SADDLE-TYPE ELECTRIC VEHICLE

Abstract

A saddle-type electric vehicle comprising: a vehicle body frame (5) having a head pipe (16), a main frame (17), a pair of right and left swing frames (18), and upper and lower cross members (22, 23) connecting the right and left swing frames (18) to each other; a swing arm (30); and a drive unit (8) arranged on a side further rearward than the right and left swing frames (18), wherein the drive unit (8) includes a casing (53) that houses the electric motor (50), the casing (53) including a mounting portion (56) fixed between the right and left swing frames (18) by the upper and lower cross members (22, 23) in a front-to-back direction of the vehicle, and a pivot shaft (33) of the swing arm (30) is supported by the right and left swing frames (18) and the mounting portion (56).

Description

Field of the InventionThe present invention relates to a saddle-type electric vehicle.BackgroundIn saddle-type electric vehicles that travel using an electric motor, there are a plurality of arrangements of a battery used for vehicle movement, a control device, and an electric motor.For example, in Japanese Unexamined Patent Application, First Publication No. 2020-97312, a plurality of batteries are arranged so as to be aligned between the right and left main frames in an up-down direction, a control device is arranged between the battery and a pivot shaft, and an electric motor is arranged at a rear side of the pivot shaft of a swing arm. A battery case has a front part of a motor case fixed thereto and supports a front end portion of the swing arm.For example, in Japanese Unexamined Patent Application, First Publication No. 2012-91595, a battery is disposed between the right and left main frames, a control device is disposed below the battery, and an electric motor is disposed at a front side of a swing frame. A motor housing is fastened to the pivot frame.SUMMARYIn the above-described configuration, when the electric motor is disposed at the rear side of the pivot shaft and the motor housing supports the swing arm, a high degree of rigidity is required because the motor housing receives a load related to the output and input of the electric motor and receives a load from the swing arm. In this case, when the balance with a main frame at a front part of the vehicle body is also taken into consideration, adjustment of the strength and rigidity of the engine housing becomes complicated.Particularly, in a small saddle-type electric vehicle, the demands for rigidity of the frame and the construction of the vehicle body are very high due to the arrangement of heavy driving components such as the battery, the control device and the electric motor, which has given rise to consideration.An aspect of the present invention aims to provide a saddle-type electric vehicle capable of reducing the influence on the construction of a vehicle body by the arrangement of a drive component.A saddle-type electric vehicle according to a first aspect of the present invention includes: a vehicle body frame (5) having a head pipe (16) supporting a steering wheel (2) in a steerable manner; a main frame (17) extending rearward from the head pipe (16); a pair of right and left pivot frames (18) extending downward from a rear end portion of the main frame (17); and a cross member (22, 23) connecting the right and left pivot frames (18) to each other; a pivot arm (30) supporting a drive wheel (3); and a drive unit (8) including an electric motor (50) for driving a vehicle and disposed on a more rearward side than the swing frame (18) in a vehicle side view, wherein the drive unit (8) includes a housing (53) accommodating the electric motor (50), the housing (53) has a mounting portion (56) fixed by the cross member (22, 23) between the right and left swing frames (18) in a front-rear direction of the vehicle, and a pivot shaft (33) of the swing arm (30) is supported by the right and left swing frames (18) and the mounting portion (56).According to this configuration, the mounting portion fixed to the vehicle body frame in the front-rear direction of the vehicle is provided on the housing of the drive unit including the electric motor for driving the vehicle, thereby achieving the following advantages. That is, a structure is obtained in which a connection portion between the vehicle body frame and the drive unit easily receives a load (load accompanying acceleration and deceleration of the vehicle) due to the output and input of the electric motor. Therefore, it is possible to reduce (distribute) the load to a mounting portion of the power unit and facilitate adjustment of strength and rigidity of the housing and the entire vehicle body. The pivot shaft of the swing arm is supported by the right and left swing frames and the housing of the drive unit, whereby it is possible to facilitate adjustment of strength and rigidity of the housing of the drive unit and optimize rigidity of the housing, as compared with the case where the pivot shaft is supported only by the housing of the drive unit.A second aspect of the present invention is the saddle-type electric vehicle according to the above-described first aspect, wherein the cross member (22, 23) may include an upper cross member (22) connecting upper portions of the right and left pivot frames (18) to each other and a lower cross member (23) connecting lower portions of the right and left pivot frames (18) to each other, an upper fixing portion (57) fixed to the upper cross member (22) may be provided at an upper portion of the mounting portion (56), a lower fixing portion (58) fixed to the lower cross member (23) may be provided at a lower portion of the mounting portion (56), and the lower fixing portion (58) may be fixed to the lower cross member (23) in a vehicle width direction inner region other than the upper fixing portion (57).According to this configuration, the lower fixing portion of the housing is fixed to the lower cross member in the vehicle width direction wider inner region than the upper fixing portion, whereby it is possible to reduce the right-left width of a lower portion of the housing as much as possible and to easily ensure the inclination angle of the vehicle body.A third aspect of the present invention is the saddle-type electric vehicle according to the above-described first or second aspect, wherein each of the right and left pivot frames (18) may include, with respect to a main body side of the pivot frames (18), a pivot block (19) as a separate body, wherein each of the right and left pivot blocks (19) may support the pivot shaft (33) of the pivot arm (30) and may be fixed on the same side with respect to the main body side of a right or left pivot frame (18) in the front-rear direction of the vehicle.According to this configuration, by supporting the pivot shaft by the pivot block as a separate body with respect to a pivot frame main body and fixing the pivot block in the front-rear direction of the vehicle with respect to the pivot frame main body, the area of the fixing portion in the front-rear direction of the vehicle together with the fixing portion of the housing is increased, whereby it is possible to improve the connection rigidity to the main body side of the vehicle body frame of a housing assembly body including the pivot block and the pivot shaft. The unit body of the power unit, the pivot shaft, and the pivot block may be collectively attached to the main body side of the vehicle body frame by the attachment in a front-rear direction.A fourth aspect of the present invention is the saddle-type electric vehicle according to the third aspect described above, wherein a right or left step (27) may be attached to each of the right and left pivot blocks (19) on the same side.According to this configuration, by supporting the step by the right and left swing blocks, it is possible to absorb a step load by the swing block having high strength. Therefore, it is possible to facilitate adjustment of the strength and rigidity of the main body side of the vehicle body frame.A fifth aspect of the present invention is the saddle-type electric vehicle according to the third or fourth aspect described above, wherein a plurality of types of the right and left pivot blocks (19) having a different axis center position of the pivot shaft (33) may be used.According to this configuration, due to the possibility of using a plurality of types of pivot blocks of different center positions of the pivot shaft, it is possible to easily change a pivot position by replacing the pivot block, thereby making it possible to improve the applicability of the vehicle component.A sixth aspect of the present invention is the saddle-type electric vehicle according to any one of the first to fifth aspects described above, which may include: a rear damper (32) connected to the swing arm (30), wherein the rear damper (32) may be disposed above the drive unit (8) in a position in which a stroke direction is oriented in the front-rear direction of the vehicle, may include a front end portion connected to the vehicle body frame (5) or the drive unit (8) on a more front side than a drive shaft (50a) of the electric motor (50), and may include a rear end portion connected to the swing arm (30) on a more rear side than the drive shaft (50a) of the electric motor (50).According to this configuration, the rear damper is disposed so as to extend over the drive shaft of the electric motor in the front-rear direction of the vehicle, the front end portion of the rear damper is connected to the vehicle frame or the drive unit, and the rear end portion of the rear damper is connected to the swing arm. By connecting the front end portion of the rear cushion to a portion to which the vehicle body frame and the drive unit are fixed to increase the rigidity, it is possible to support the front end portion of the rear cushion with high rigidity without additionally providing reinforcement at the connecting portion of the front end portion of the rear cushion. Since the rear damper extends above the drive shaft of the electric motor above the drive unit in the front-rear direction of the vehicle, it is possible to efficiently ensure the stroke amount of the rear damper while avoiding the drive unit disposed on the rear side of the swing frame, and to prevent rearward displacement of the rear wheel and increase in the wheel base, compared to the case where the rear damper is disposed between the drive unit and the rear wheel.A seventh aspect of the present invention is the saddle-type electric vehicle according to the sixth aspect described above, wherein the swing arm (30) may include a pair of right and left arm main bodies (36), and an arm