Saddle-type electric vehicle

Abstract

The invention provides a straddle-type electric vehicle. An electric two-wheeled vehicle (1) is provided with: a battery pack (100) for storing power supplied to a motor (50) for driving the vehicle; a front cover section (61) that covers, from the front side of the vehicle, a housing space (K1) in which the battery pack (100) is housed; and a PCU (130) that is disposed behind the battery pack (100) and controls power supply to the motor (50), in which the front cover section (61) is provided with a cutout (66) that exposes a part of the housing space (K1) toward the front side of the vehicle, and at least a part of the PCU (130) overlaps the cutout (66) in a front view of the front cover section (61).

Description

Technical Field

[0001] The present invention relates to a straddle-type electric vehicle. Background Art

[0002] In the past, in a straddle-type electric vehicle that uses an electric motor as a driving source for travel, the following structure is known: a battery that stores power for travel and a control unit that controls the power supplied from the battery to the electric motor, and the control unit is arranged behind the battery (for example, refer to International Publication No. 2019 / 186953). Summary of the invention

[0003] The control unit that controls the power supplied to the electric motor usually generates a lot of heat. When the control unit is arranged behind the battery, there is the following problem. Specifically, in the case of a vehicle that covers the front of the battery with a body cover, although the protection of the battery is improved, the air permeability around the battery is easily reduced, so it is necessary to improve the cooling of the control unit.

[0004] An object of the aspects of the present invention is to improve the protection of the battery and ensure the cooling performance of the control device in a straddle-type electric vehicle in which a control device is arranged behind the battery.

[0005] A first embodiment of the present invention is a straddle-type electric vehicle comprising: a battery that stores electric power supplied to an electric motor for driving the vehicle; a front cover that covers a storage space for storing the battery from the front side of the vehicle; and a control device that is arranged behind the battery and controls at least a portion of the vehicle's drive system, wherein the front cover comprises an opening that exposes a portion of the storage space to the front side of the vehicle, and the control device at least partially overlaps with the opening when viewed from the front of the front cover.

[0006] According to this structure, an opening is provided on the front cover that covers the front of the battery for driving the vehicle, so that the storage space of the battery is exposed to the front, and the opening and the control device are arranged so as to overlap in the front view, so that the control device can be cooled by the running wind introduced into the storage space from the opening. That is, the battery can be protected by the front cover, and the cooling of the electrical components (battery, control device, etc.) behind the cover can be ensured at the same time.

[0007] A second scheme of the present invention, based on the straddle-type electric vehicle of the above-mentioned first scheme, may also be that the battery has a plurality of unit batteries arranged along the vehicle width direction, and the plurality of unit batteries are arranged with battery spaces left between adjacent unit batteries in the vehicle width direction, and the opening portion at least partially overlaps with the battery space when observed from the front view of the front cover.

[0008] According to this structure, a battery room is formed between adjacent unit batteries in the vehicle width direction, and the battery room and the opening are arranged so as to overlap in a front view, so that the running wind (cooling wind) introduced into the storage space from the opening reaches the rear of the battery in a straight line through the battery room as a passage, and is used for cooling the control device. As a result, the cooling performance of the electrical installation parts behind the cover can be efficiently improved.

[0009] A third scheme of the present invention, based on the straddle-type electric vehicle of the above-mentioned second scheme, may be that the control device is flat in shape with the thickness in one direction suppressed, and a plane perpendicular to the thickness direction is arranged along the side of each unit battery of the battery, and a cooling fin is provided on the surface of the control device facing the battery side.

[0010] According to this structure, the plane of the flat control device is arranged along the side surfaces of each unit battery of the battery (in a parallel manner), so that the control device can be compactly arranged around the battery. By forming cooling fins on the surface of the control device on the battery side, a cooling air flow path can be ensured between the battery and the control device, and cooling can be efficiently performed by the cooling fins.

[0011] A fourth scheme of the present invention may be, based on the straddle-type electric vehicle of the second or third scheme, a straddle-type electric vehicle comprising: a head pipe that supports the front wheel so as to be steerable; and a descending frame that extends obliquely rearward and downward from the head pipe when viewed from the side, wherein each unit battery of the battery is arranged so that the length direction is along the extension direction of the descending frame.

[0012] According to this configuration, by arranging the unit batteries of the battery so that the longitudinal direction thereof is along the extending direction of the down frame, it is possible to suppress dead space between the battery and the down frame and lay out the battery in a compact manner.

[0013] A fifth aspect of the present invention is the saddle-type electric vehicle according to the fourth aspect, wherein the battery is disposed on the rear side of the vehicle with respect to the down frame.

[0014] According to this structure, the battery is arranged to be offset toward the rear side of the vehicle relative to the down frame (so as not to overlap with the down frame when viewed from the side). Therefore, even if the battery is displaced toward the inside in the vehicle width direction due to load input from the outside in the vehicle width direction, the battery can be displaced without contacting the down frame, thereby suppressing the load input to the battery.

