A plug-in hybrid pickup truck chassis

Abstract

This invention discloses a plug-in hybrid pickup truck chassis, including a frame. From front to rear, the frame comprises a front crossbeam area, a front end frame, a power battery unit, a fuel tank, a rear electric drive axle, and a spare tire. The front end frame includes a front cooling module, a front axle, an engine assembly, a front drive shaft, a front suspension system, a steering system, and a braking system. A hybrid power system is located at the upper center of the front end frame. A multi-speed hybrid transmission is located at the rear of the engine assembly, and a front motor is integrated within the multi-speed hybrid transmission. The rear electric drive axle is an integrated electric drive axle, coaxially integrating a rear motor, a reducer, and a differential. This invention utilizes the aforementioned plug-in hybrid pickup truck chassis, which features a rational component layout, high space utilization, direct modification to conventional vehicles, and battery swapping capabilities. It is easy to assemble, enabling platformization and modularization, and is suitable for widespread adoption.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] This invention relates to the field of vehicle chassis technology, and in particular to a plug-in hybrid pickup truck chassis. Background Technology

[0002] In the domestic pickup truck market, diesel pickups have consistently accounted for the majority of sales. Owners largely recognize the advantages of diesel pickups, such as high low-speed torque and fuel efficiency, making them ideal for both work and off-road use. However, under the new China VI emission standards, frequent DPF self-cleaning and urea warnings in diesel pickups have significantly impacted user experience, leading to a substantial decline in their popularity. Increasingly stringent national emission regulations and the high cost of upgrading diesel pickup emissions standards—further upgrading to RDE (Remotely Determined Emissions) on top of the current China VI (b) standard—significantly increase the technical difficulty of calibration and raise overall vehicle costs.

[0003] The future of pickup truck manufacturers lies in new energy vehicles. The development cycle for entirely new models is long, and chassis investment accounts for approximately 60% of the total vehicle development cost. This massive investment puts pressure on traditional pickup truck manufacturers transitioning to new energy vehicles. Furthermore, converting traditional pickup truck models to new energy vehicles faces limitations in chassis structure. Four-wheel drive pickups use a central driveshaft, occupying the central area of ​​the chassis, making it impossible to place a large-capacity battery between the chassis. Some traditional automakers place the battery in the spare tire compartment, which, due to limited space, significantly restricts battery capacity, greatly increases the rear axle load, and poses a significant rear-end collision safety risk.

[0004] Pure electric pickup trucks are also surging forward in the new energy trend. However, pickup trucks have both passenger and cargo functions, and have the special characteristic of a longer transport distance than pure passenger cars. The functionality of pure electric pickup trucks is limited to short-distance transport within urban areas, and is not suitable for heavy loads and longer transport distances. Range anxiety is the biggest pain point. Summary of the Invention

[0005] The purpose of this invention is to provide a plug-in hybrid pickup truck chassis with a power system that surpasses that of traditional diesel pickup trucks and has pure electric driving capability, meeting the requirements for green license plates. It solves the range anxiety problem caused by the limited battery capacity of pure electric pickup trucks and can achieve a high degree of platformization for two-wheel drive and four-wheel drive models, enabling widespread promotion.

[0006] To achieve the above objectives, the present invention provides a plug-in hybrid pickup truck chassis, including a frame. The frame is provided from front to rear with a front crossbeam area, a front end frame, a power battery unit, a fuel tank, a rear electric drive axle, and a spare tire. The front end frame is provided with a front cooling module, a front axle, an engine assembly, a front drive shaft, a front suspension system, a steering system, and a braking system. A hybrid power system is located at the upper center of the front end frame. A multi-speed hybrid transmission is located at the rear end of the engine assembly. A front motor is located within the multi-speed hybrid transmission. The rear electric drive axle is an integrated electric drive axle, which is coaxially integrated with a rear motor, a reducer, and a differential.

[0007] Preferably, the front-end heat dissipation module includes a high-temperature radiator, a low-temperature radiator, and an electronic fan, and the high-temperature radiator is equipped with an expansion tank.

[0008] Preferably, the front crossbeam area is provided with a vehicle thermal management system, which includes an electronic water pump, an electric compressor, a heat exchanger, and a battery plate heat exchanger; the vehicle thermal management system consists of an engine thermal circulation system, a battery thermal circulation system, and a motor electronic control thermal circulation system, all of which are automatically controlled by a thermal management controller.

[0009] Preferably, the front motor and the rear motor are connected by an integrated dual-motor controller, and the power battery units are all connected to the circuits of the front motor and the rear motor.

