ELECTRIC VEHICLE

• US 20100314184A1
• Filed: 06/15/2009
• 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: Olsen, Russ G., Leonard, Josh J., Notaro, Joel M., Sabourin, Dennis P., Stenberg, Kurt E., Crain, Stephen G.
• Granted Patent: US 9,162,558 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 180/65.6
• 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 having first and second ends and a seat supporting portion therebetween;

a plurality of ground engaging members supporting the frame;

a plurality of batteries supported by the frame intermediate the first and second ends and divided into a plurality of groups of batteries leaving at least one longitudinal opening therebetween;

an electronic controller mounted transversely in the longitudinal opening;

a first differential supported by the frame adjacent the first end;

a second differential supported by the frame adjacent the second end;

an electric motor supported by the frame adjacent the first end and operatively connected to the first differential; and

a prop shaft operatively connected to the motor and extending through the longitudinal opening and operatively connected to the second differential.

2. The vehicle of claim 1, wherein the first end is a rear end of the vehicle frame.

3. The vehicle of claim 1, further comprising a transaxle connected to the motor having a rearwardly directed drive operatively connected to the first differential and a forwardly directed drive operatively connected to the prop shaft.

4. The vehicle of claim 1, wherein the frame is comprised of plural longitudinally extending frame members and the seat supporting portion is comprised of plural crossbars extending laterally across, and elevated from, the frame members.

5. The vehicle of claim 4, wherein the electronic controller is mounted to the crossbars and extending downwardly into the longitudinal opening.

6. The vehicle of claim 5, wherein the groups of batteries are connected to each other in parallel and the batteries within each group are serially connected to each other.

7. The vehicle of claim 6, wherein the batteries are separated into two groups of batteries and the longitudinal opening is positioned generally centrally relative to the lateral width of the vehicle.

8. The vehicle of claim 6, wherein the batteries are electrically connected to the electronic controller.

9. The vehicle of claim 8, wherein all of the electrical connections to and from the electronic controller are made to one face of the electronic controller.

10. The vehicle of claim 4, wherein the batteries are positioned within the seat supporting portion.

11. The vehicle of claim 10, further comprising a seat bottom support positioned over the seat supporting portion and over the batteries.

12. The vehicle of claim 11, wherein the seat bottom support is profiled for riders in a side by side configuration.

13. The electric vehicle of claim 1, wherein the motor is an AC motor.

14. An electric vehicle, comprising:

a frame having a front end and a rear end;

a plurality of batteries supported by the frame;

an electric motor mounted adjacent a rear end of the frame;

a rear differential mounted adjacent a rear end of the frame and operatively connected to the electric motor; and

a front differential and overrunning clutch operatively connected to the electric motor.

15. The electric vehicle of claim 14, wherein the overrunning clutch engages when the front differential slips by a predetermined percentage.

16. The electric vehicle of claim 15, wherein the predetermined percentage is between 10%-30%.

17. The electric vehicle of claim 14, wherein the motor is an AC motor.

18. The electric vehicle of claim 14, wherein the plurality of batteries are divided into two groups leaving a center longitudinal opening therebetween.

19. The vehicle of claim 18, wherein the two groups of batteries are connected to each other in parallel and the batteries within each group are serially connected to each other.

20. The electric vehicle of claim 18, wherein each group of batteries is comprised of four-twelve volt batteries.

21. An all wheel drive electric vehicle, comprising:

a frame having first and second ends;

a plurality of ground engaging members supporting the frame;

first and second drive linkages positioned proximate the first and second ends and operatively connected to ground engaging members at the first and second ends;

a motor attached to the frame first end and operatively connected to the first and second drive linkages; and

a plurality of batteries supported by the frame intermediate the first and second ends, the batteries defining a plurality of groups of batteries electrically connected in parallel and the individual batteries within each group being electrically connected in series.

22. The electric vehicle of claim 21, wherein the motor is an AC motor.

23. The electric vehicle of claim 21, wherein the plurality of batteries is defined into two groups where each group of batteries is comprised of four-twelve volt batteries.

24. The electric vehicle of claim 21, wherein the groups of batteries define at least one center longitudinal opening therebetween.

25. The electric vehicle of claim 24, further comprising an electronic controller mounted in the center longitudinal opening.

26. The vehicle of claim 21, wherein the frame is comprised of plural longitudinally extending frame members and the seat supporting portion is comprised of plural crossbars extending laterally across, and elevated from, the frame members.

27. The electric vehicle of claim 26, wherein the frame further comprises a support shelf positioned on the longitudinally extending frame members, and the plurality of batteries are supported by the support shelf.

28. The electric vehicle of claim 27, wherein further comprising a seat bottom positioned over the plurality of batteries.

29. An electric vehicle, comprising:

a frame having first and second ends and a seat supporting portion therebetween;

a plurality of batteries supported by the frame intermediate the first and second ends and divided into a plurality of groups of batteries leaving at least one longitudinal opening therebetween;

an electronic controller supported by the frame and extending transversely into the longitudinal opening;

an electric motor supported by the frame adjacent to the first end; and

electrical couplings, coupling the batteries to the electronic controller, and the electronic controller to the motor, wherein all of the electrical connections to and from the electronic controller are made to one face of the electronic controller.