[0015] A sixth embodiment of the present invention is based on the straddle-type electric vehicle of any one of the first to fifth embodiments above, and may be that the straddle-type electric vehicle includes an upper cover covering at least a portion of a battery and a control device from the upper side of the vehicle, and an opening portion is provided at a front end portion of the upper cover for opening an internal space of the cover to the front side of the vehicle, the opening portion of the upper cover is formed in a cut-out shape that opens to the lower side of the cover, the opening portion of the front cover is formed in a cut-out shape that opens to the upper side of the cover, and the opening portion of the upper cover and the opening portion of the front cover form a mutually continuous opening.

[0016] According to this configuration, a large opening is formed by the opening portion of the upper cover and the opening portion of the front cover, thereby being able to supply more running air (cooling air) to the electrical components arranged inside the cover.

[0017] The seventh scheme of the present invention is based on the straddle-type electric vehicle of the above-mentioned sixth scheme, and can also be that the opening portion of the front cover is a cutout open to the upper side of the cover, the descending frame enters the inner side of the front cover through the opening portion, and the surrounding area of ​​the opening portion in the front cover bulges toward the front side of the vehicle more than the remaining portion.

[0018] According to this configuration, the periphery of the cutout through which the down frame passes is expanded toward the vehicle front side, whereby the peripheral edge of the opening is displaced toward the vehicle front side, thereby increasing the gap between the opening and the down frame.

[0019] Thereby, it is easy to introduce the traveling wind from the opening portion avoiding the down frame. In addition, when the opening portion is formed in a cutout shape, it is also easy to ensure the rigidity around the opening portion.

[0020] According to an eighth aspect of the present invention, in the straddle-type electric vehicle of the seventh aspect, the opening may include a widened portion formed to be wider than a width of the down frame when viewed from the front side of the vehicle.

[0021] According to this configuration, the opening of the front cover has the widened portion that is wider than the width of the down frame in a front view, so that the traveling wind can be introduced from the opening more easily without avoiding the down frame.

[0022] According to the aspect of the present invention, in a saddle-riding electric vehicle in which a control device is disposed behind a battery, it is possible to improve the protection of the battery and ensure the cooling performance of the control device. BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0023] Figure 1 It is a left side view showing the appearance of the electric two-wheeled vehicle in the embodiment of the present invention.

[0024] Figure 2 It is a left side view showing the internal structure of the above-mentioned electric two-wheeled vehicle.

[0025] Figure 3It is a left side view of the main part of the above-mentioned electric two-wheeled vehicle.

[0026] Figure 4 This is a front view of the electric two-wheeled vehicle with the front wheel suspension system removed.

[0027] Figure 5 is from Figure 4 The front view further shows the state where the frame is removed.

[0028] Figure 6 It is a bottom view of the electric two-wheeled vehicle.

[0029] Figure 7 This is a left side view showing the flow of traveling wind introduced into the vehicle body cover from the outside air introduction port.

[0030] Figure 8 A modification of the cutout of the front cover is shown in FIG. Figure 4 Pretty much the main view. DETAILED DESCRIPTION

[0031] Hereinafter, the embodiments of the present invention will be described with reference to the accompanying drawings. It should be noted that the directions such as front, back, left, and right in the following description are the same as the directions in the vehicle described below unless otherwise specified. In addition, in the drawings used in the following description, an arrow FR indicating the front of the vehicle, an arrow LH indicating the left side of the vehicle, an arrow UP indicating the top of the vehicle, and a line CL indicating the left and right center of the vehicle (the center in the vehicle width direction) are shown at appropriate locations.

[0032] The “middle” used in the present embodiment means not only the center between the two ends of the object but also includes the range inside between the two ends of the object.

[0033] Figure 1 1 is a left side view showing the appearance of an electric two-wheeled vehicle (saddle-type electric vehicle) 1 according to the embodiment. Figure 2 It is a left side view showing the internal structure of the electric two-wheeled vehicle 1.

[0034] Reference Figure 1 , Figure 2 The electric two-wheeled vehicle 1 includes a front wheel 2 , a rear wheel 3 , a front wheel suspension system 4 , a vehicle frame 5 , a vehicle body cover 6 , a rear wheel suspension system 7 , a power unit 8 , a PCU 130 , and a battery pack 100 .

[0035] The front wheel suspension system 4 includes: a pair of left and right front forks 10 that axially support the front wheel 2 at the lower end; a top bridge 11 and a bottom bridge 12 provided between the upper portions of the pair of front forks 10; and a stem tube (not shown) provided between the top bridge 11 and the bottom bridge 12 and passing through the head tube 16. The front wheel 2 is supported by the head tube 16 of the frame 5 via the front wheel suspension system 4 so as to be steerable. A steering handlebar 13 is supported on the top bridge 11.

[0036] In the embodiment, the telescopic front fork 10 is exemplified as the front suspension of the electric motorcycle 1, but the present invention is not limited to this structure. For example, the front suspension may be of another type such as a link type using a swing arm.

[0037] Figure 3 is a left side view of the main part of the electric two-wheeled vehicle 1, Figure 4 It is a front view of the electric two-wheeled vehicle 1 with the front wheel suspension system 4 removed.

