 13, wherein the first type of power source is a 120 volt, 15 ampere power source and the second type of power source is one of a 120 volt, 30 ampere power source and a 240 volt power source.

15. The method of claim 13, wherein the charging cable includes a third connector which is accessible through a storage compartment of an operator area of the electric vehicle, the charging cable being carried by the electric vehicle.

16. The method of claim 15, further comprising the steps of

coupling the third connector of the charging cable to an extension cord;

and

coupling the extension cord to a standard outlet.

17. An electric vehicle which is charged with a power source, the electric vehicle comprising:

a frame;

a plurality of ground engaging members supporting the frame;

an electric motor supported by the frame and operatively coupled to at least one of the plurality of ground engaging members to propel the vehicle;

a battery supply supported by the frame, the battery supply being operatively coupled to the electric motor; and

a plurality of chargers supported by the frame operatively coupled to the battery supply to charge the battery supply, the plurality of chargers including a first charger and a second charger which are coupled to a first connector adapted to be coupled to the power source;

the battery supply being charged with both the first charger and the second charger when the power source is a first type of power source and with only one of the first charger and the second charger when the power source is a second type of power source.

18. The electric vehicle of claim 17, wherein a charging cable having a second connector is coupled to the first connector, the charging cable receiving power from the power source.

19. The electric vehicle of claim 18, wherein the first connector and the second connector cooperate to identify whether to charge the battery supply with both the first charger and the second charger or only one of the first charger and the second charger.

20. The electric vehicle of claim 19, further comprising

an electronic controller operatively coupled to the electric motor to control operation of the electric motor;

an operator area supported by the frame, the operator area including seating and operator controls, at least a first operator control providing an input to the electronic controller regarding a desired speed of the electric vehicle;

a first differential supported by the frame rearward of a front plane of the seating and operatively coupled to at least a first ground engaging member which is rearward of the front plane of the seating, the electric motor being operatively coupled to the first differential;

a second differential supported by the frame forward of the front plane of the seating and operatively coupled to at least a second ground engaging member which is forward of the front plane of the seating, the electric motor being operatively coupled to the second differential; and

a prop shaft coupling the electric motor to the second differential, wherein the battery supply is divided into a plurality of battery groups leaving at least one longitudinal opening therebetween, the prop shaft extending through the longitudinal opening, the plurality of chargers are positioned forward of the front plane of the seating, the electric motor is positioned rearward of the front plane of the seating, and the battery supply is positioned generally under the seating.