[0010] Preferably, the power battery unit integrates a BMS and controller. The power battery unit includes a battery bracket, a battery assembly, and a power supply assembly. The BMS is integrated with the battery assembly. The battery bracket is detachably connected to the vehicle frame. The battery bracket is equipped with an anti-collision structure. The battery assembly has a battery swapping function.

[0011] Preferably, the power supply three-in-one assembly includes a bidirectional OBC, DC-DC converter, and PDU, supporting AC charging and DC fast charging.

[0012] Preferably, the vehicle frame has an exhaust system on the left side, and the exhaust system has a two-stage muffler.

[0013] Preferably, the steering system is an electric steering system, the braking system is a highly integrated BSC system, and the spare tire has an anti-theft structure.

[0014] Therefore, the advantages and beneficial effects of using the above-mentioned plug-in hybrid pickup truck chassis are as follows:

[0015] 1. This invention can realize three driving modes: pure electric mode, fuel mode and hybrid mode, which can maximize energy saving and emission reduction, achieve high economic benefits, meet specific user needs, and improve the safety of the whole vehicle.

[0016] 2. This invention is a series-parallel hybrid power system, in which the engine and motor can drive the vehicle independently. Under specific operating conditions, the engine can drive the generator to supply power to the motor. The vehicle will automatically select the most reasonable driving mode according to the current driving state, which has excellent economic performance and can adapt to more road conditions.

[0017] 3. The present invention adopts a dual-motor integrated controller, which is integrated with the engine, saving chassis layout space. If the engine compartment space is limited, the dual-motor controller can also be separated from the engine, and the layout is flexible.

[0018] 4. The fuel tank capacity of traditional pickup trucks does not need to be reduced, and the driving range is improved with the support of electrification. In addition, the chassis layout of this invention can retain the spare tire of traditional pickup trucks, thereby improving customer satisfaction.

[0019] The technical solution of the present invention will be further described in detail below with reference to the accompanying drawings and embodiments. Attached Figure Description

[0020] Figure 1 This is a schematic diagram of the overall structure of a plug-in hybrid pickup truck chassis according to the present invention.

[0021] Figure Labels

[0022] 1. Front cooling module; 2. Engine assembly; 3. Multi-speed hybrid transmission; 4. Battery bracket; 5. Fuel tank; 6. Rear electric drive axle; 7. Spare tire; 8. Anti-theft structure; 9. Power supply three-in-one assembly; 10. Muffler; 11. Battery assembly; 12. Exhaust system; 13. Dual motor controller; 14. Chassis; 15. Front drive shaft. Detailed Implementation

[0023] The technical solution of the present invention will be further described below with reference to the accompanying drawings and embodiments.

[0024] Unless otherwise defined, the technical or scientific terms used in this invention shall have the ordinary meaning understood by one of ordinary skill in the art to which this invention pertains. The terms "first," "second," and similar terms used in this invention do not indicate any order, quantity, or importance, but are merely used to distinguish different components. Terms such as "comprising" or "including" mean that the element or object preceding the word encompasses the elements or objects listed following the word and their equivalents, without excluding other elements or objects. Terms such as "connected" or "linked" are not limited to physical or mechanical connections, but can include electrical connections, whether direct or indirect. Terms such as "upper," "lower," "left," and "right" are used only to indicate relative positional relationships; when the absolute position of the described object changes, the relative positional relationship may also change accordingly.

[0025] As shown in the figure, a plug-in hybrid pickup truck chassis includes a frame 14, which provides support and mounting positions for various systems or components on the chassis. From front to rear, the frame 14 includes a front crossbeam area, a front end frame, a power battery unit, a fuel tank 5, a rear electric drive axle 6, and a spare tire 7. The front end frame includes a front cooling module 1, a front axle, an engine assembly 2, a front drive shaft 15, a front suspension system, a steering system, and a braking system. The front cooling module 1 is integrated into the frame 14, improving the utilization of chassis space.

[0026] The front frame features a hybrid powertrain at its center, with a multi-speed hybrid transmission 3 located at the rear of the engine assembly 2. This transmission 3 houses the front motor and is connected to the front axle via a front driveshaft 15. This design leverages the existing structure of traditional vehicles, allowing for platform-based front suspension and steering systems, significantly reducing development costs. The rear electric drive axle 6 is an integrated electric drive axle, eliminating the traditional driveshaft in pickup trucks and saving space in the chassis center for a large-capacity battery, thus increasing pure electric range. The rear electric drive axle 6 integrates the rear motor, reducer, and differential on a coaxial design, resulting in a compact and lightweight structure. Power is transmitted from the planetary reducer to the differential and then to the half-shafts to drive the wheels, achieving high transmission efficiency. The motor operates within a high-efficiency range, consuming little energy and enabling energy recovery to extend the driving range.