[0038] Reference Figures 1 to 4 The frame 5 includes a head pipe 16, a main frame 17, a pivot frame 18, a down frame 19 (down frame), a seat rail 24, and a support frame 25, which are integrally connected by welding or the like.

[0039] The head pipe 16 is located at the left-right center CL of the vehicle, and is provided singly at the front end of the vehicle frame 5. The head pipe 16 is passed through the stem pipe and is supported so as to be rotatable.

[0040] The main frame 17 extends obliquely downward and rearward from the upper portion of the head pipe 16 in a side view, and then bends downward near the front-rear center of the vehicle body, making the inclination in a side view steeper and extending downward and rearward. The main frame 17 has a shape obtained by bending a round steel pipe into an L-shape in a side view, and connects the head pipe 16 and the pivot frame 18. The main frame 17 is formed with a first straight portion 17a extending downward and rearward from the head pipe 16, a curved portion 17b connected to the rear lower portion of the first straight portion 17a, and a second straight portion 17c connected to the rear lower portion of the curved portion 17b.

[0041] The pivot frame 18 extends downward from the rear lower end of the main frame 17. The pivot frame 18 is formed in a curved shape that is convex to the rear when viewed from the side. A pivot 33 extending in the vehicle width direction is provided near the upper and lower center of the vehicle body in the pivot frame 18. The front end of the swing arm 30 is supported on the pivot frame 18 via the pivot 33. The rear upper portion and rear lower portion of the power unit 8 are supported on the front upper end 18a and the front lower end 18b of the pivot frame 18, respectively.

[0042] The down frame 19 extends rearward and downward from the lower portion of the head pipe 16. The down frame 19 extends rearward and downward at the same steep inclination as the second straight portion 17c of the main frame 17 when viewed from the side. The front portion of the power unit 8 is supported at the lower end of the down frame 19 via a bracket 19a. A gusset 21 is installed at a portion surrounded on three sides by the head pipe 16, the front portion of the main frame 17, and the front portion of the down frame 19 when viewed from the side at the front portion of the vehicle frame 5.

[0043] The seat rail 24 includes a pair of left and right frame members (not shown) extending rearward in a manner of branching to the left and right from the curved portion 17b of the main frame 17. A seat 28 for a passenger to sit on is supported above the seat rail 24. The left and right frame members of the seat rail 24 are appropriately connected by a cross member (not shown) extending in the left-right direction.

[0044] The support frame 25 includes a pair of left and right frame members (not shown) extending upward and rearward in a manner of branching to the left and right from the upper portion of the pivot frame 18. The left and right frame members of the support frame 25 are respectively connected from below to the rear portions of the left and right frame members of the seat rail 24. A pair of left and right cushion support brackets (not shown) that support the upper ends of the pair of left and right rear cushions 32 are mounted on the connection portions between the seat rail 24 and the support frame 25.

[0045] Electrical components of the vehicle drive system such as a power unit 8 for driving the vehicle, a PCU 130 for controlling the power supplied to the power unit 8, and a battery pack 100 for storing the power supplied to the power unit 8 are mounted inside the vehicle frame 5. The battery pack 100 may be, for example, a mobile battery that can be attached to and detached from a battery storage portion of the vehicle body without using tools.

[0046] Reference Figure 1 , Figure 4 The vehicle body cover 6 covers the entire frame 5 except for the periphery of the head pipe 16. The vehicle body cover 6 includes: a seat front cover 41 (upper cover) which is arranged in front of the seat 28 and has an outer shape imitating a fuel tank; an intermediate cover 42 which is arranged below the seat front cover 41 and covers the battery pack 100 mounted on the vehicle body from the front to the left and right sides; a bottom cover 43 which is arranged below the intermediate cover 42 and covers the bottom of the power unit 8 mounted on the vehicle body below the battery pack 100; a pair of left and right side covers 44 which are arranged behind the left and right sides of the intermediate cover 42 and cover the front and rear middle part of the vehicle body from the outside in the vehicle width direction; and a rear cover 45 which covers the rear part of the seat 28 from the bottom to the rear. The front wheel suspension system 4 includes a front fairing 46 which is supported in front of the top bridge 11 and the bottom bridge 12 and rotates integrally with them. The seat front cover 41 and the intermediate cover 42 will be described in detail later.

[0047] Reference Figure 1 A sprocket cover 47 is provided at the left rear of the lower cover, and the sprocket cover 47 covers the periphery of the front sprocket of the chain transmission mechanism 34. A chain case 48 for accommodating the drive chain of the chain transmission mechanism 34 is arranged behind the sprocket cover 47. The front end of the chain case 48 is arranged in a manner of being inserted into the rear part of the sprocket cover 47 from the rear. Thus, the front end opening of the chain case 48 is covered by the sprocket cover 47, and the noise caused by the driving of the chain transmission mechanism 34 is suppressed.

[0048] Also refer to Figure 3 The seat front cover 41 is disposed between the left and right knees of the driver sitting on the seat 28, so that the driver's knees can be clamped. The seat front cover 41 is supported above the first straight portion 17a of the main frame 17. The seat front cover 41 is formed into a hollow double structure with a space between the cover inner plate 41a and the cover outer plate 41b.