connecting portion (37) connecting the right and left arm main bodies (36) to each other, wherein the right and left arm main bodies (36) may be curved so as to protrude upward in a vehicle side view, the arm connecting portion (37) may connect upper end portions of the right and left arm main bodies (36) to each other, and a link mechanism (31) connecting the rear end portion of the rear damper (32) to the swing arm (30) may be disposed at an inner side of the arm connecting portion (37).According to this configuration, the right and left arm main bodies of the swing arm have a bent shape protruding upward, and the upper end portions of the right and left arm main bodies are connected by the arm connecting portion. Since the arm connecting portion is disposed near an upper portion of the swing arm, the right and left arm main bodies are efficiently connected to each other while avoiding the driving unit at the rear side of the swing frame, and the rear end portions of the rear damper disposed above the driving unit are easily connected. Since the link mechanism connected to the rear end portion of the rear cushion is disposed at the inner side of the arm link portion, adjustment flexibility of suspension characteristics is improved by the link mechanism, whereby it is possible to realize a compact link-type rear suspension.An eighth aspect of the present invention is the saddle-type electric vehicle according to any one of the above-described first to seventh aspects, wherein the vehicle body frame (5) may include: a box molding (26) including a pair of right and left side wall portions (26a) extending below the right and left main frames (17), respectively; a bottom wall portion (26b) connecting the lower ends of the right and left side wall portions (26a) to each other; and a front wall portion (26c) connecting the front ends of the right and left side wall portions (26a) to each other.According to this configuration, the box molding including the right and left side wall portions, the bottom wall portion, and the front wall portion is provided below the right and left main frames of the vehicle body frame, whereby the box molding can be used as a support structure of a battery mounted between the right and left main frames. Thereby, by eliminating or simplifying a structure for supporting the battery, the number of components is reduced, and therefore, the rigidity of the vehicle body frame to which the battery is mounted as a heavy object can be improved by the case molding.A ninth aspect of the present invention is the saddle-type electric vehicle according to the eighth aspect described above, which may include: a control device (90) that controls the drive of the electric motor (50), wherein the control device (90) may be attached to a lower surface of the bottom wall portion (26b) of the box molding (26).According to this configuration, by attaching the control device to the lower side of the case molding of the vehicle body frame, by eliminating or simplifying a structure for supporting the control device, the number of components is reduced and, by attaching the control device, the lower wall portion of the case molding is reinforced, whereby it is possible to further improve the rigidity of the vehicle body frame.A tenth aspect of the present invention is the saddle-type electric vehicle according to any one of the first to ninth aspects described above, wherein the electric motor (50) may be disposed at a height overlapping the control device (90) when viewed from the front-rear direction of the vehicle.According to this configuration, by disposing the control device and the electric motor at an overlapping height with each other, not only the control device and the battery mounted on the inside of the case molding are in close proximity, but also the control device and the electric motor. Thereby, it is possible to shorten an electric cable between the battery, the control device, and the electric motor and concentrate the mass by collectively disposing heavy objects.An eleventh aspect of the present invention is the saddle-type electric vehicle according to any one of the above-described first to tenth aspects, wherein the electric motor (50) and the drive wheel (3) may be connected via an endless transmission member (73), and a tensioner (75) applying a tension to the transmission member (73) may be supported by the housing (53) of the drive unit (8).According to this configuration, by supporting the tensioner provided for the transmission member by the housing, it is possible to efficiently apply the tension to the transmission member in the vicinity of the drive unit.According to the aspect of the present invention, it is possible to provide a saddle-type electric vehicle capable of reducing the influence on the construction of the vehicle body by the arrangement of a drive component.BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGSFIG. 