30. The electric vehicle of claim 29, wherein the first end is a rear end of the vehicle frame.

31. The electric vehicle of claim 29, wherein the vehicle is an all wheel drive vehicle having a first differential mounted adjacent the first end and a second differential mounted adjacent the second end.

32. The electric vehicle of claim 29, wherein the plurality of batteries are divided into two groups leaving a center longitudinal opening therebetween.

33. The electric vehicle of claim 32, wherein the two groups of batteries are connected to each other in parallel and the batteries within each group are serially connected to each other.

34. The electric vehicle of claim 29, wherein the batteries are positioned within the seat supporting portion.

35. The electric vehicle of claim 34, wherein the frame is comprised of plural longitudinally extending frame members and the seat supporting portion is comprised of plural crossbars extending laterally across, and elevated from, the frame members.

36. The electric vehicle of claim 35, wherein the frame further comprises a support shelf positioned on the longitudinally extending frame members, and the plurality of batteries are supported by the support shelf.

37. The electric vehicle of claim 35, wherein the electronic controller is supported by the crossbars and is positioned within the center longitudinal opening.

38. The electric vehicle of claim 29, wherein the controller is mounted to a support member which is attached to the frame.

39. The electric vehicle of claim 38, further comprising a contactor, mounted to the support member adjacent to the controller.

40. The electric vehicle of claim 39, wherein the contacts of the contactor are oriented in the same direction as said one face of controller.

41. An electric vehicle, comprising:

a frame having first and second ends;

a seat supporting portion supported by the frame having a front and rear end;

a plurality of batteries supported by the frame rearward of the seat supporting portion front end;

an electronic controller supported by the frame;

an electric motor supported by the frame adjacent the first end;

at least one charging unit supported by the frame forward of the seat supporting portion front end; and

electrical couplings, coupling the batteries to the electronic controller, the electronic controller to the motor, and the charging unit to the plurality of batteries.

42. The vehicle of claim 41, wherein the first end is a rear end of the vehicle frame.

43. The vehicle of claim 42, wherein the vehicle is an all wheel drive vehicle having a first differential mounted adjacent the first end and a second differential mounted adjacent the second end.

44. The vehicle of claim 41, wherein the batteries are positioned within the seat supporting portion.

45. The electric vehicle of claim 44, wherein the plurality of batteries are divided into two groups leaving a center longitudinal opening therebetween.

46. The vehicle of claim 45, wherein the two groups of batteries are connected to each other in parallel and the batteries within each group are serially connected to each other.

47. The vehicle of claim 44 wherein the frame is comprised of plural longitudinally extending frame members and the seat supporting portion is comprised of plural crossbars extending laterally across, and elevated from, the frame members.

48. The vehicle of claim 47, wherein the electronic controller is mounted to the crossbars.

49. The vehicle of claim 47, wherein the frame further comprises a support shelf positioned on the longitudinally extending frame members, and the plurality of batteries are supported by the support shelf.

50. An all wheel drive electric vehicle, comprising:

a frame having front and rear ends;

a plurality of ground engaging members supporting the frame;

a front drive linkage supported by the frame and positioned adjacent the frame front end;

a rear drive linkage supported by the frame and positioned adjacent the frame rear end;

a plurality of batteries supported by the frame;

an AC electric motor supported by the frame and mounted adjacent to the rear end, the motor being operatively connected to the front and rear drive linkages;

an electronic controller; and

electrical couplings, coupling the batteries to the electronic controller and the electronic controller to the motor.

51. The all wheel drive electric vehicle of claim 50, wherein the front drive linkage is comprised of a front differential and an overrunning clutch operatively connected to the motor.

52. The all wheel drive electric vehicle of claim 51, wherein the overrunning clutch engages when the front differential slips by a predetermined percentage.

53. The all wheel drive electric vehicle of claim 51, wherein the predetermined percentage is between 10%-30%.

54. The all wheel drive electric vehicle of claim 50, wherein the plurality of batteries are divided into two groups leaving a center longitudinal opening therebetween.

55. The all wheel drive electric vehicle of claim 54, wherein the two groups of batteries are connected to each other in parallel and the batteries within each group are serially connected to each other.

56. The all wheel drive electric vehicle of claim 55, wherein the frame is comprised of plural longitudinally extending frame members and the seat supporting portion is comprised of plural crossbars extending laterally across, and elevated from, the frame members.

57. The all wheel drive electric vehicle of claim 56, wherein the electronic controller is mounted to the crossbars.

58. The all wheel drive electric vehicle of claim 57, wherein the frame further comprises a support shelf positioned on the longitudinally extending frame members, and the plurality of batteries are supported by the support shelf.

59. The all wheel drive electric vehicle of claim 58, wherein further comprising a seat bottom positioned over the plurality of batteries.

60. The all wheel drive electric vehicle of claim 50, further comprising at least one charging unit mounted adjacent to the front end and electrical couplings, coupling the charging unit to the plurality of batteries.