[0049] The cover inner plate 41a is formed in a saddle shape 41c along the first straight line portion 17a extending left and right across the main frame 17. The cover outer plate 41b covers the outer side of the cover inner plate 41a with a predetermined space left.

[0050] The rear wheel suspension system 7 includes a swing arm 30 that pivotally supports the rear wheel 3 at its rear end portion, and a pair of left and right rear bumpers 32 between rear portions of left and right arm portions of the swing arm 30 and left and right bumper support brackets of the seat rail 24 .

[0051] The swing arm 30 is disposed below the rear portion of the vehicle body and extends in the front-rear direction. The front end portion of the swing arm 30 is supported by the pivot frame 18 via a pivot shaft 33 so as to be able to swing up and down.

[0052] Each rear buffer 32 is formed into a substantially cylindrical shape by arranging a compression coil spring on the outer periphery of the damping cylinder. Each rear buffer 32 is arranged in a posture in which the axial direction is tilted forward relative to the vertical direction. The upper end of each rear buffer 32 is rotatably connected to the left and right buffer support brackets of the seat rail 24 via an axis along the vehicle width direction. The lower end of the rear buffer 32 is rotatably connected to the rear part of the left and right arm parts of the swing arm via an axis along the vehicle width direction.

[0053] In the embodiment, a structure in which a pair of left and right rear cushion members 32 are provided between the swing arm 30 and the seat rail 24 is exemplified, but the present invention is not limited to this structure. For example, the rear cushion member 32 may be provided on the inner side in the vehicle width direction alone, or may be connected to the swing arm or the frame 5 via a link mechanism.

[0054] The power unit 8 includes: a motor 50 (electric motor) for driving the vehicle; a speed reducer (not shown) for reducing the output of the motor 50; an output shaft 57 for outputting the power of the motor 50 reduced in the speed reducer; and a housing 58 for accommodating the motor 50 and the driving parts such as the speed reducer. The power unit 8 includes the motor 50, the speed reducer, the output shaft 57 and the housing 58 as an integrated unit. The housing 58 forms the outer shape of the power unit 8.

[0055] The motor 50 is arranged with its rotation axis along the vehicle width direction. The motor 50 is housed in a motor housing 51 formed in the front portion of the housing 58. For example, a gear-type speed reducer is arranged from the left and right sides of the motor 50 to the rear.

[0056] The output shaft 57 is arranged at the rear of the housing 58. The output shaft 57 extends in the vehicle width direction, and the left end protrudes outside the housing 58. The left end of the output shaft 57 and the rear wheel 3 are linked via the chain transmission mechanism 34. Thus, the output of the motor 50 can be transmitted to the rear wheel 3.

[0057] The power unit 8 (housing 58) is supported on the vehicle frame 5 via a plurality of fixing parts (including rubber fixings). The power unit 8 is arranged between the bracket 19a at the lower end of the down frame 19 and the pivot frame 18 in the vehicle front-rear direction. The front part of the power unit 8 is supported by the bracket 19a, and the rear part is supported by the pivot frame 18.

[0058] The PCU 130 is a control device including a PDU (Power Drive Unit) as a motor driver, an ECU (Electric Control Unit) for controlling the PDU, and the like. The PDU includes an inverter. The PDU converts the current supplied from the battery pack 100 (battery) from direct current to alternating current, and supplies power to the motor 50. The PCU 130 is arranged behind the battery pack 100.

[0059] Figure 5 is from Figure 4 This is a front view of a state in which the vehicle frame 5 is further removed.

[0060] Reference Figures 3 to 5 The battery pack 100 is composed of a plurality of (for example, two) unit batteries 101 (hereinafter, sometimes referred to as batteries or left and right batteries). The left and right batteries 101 (unit batteries) have the same structure. The left and right batteries 101 are arranged symmetrically with the left and right center line CL of the vehicle as the axis of symmetry when viewed from the front.

[0061] The left and right batteries 101 each have a rectangular cross-sectional shape (e.g., substantially a square) and are prism-shaped (rectangular parallelepiped-shaped) extending in the length direction. The left and right batteries 101 are arranged in a tilted manner so that the length direction is along the extension direction of the down frame 19 when viewed from the side. The left and right batteries 101 are arranged so that the length direction is perpendicular when viewed from the front, for example. The left and right batteries 101 are arranged parallel to each other when viewed from the front. The left and right batteries 101 are arranged so that they overlap with each other as a whole when viewed from the side. Handles for users to hold are provided on the upper surfaces of the left and right batteries 101, respectively.

[0062] Reference Figure 5 A space K2 is formed between the left and right batteries 101 and is located at the left and right center line CL of the vehicle (overlapping with the left and right center line CL of the vehicle in a front view).

[0063] The battery pack 100 generates a predetermined high voltage (48 to 72 V) by appropriately connecting left and right batteries 101. The left and right batteries 101 are respectively chargeable and dischargeable energy storage devices, such as lithium-ion batteries. The left and right batteries 101 are equipped with a BMU (Battery Managing Unit) (not shown) that monitors charge and discharge conditions, temperature, etc.