[0027] The front frame houses the engine assembly 2, which is connected to a multi-speed hybrid transmission 3. The front and rear motors are connected by an integrated dual-motor controller 13, which is integrated above the engine, reducing wiring harness connections and layout, lowering overall vehicle costs, and saving chassis space. The dual-motor controller 13 controls the front and rear motors of the vehicle, employing a planetary gear set architecture. Power is transmitted to the front drive shaft 15 via a drive chain, enabling front axle drive. The multi-speed hybrid transmission operates without power interruption, and the motor function is selectable (drive / generator), allowing for EV, series, parallel, and direct drive modes to meet market demands for high-performance pickup trucks.

[0028] The front-end heat dissipation module 1 includes a high-temperature radiator, a low-temperature radiator, and an electric fan. The high-temperature radiator is equipped with an expansion tank, which is convenient to install and improves the assembly efficiency of the whole vehicle.

[0029] The front crossbeam area is equipped with a vehicle thermal management system, which includes an electric water pump, an electric compressor, a heat exchanger, and a battery plate heat exchanger. The vehicle thermal management system consists of an engine thermal circulation system, a battery thermal circulation system, and a motor electronic control thermal circulation system. The vehicle thermal management system operates in three circuits. The engine thermal circulation system, battery thermal circulation system, and motor electronic control thermal circulation system are all automatically controlled by the thermal management controller. In cold regions, a heating film can be installed on the battery.

[0030] All power battery units are connected to the circuits of the front and rear motors. The power battery unit integrates a BMS and controller, significantly saving space while improving safety. The power battery unit includes a battery bracket 4, a battery assembly 11, and a three-in-one power supply assembly 9. The BMS is integrated with the battery assembly 11. The battery bracket 4 is detachably connected to the vehicle frame 14. The battery bracket 4 is equipped with an anti-collision structure to improve battery safety.

[0031] The power supply 3-in-1 assembly includes a bidirectional OBC, DC-DC converter, and PDU. It features high integration, small size, and space-saving design. It supports AC charging and DC fast charging for more convenient charging.

[0032] The exhaust system 12 is located on the left side of the chassis 14. The exhaust system 12 is equipped with a two-stage muffler 10 to improve NVH performance.

[0033] The steering system uses electric steering, and the braking system uses a highly integrated BSC system. The braking system is intelligent, safe and integrated, replacing the traditional fuel vehicle's entire EVP system consisting of a vacuum booster, electronic vacuum pump, ESP / ABS controller and pedal depth sensor. It has multiple advantages such as product lightweighting, improved braking coefficient, saving layout space and reducing system cost. The spare tire 7 has an anti-theft structure 8, and the battery pack 11 has a battery swapping function.

[0034] When in use, the chassis can achieve three driving modes: pure electric mode, fuel mode, and hybrid mode, which can maximize energy saving and emission reduction, achieve high economic benefits, meet specific user needs, and improve the safety of the vehicle through battery thermal cycle system management optimization, braking regeneration capability and active speed limiting function design.

[0035] The two-wheel drive model is driven by a rear motor integrated with a rear electric drive axle 6. The high-voltage battery provides power to the motor. When fully loaded and at a constant speed of 60km / h, it can travel more than 50km on pure electric power, which can meet all road conditions in urban areas and meet the requirements for obtaining a new energy green license plate and enjoying government subsidies.

[0036] The four-wheel drive model adds a front motor drive to the two-wheel drive model. The multi-speed hybrid transmission 3's internal transmission chain mechanism is connected to the front motor via the front driveshaft 15. This maximizes the use of the basic vehicle structure to achieve four-wheel drive on a traditional pickup truck, enabling rapid vehicle integration. The elimination of the intermediate driveshaft in both two-wheel and four-wheel drive models provides space for a large-capacity battery. The battery is positioned in the middle of the frame 14, ensuring a stable center of gravity and avoiding the high collision risk and unreasonable axle load issues associated with placing the battery at the rear of the frame 14 when fully loaded.

[0037] In fuel mode, the engine drives the vehicle, and the high-pressure fuel tank 5 provides fuel to the engine, which can solve the problem of range anxiety in pure electric driving.