[0064] The left and right batteries 101 are connected to the PCU 130 via a positive cable and a terminal board (not shown). The power from the battery pack 100 is converted from direct current to three-phase alternating current by the PCU 130 and then supplied to the motor 50 which is a three-phase alternating current motor. The motor 50 performs power operation according to the control performed by the PCU 130 to make the electric two-wheeled vehicle 1 travel. A part of the power of the battery pack 100 is stepped down via a DC-DC converter 126 and used for charging a 12V battery (not shown). The 12V battery supplies power to common electrical installation components such as lighting and control system components such as ECU. By carrying a 12V battery, various electromagnetic locks and the like can be operated even when the battery pack 100 is removed. The battery pack 100 can be charged by an external power supply in a state removed from the vehicle body or in a state mounted on the vehicle body.

[0065] <Cooling structure inside the hood>

[0066] Next, a cooling structure will be described which takes traveling wind into the vehicle body cover 6 and can cool the electrical components in the vehicle body cover 6 by the traveling wind.

[0067] Figure 7 This is a left side view showing the flow of the traveling wind F1 introduced into the vehicle body cover 6 from the outside air introduction port 68 (including the entire cutout 66 ).

[0068] Reference Figure 3 to Figure 5 and Figure 7 The middle cover 42 includes a front cover portion 61 that covers the battery pack 100 from the front and side cover portions 62 that cover the battery pack 100 from the left and right outer sides. The front cover portion 61 is provided along the front edge of the down frame 19, and covers the down frame 19 together with the battery pack 100. A longitudinal cutout 66 is formed at the left and right center CL of the vehicle on the upper portion of the front cover portion 61, and the cutout 66 exposes the storage space K1 of the battery pack 100 inside the middle cover 42 to the front of the front cover portion 61.

[0069] The cutout 66 is formed to have the same left-right width as the down frame 19 in front view. The running wind that enters the middle cover 42 from the cutout 66 flows in a manner of winding around the rear of the down frame 19, and flows rearward through the space (battery inter-space) K2 between the left and right batteries 101. The battery inter-space K2 (battery inter-space) is formed to have the same left-right width as the cutout 66 in front view. The cutout 66 is formed to overlap with the upper portion of the battery inter-space K2 in front view. The upper portion of the battery inter-space K2 is arranged to overlap with the portion of the PCU 130 on the inner side in the vehicle width direction in front view.

[0070] The PCU 130 has a flat shape with a reduced dimension in the thickness direction T. The thickness direction T is one of three directions orthogonal to each other, and the dimension in this direction is smaller than the dimensions in the other two directions. The PCU 130 is disposed, for example, on the inner side of the vehicle body cover 6 and behind the battery pack 100. The PCU 130 is disposed so that the thickness direction T is inclined so that the front is lower and the rear is higher in a side view, and the front surface faces the rear surface of the upper portion of the battery pack 100.

[0071] A radiator 131 having a plurality of fins 131a (hereinafter sometimes referred to as cooling fins) is disposed on the front surface of the PCU 130. Each fin 131a extends in parallel, for example, in the up-down direction. The portion of the radiator 131 including the fins 131a in the PCU 130 on the inner side in the vehicle width direction faces the inter-battery space K2 from the rear. The inter-battery space K2 overlaps with the inner side in the vehicle width direction of the radiator 131 of the PCU 130 in a front view, and overlaps with the cutout 66 of the front cover. Thus, the running wind introduced into the vehicle body cover 6 from the cutout 66 of the front cover passes through the inter-battery space K2 and is directly supplied to the radiator 131 on the front surface of the PCU 130. Thus, the PCU 130 is effectively cooled by the running wind taken into the vehicle body cover 6 from the cutout 66 of the front cover.

[0072] A widening portion 67 is formed at the upper portion of the cutout 66, and the left-right width of the widening portion 67 is wider toward the upper end of the front cover portion 61 as it approaches the upper side. The left-right width of the upper end of the widening portion 67 is substantially the same as the left-right width of the lower end of the front opening 41d of the saddle shape 41c of the seat front cover 41. The widening portion 67 and the front opening 41d form an external air inlet 68 that is wider than the width of the down frame 19 when viewed from the front. The portion of the cutout 66 that is the same left-right width as the down frame 19 when viewed from the front is easily blocked by the down frame 19. On the other hand, at the external air inlet 68 that is wider than the width of the down frame 19 when viewed from the front, the amount of traveling air blocked by the down frame 19 is relatively small, thereby ensuring the amount of traveling air introduced into the intermediate cover 42.

[0073] The lower end 66a of the cutout 66 cuts the front cover 61 to the same height as the lower end of the PCU 130 in the front view, so that the running wind reaching the PCU 130 is ensured as much as possible. The PCU 130 is arranged so that at least a part overlaps with the cutout 66 (opening) in the front view of the front cover 61. Thus, the running wind introduced into the intermediate cover 42 from the cutout 66 can be effectively cooled to cool the PCU 130 which generates a lot of heat.

[0074] The middle cover 42 including the front cover is divided into a pair of left and right cover halves 63L and 63R, for example. The left and right cover halves 63L and 63R are also opening and closing members capable of opening and closing the left and right outer sides of the storage space K1 for electrical components including the battery pack 100. The left and right cover halves 63L and 63R are respectively attachable to and detachable from the vehicle body.

[0075] A pair of left and right frame members 22L and 22R are mounted on the down frame 19. The left and right frame members 22L and 22R are in a U-shape protruding outward in the vehicle width direction when viewed from the front. The upper ends of the left and right frame members 22L and 22R on the inner side in the vehicle width direction are fixed to the upper bracket 19b, and the upper bracket 19b is fixed to the upper part of the down frame 19. The lower ends of the left and right frame members 22L and 22R on the inner side in the vehicle width direction are fixed to the bracket 19a. The left and right frame members 22L and 22R function as support frames for the battery pack 100 and the vehicle body cover 6. The outer side portions of the left and right frame members 22L and 22R in the vehicle width direction protrude outward in the vehicle width direction from the battery pack 100, thereby also functioning as protection frames for the battery pack 100.

[0076] For example, when a load is input from the outside in the vehicle width direction to the side of the vehicle body when the vehicle falls over, the load is input to the left and right frame members 22L and 22R, thereby suppressing the load input to the battery pack 100. The battery pack 100 is located behind the down frame 19 in a side view, and no components are arranged in the inter-battery space K2. Therefore, even if a load is input to the battery from the outside in the vehicle width direction, there is room for the left and right unit batteries 101 to be displaced to the inside in the vehicle width direction by using the inter-battery space K2, and an excessive load input to the battery pack 100 can be suppressed.

[0077] The cutout 66 of the front cover allows the down frame 19 to pass through and enter the inner side of the intermediate cover 42. A bulging portion 64 is formed around the cutout 66 (around the down frame 19) in the front cover, which bulges toward the front side of the vehicle more than the remaining portion. The bulging portion 64 is formed, for example, to cover the periphery of the upper bracket 19b (a portion that fixes the upper end portions of the left and right frame members 22L and 22R on the inner side in the vehicle width direction) fixed to the down frame 19. The bulging portion 64 widens the gap between the cutout 66 and the down frame 19, thereby increasing the amount of traveling air introduced from the cutout 66 into the intermediate cover 42.

[0078] In the seat front cover 41, the front end opening 41d of the saddle shape 41c opens toward the front side of the vehicle at the front end. The seat front cover 41 can take in the running wind from the front end opening 41d of the saddle shape 41c to the inside of the saddle shape 41c. The space inside the saddle shape 41c is connected to the storage space K1 inside the middle cover 42. The front end opening 41d of the saddle shape 41c and the cutout 66 of the middle cover 42 form a mutually continuous external air inlet 68, which can introduce the running wind into the vehicle body cover 6.

[0079] The seat front cover 41 has a saddle shape 41c formed with a cover inner plate 41a, and includes: a first longitudinal portion extending from the rear of the front end opening 41d; a first descending portion extending downward from the rear end of the first longitudinal portion; a second longitudinal portion extending backward from the lower end of the first descending portion; and a second descending portion extending downward from the rear end of the second longitudinal portion. A step-down regulator (DC-DC converter 126) is disposed below the second longitudinal portion.

[0080] The saddle shape 41c is formed in a manner that gradually narrows the flow path toward the rear of the vehicle. As a result, compared with a case where, for example, the hood inner panel 41a and the saddle shape 41c are removed and the flow path is expanded toward the rear of the vehicle, the flow of traveling wind taken in from the front end opening 41d is stabilized, thereby improving the cooling of electrical installation components.

[0081] The running wind (cold wind) F1 introduced into the vehicle body cover 6 from the air guide port flows rearward through the periphery of the battery, contacts the radiator 131 on the front surface side of the PCU 130, absorbs heat and flows further rearward, becomes the warm wind F2 after absorbing heat and is guided into the wheel cover WH of the rear wheel 3. A part of the running wind F1 introduced into the cover from the air guide port flows rearward in the seat front cover 41 above the battery.

[0082] Figure 6 It is a bottom view of the electric two-wheeled vehicle 1.

[0083] Also refer to Figure 6A second air guide port 69 is formed on the left and right side portions of the front portion of the bottom cover 43. The second air guide port 69 can introduce the running wind to the periphery of the power unit 8, so that the running wind flows rearward along the substantially horizontal lower surface portion 43a of the bottom cover 43. A lower surface cutout 43b serving as a guide port is formed on the lower surface portion 43a of the bottom cover 43, which can guide the running wind (warm air) after the power unit 8 is cooled to the lower portion of the vehicle body. The reference numeral 27 in the figure indicates a pedal frame (retaining member) supported on the front lower end portion 18b of the pivot frame 18 and extending in the left and right directions. The left and right pedals 27a are supported on the left and right ends of the pedal frame 27.