[0038] In hybrid mode, the vehicle is driven by the electric motor. After starting, it operates purely on electric power, with the engine remaining inactive at low speeds until the set speed is reached, at which point the engine engages. When the vehicle speed is below the engine engagement speed, the electric motor is the primary drive mechanism. The electric motor's torque varies with throttle opening and engine speed. When acceleration is needed, the high-voltage battery supplies power to the electric motor, which, along with the engine, propels the vehicle, resulting in rapid acceleration. This also reduces fuel consumption compared to traditional vehicles, improving fuel economy.

[0039] This invention solves the problem of not being able to place a large-capacity battery in the middle of the chassis of hybrid pickup trucks, avoiding the problem of the battery occupying the spare tire position of traditional pickup trucks and causing major safety hazards in battery collisions. The chassis layout is reasonable, with high space utilization and stable center of gravity, and most importantly, it ensures the safety of the entire vehicle. At the same time, it solves the problems of traditional pickup trucks not having a pure electric mode, failing to meet the requirements for green license plates, and being unable to enjoy government subsidies and local road rights. The reasonable placement of the large-capacity battery can extend the driving range in hybrid mode, solving the problem of range anxiety.

[0040] Therefore, the present invention adopts the above-mentioned plug-in hybrid pickup truck chassis, which has a reasonable arrangement of chassis components, high space utilization, can be directly modified on conventional vehicles and realize battery swapping function, is easy to assemble, can achieve platformization and modularization, and is suitable for promotion.

[0041] Finally, it should be noted that the above embodiments are only used to illustrate the technical solutions of the present invention and not to limit them. Although the present invention has been described in detail with reference to preferred embodiments, those skilled in the art should understand that modifications or equivalent substitutions can still be made to the technical solutions of the present invention, and these modifications or equivalent substitutions cannot cause the modified technical solutions to deviate from the spirit and scope of the technical solutions of the present invention.

Claims

1. A plug-in hybrid pickup truck chassis, characterized in that: The vehicle includes a frame, which, from front to rear, comprises a front crossbeam area, a front end frame, a power battery unit, a fuel tank, a rear electric drive axle, and a spare tire. The front end frame includes a front cooling module, a front axle, an engine assembly, a front drive shaft, a front suspension system, a steering system, and a braking system. A hybrid power system is located at the upper center of the front end frame. A multi-speed hybrid transmission is located at the rear end of the engine assembly, and a front motor is integrated within the multi-speed hybrid transmission. The rear electric drive axle is an integrated electric drive axle, coaxially integrating a rear motor, a reducer, and a differential. The multi-speed hybrid transmission is connected to the front axle via the front drive shaft. The front motor and the rear motor are connected by an integrated dual-motor controller, and the power battery unit is connected to the circuits of the front motor and the rear motor respectively. The dual-motor controller is integrated above the engine and controls the front and rear motors. It adopts a planetary gear structure and transmits power to the front drive shaft through the transmission chain to realize the front axle drive of the whole vehicle. The power battery unit integrates a BMS and controller. The power battery unit includes a battery bracket, a battery assembly, and a power supply assembly. The BMS is integrated with the battery assembly. The battery bracket is detachably connected to the vehicle frame. The battery bracket is equipped with an anti-collision structure. The battery assembly has a battery swapping function.

2. The plug-in hybrid pickup truck chassis according to claim 1, characterized in that: The front-end heat dissipation module includes a high-temperature radiator, a low-temperature radiator, and an electronic fan. The high-temperature radiator is equipped with an expansion tank.

3. The plug-in hybrid pickup truck chassis according to claim 1, characterized in that: The front crossbeam area is equipped with a vehicle thermal management system, which includes an electronic water pump, an electric compressor, a heat exchanger, and a battery plate heat exchanger. The vehicle thermal management system consists of an engine thermal circulation system, a battery thermal circulation system, and a motor electronic control thermal circulation system. The engine thermal circulation system, battery thermal circulation system, and motor electronic control thermal circulation system are all automatically controlled by a thermal management controller.

4. The plug-in hybrid pickup truck chassis according to claim 1, characterized in that: The power supply assembly includes a bidirectional OBC, DC-DC converter, and PDU, supporting both AC charging and DC fast charging.

5. A plug-in hybrid pickup truck chassis according to claim 1, characterized in that: The vehicle frame is equipped with an exhaust system on one side, and the exhaust system has a two-stage muffler.

6. A plug-in hybrid pickup truck chassis according to claim 1, characterized in that: The steering system is electric steering, the braking system is a highly integrated BSC system, and the spare tire has an anti-theft structure.

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