[0084] As described above, the electric two-wheeled vehicle 1 in the above-mentioned embodiment is a straddle-type electric vehicle, which includes: a battery pack 100 that stores electric power to be supplied to a motor 50 for driving the vehicle; a front cover 61 that covers a storage space K1 for storing the battery pack 100 from the front side of the vehicle; and a PCU 130 that is arranged behind the battery pack 100 and controls the power supply to the motor 50, wherein the front cover 61 includes an opening (cutout 66) that exposes a portion of the storage space K1 to the front side of the vehicle, and the PCU 130 at least partially overlaps with the cutout 66 when the front cover 61 is viewed from the front.

[0085] According to this structure, the front cover 61 covering the front of the battery pack 100 for driving the vehicle is provided with a cutout 66 for exposing the storage space K1 of the battery pack 100 to the front, and the cutout 66 and the PCU 130 are arranged so as to overlap in a front view, thereby making it possible to cool the PCU 130 by utilizing the traveling wind introduced into the storage space K1 from the cutout 66. That is, the battery pack 100 can be protected by the front cover 61, and at the same time, the cooling of the electrical components (battery, control device, etc.) behind the cover can be ensured.

[0086] here, Figure 8 The cutout 66' shown is formed such that the lower end 66a' reaches the height of the lower end of the widened portion 67. The lower end 66a' is at a height where the cutout 66' and at least a portion of the PCU 130 overlap each other in a front view. Even with this structure, the running wind can be taken in from the external air inlet 68 formed by the front end opening 41d of the saddle shape 41c and the cutout 66' (widened portion 67) of the intermediate cover 42, and the PCU 130 and the like in the vehicle body cover 6 can be cooled.

[0087] The openings in the embodiment are notches 66 and 66' with a portion of the periphery open, but the present invention is not limited to this structure. For example, the openings may be other structures such as one or more through holes with a closed periphery.

[0088] In the above-mentioned electric two-wheeled vehicle 1, the battery pack 100 includes a plurality of unit batteries 101 arranged in the vehicle width direction, and the plurality of unit batteries 101 are arranged with battery inter-spaces K2 between adjacent unit batteries 101 in the vehicle width direction, and the cutout 66 at least partially overlaps with the battery inter-spaces K2 when viewed from the front of the front cover 61.

[0089] According to this structure, the inter-battery space K2 is formed between the adjacent unit batteries 101 in the vehicle width direction, and the inter-battery space K2 and the cutout 66 are arranged so as to overlap in a front view, so that the running wind (cooling wind) introduced into the storage space K1 through the cutout 66 reaches the rear of the battery pack 100 in a straight line through the inter-battery space K2 as a passage, and is used for cooling the PCU 130. As a result, the cooling performance of the electrical components behind the cover can be efficiently improved.

[0090] The battery pack 100 of the embodiment includes a pair of left and right unit batteries 101, and forms an inter-battery space K2 in the center CL in the vehicle width direction, but is not limited to this structure. For example, three or more unit batteries 101 may be provided, and inter-battery spaces K2 may be formed between adjacent unit batteries 101. In this case, the cutouts 66 of the front cover portion 61 are also arranged at positions corresponding to the inter-battery spaces K2.

[0091] In the above-mentioned electric two-wheeled vehicle 1, the PCU 130 is flat in shape with a suppressed thickness in one direction, and the front surface perpendicular to the thickness direction T is arranged along the rear surface of each unit battery 101 of the battery pack 100, and a cooling fin 131a is provided on the surface of the PCU 130 facing the battery pack 100 side.

[0092] According to this structure, the flat PCU 130 is arranged so that the plane is along the side surfaces of each unit battery 101 of the battery pack 100 (in parallel), so that the PCU 130 can be compactly arranged around the battery pack 100. By forming the cooling fins 131a on the surface of the PCU 130 on the battery pack 100 side, a cooling air flow path can be ensured between the battery pack 100 and the PCU 130, and efficient cooling can be achieved by the cooling fins 131a.

[0093] The electric two-wheeled vehicle 1 comprises: a head pipe 16 that supports the front wheel 2 so as to be steerable; and a down frame 19 that extends obliquely downward and rearward from the head pipe 16 when viewed from the side, wherein each unit battery 101 of the battery pack 100 is arranged in such a way that the length direction is along the extension direction of the down frame 19.

[0094] According to this configuration, the battery pack 100 is arranged such that the longitudinal direction of each unit battery 101 is along the extending direction of the down frame 19 , thereby reducing the dead space between the battery pack 100 and the down frame 19 and making the battery pack 100 compact.

[0095] In the above-described electric two-wheeled vehicle 1 , the battery pack 100 is disposed on the vehicle rear side relative to the down frame 19 .

[0096] According to this structure, the battery pack 100 is arranged to be offset toward the rear side of the vehicle relative to the down frame 19 (so as not to overlap with the down frame 19 when viewed from the side). As a result, even if the battery pack 100 is displaced toward the inside in the vehicle width direction due to load input from the outside in the vehicle width direction, the battery pack 100 can be displaced without contacting the down frame 19, thereby suppressing the load input to the battery pack 100.

[0097] The above-mentioned electric two-wheeled vehicle 1 includes a seat front cover 41 that covers at least a portion of the battery pack 100 and the PCU 130 from the upper side of the vehicle, and includes an opening portion (front end opening 41d) that opens the internal space to the front side of the vehicle at the front end portion of the seat front cover 41. The opening portion of the seat front cover 41 is formed in a cutout shape that opens to the lower side of the cover (front end opening 41d), and the opening portion of the front cover portion 61 is formed in a cutout shape that opens to the upper side of the cover (cutouts 66, 66'), and the opening portion of the seat front cover 41 and the opening portion of the front cover portion 61 form a mutually continuous opening (external air inlet 68).

[0098] According to this configuration, a large opening is formed by the opening portion of the upper cover and the opening portion of the front cover portion 61, so that more running air (cooling air) can be supplied to the electrical components arranged inside the cover.

[0099] In the electric two-wheeled vehicle 1, the opening of the front cover 61 is a cutout 66, 66' opened to the upper side of the cover, and the down frame 19 enters the inner side of the front cover 61 through the opening. The opening of the front cover 61 bulges out toward the front side of the vehicle more than the remaining part.

[0100] According to this structure, the periphery of the cutouts 66, 66' through which the down frame 19 passes is bulged toward the front side of the vehicle, thereby displacing the peripheral edge of the opening toward the front side of the vehicle and increasing the interval between the opening and the down frame 19. As a result, it is easy to introduce the running wind from the opening without passing through the down frame 19. In addition, when the opening is formed in a cutout shape, it is also easy to ensure the rigidity of the periphery of the opening.

[0101] In the above-described electric two-wheeled vehicle 1, the cutout 66 has the widened portion 67 formed to be wider than the down frame 19 when viewed from the vehicle front side.

[0102] According to this configuration, the cutout 66 of the front cover portion 61 has the widened portion 67 which is wider than the down frame 19 in a front view, thereby making it easier to introduce the traveling wind through the cutout 66 while avoiding the down frame 19 .

[0103] It should be noted that the present invention is not limited to the above-mentioned embodiment. For example, the structure of this embodiment can also be applied to straddle-type vehicles other than motorized two-wheeled vehicles. The straddle-type vehicles include all vehicles in which the driver straddles the vehicle body, including not only motorized two-wheeled vehicles (including bicycles and scooters with prime movers), but also three-wheeled vehicles (including front two wheels and rear one wheel in addition to the front one wheel and rear two wheels) or four-wheeled vehicles (four-wheeled buggies, etc.). The structure of this embodiment can also be applied to vehicles in which the prime mover includes an internal combustion engine.

[0104] Furthermore, the configuration in the above-described embodiment is an example of the present invention, and the constituent elements of the embodiment can be replaced with known constituent elements, and various changes can be made without departing from the gist of the present invention.

Claims

1. A straddle-type electric vehicle comprising: a battery that stores electric power to be supplied to the electric motor for driving the vehicle; a front cover that covers a storage space for storing the battery from the front side of the vehicle; and A control device is arranged behind the battery and controls at least a part of the vehicle drive system, wherein: The front cover includes an opening portion that exposes a portion of the storage space toward the front side of the vehicle. At least a portion of the control device overlaps with the opening in a front view of the front cover.

2. The straddle-type electric vehicle according to claim 1, wherein: The battery includes a plurality of unit batteries arranged in a vehicle width direction. The plurality of unit batteries are arranged with inter-battery spaces between the unit batteries adjacent to each other in the vehicle width direction. At least a portion of the opening overlaps the inter-battery space in a front view of the front cover.

3. The straddle-type electric vehicle according to claim 2, wherein: The control device is in a flat shape with a suppressed thickness in one direction, and is arranged so that a plane perpendicular to the thickness direction is along a side surface of each unit battery of the battery. A cooling fin is provided on a surface of the control device facing the battery.

4. The straddle-type electric vehicle according to claim 2 or 3, wherein: The straddle-type electric vehicle comprises: a head pipe that supports the front wheel so as to be steerable; and a down frame extending obliquely rearward and downward from the head tube in a side view, The unit cells of the battery are arranged such that their longitudinal directions are along the extending direction of the down frame.

5. The straddle-type electric vehicle according to claim 4, wherein: The battery is disposed on the rear side of the vehicle with respect to the down frame.

6. The straddle-type electric vehicle according to any one of claims 1 to 3, wherein: The straddle-type electric vehicle includes an upper cover that covers at least a portion of the battery and the control device from an upper side of the vehicle. The upper cover is provided with an opening portion at the front end portion thereof for opening the inner space of the cover toward the front side of the vehicle. The opening portion of the upper cover is formed in a cutout shape that opens toward the lower side of the cover. The opening of the front cover is formed in a cutout shape that opens toward the upper side of the cover. The open portion of the upper cover and the opening portion of the front cover form openings that are continuous with each other.

7. The straddle-type electric vehicle according to claim 6, wherein: The opening of the front cover is a cutout that opens toward the upper side of the cover. The down frame enters the inner side of the front cover through the opening. The periphery of the opening portion of the front cover bulges out toward the front side of the vehicle more than the remaining portion.

8. The straddle-type electric vehicle according to claim 7, wherein: The opening portion has an expanded portion formed to be wider than a width of the down frame when viewed from the front side of the vehicle.

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