1 is a left side view of an electric motorcycle of an embodiment. FIG. 2 is a left side view of a main part of the electric motorcycle. FIG. 3 is a perspective view of a rear suspension system and a drive unit of the electric motorcycle. FIG. 4 is a perspective view showing a vehicle frame in FIG. 3. FIG. 5 is a front view of a main part of FIG. 4 as viewed in the forward direction. FIG. 6 is a perspective view of a configuration of FIG. 2 viewed obliquely from an upper rear side. FIG. 7 is a perspective view of the vehicle body frame of the vehicle viewed obliquely from an upper rear side. FIG. 8 is a left side view showing a main part of the rear suspension system. FIG. 9 is a left side view with a partial cross-section of the rear suspension system. FIG. 10 is a front view of a swing arm. FIG. 11 is a rear view of the swing arm. FIG. 12 is a plan view of the swing arm. FIG. 13 is a perspective view of a lower portion of a fixing portion. FIG. 14 is a perspective view showing a modification example of a terminal portion and a recess portion. FIG. 15 is a perspective view corresponding to FIG. 3 showing a first modification example of the embodiment. FIG. 16 is a front view of a rear suspension system of the first modification example. FIG. 17 is a right side view of a main part of the first modification example. FIG. 18 is a perspective view of the periphery of a swing adjuster of the first modification example. FIG. 19 is a perspective view showing a vehicle body frame of a second modification example of the embodiment. FIG. 20 is a front view of the vehicle body frame of the second modification example.LIST OF REFERENCE CHARACTERS1 Electric motor wheel (saddle type electric vehicle) 2 Front wheel (steering wheel) 3 Rear wheel (drive wheel) 5, 5' Vehicle body frame 8 Drive unit 16 Head pipe (head part) 17 Main frame 18 Pivot frame 19 Pivot block 22 Upper cross member (cross member) 23 Lower cross member (cross member) 26 Box molding 26 a Sidewall portion 26 b Bodenwand wall portion 26 cFront wall portion 27 Step 30 Pivot arm 31 Link mechanism 32 Rear damper 33 Pivot shaft 36 Arm main body 37 Arm link portion 50 Electric motor 50 aDrive shaft 53 Housing 56 Mounting portion 56 dFront damper link portion 57 Upper mounting portion 58 Lower mounting portion 73 Drive chain (transmission member) 75 Tensioner 80 Battery unit 90 PCU (control device)DESCRIPTION OF THE EMBODIMENTSHereinafter, an embodiment of the present invention will be described with reference to the drawings. Directions such as forward, rearward, right and left in the following description are the same directions as in a vehicle described below unless otherwise specified. Further, in the drawings, at the respective positions used in the following description, an arrow FR indicating the forward direction of the vehicle, an arrow LH indicating the rearward direction of the vehicle, an arrow UP indicating the upward direction of the vehicle, and a line CL indicating the center of the vehicle body to the right and left are shown.FIG. 1 is a left side view of an electric motorcycle (saddle-type electric vehicle) 1 of an embodiment.As shown in FIG. 1, the electric motor wheel 1 of the embodiment is a saddle-type road electric vehicle in which the size and weight of the vehicle body are reduced, the mass is concentrated, and the center of gravity is lowered.The electric motor wheel 1 includes a front wheel 2, a rear wheel 3, a front suspension 4, a vehicle body frame 5, a body cover 6, a rear suspension system 7, a drive unit 8, a battery unit 80, and a PCU (control device) 90.The front suspension system 4 includes a pair of right and left front forks 10 that swingably support the front wheel 2 at a lower end portion, an upper bridge 11 and a lower bridge 12 provided between upper portions of the pair of front forks 10, and a head pipe (not shown) provided between the upper bridge 11 and the lower bridge 12 and inserted into a head pipe 16. The front wheel 2 is mounted steerably on the head pipe 16 of the vehicle frame 5 via the front wheel suspension 4. To the upper bridge 11, for example, a handlebar (not shown) is attached. In the embodiment, a telescopic front fork 10 is illustrated as an example of a front suspension of the electric motorcycle 1; however, the embodiment is not limited to this configuration. The front wheel suspension can also be, for example, another type of suspension, such as, for example, a joint suspension with a pivot arm.FIG. 2 is a left side view of a main part of the electric motorcycle 1, FIG. 3 is a perspective view of the drive unit and the rear suspension system 7 of the electric motorcycle 1, and FIG. 4 is a perspective view further showing the vehicle body frame 5 in FIG. 3.Referring to FIGS. 1, 2, and 4, the vehicle body frame 5 includes the head pipe 16, a pair of right and left main frames 17, a pair of right and left pivot frames 18, an upper cross member 22 connecting the upper portions of the right and left pivot frames 18 to each other, and a lower cross member 23 connecting the lower portions of the right and left pivot frames 18 to each other.A single head pipe 16 is located at the center CL of the vehicle body and is attached to a front end of the vehicle body frame 5. The head pipe 16 is inserted through the nose pipe and is rotatably supported. The shape of the head pipe 16 is not limited to a cylindrical shape, and thus an abnormality, an opening, or the like may be formed appropriately on the head pipe 16.The two main frames 17 are branched rightward and leftward from an upper portion of the head pipe 16 and extend rearward and downward. In a top plan view, the front portions of the pair of main frames 17 extend obliquely toward a rear side of the head pipe 16 and outward in the vehicle width direction, and are then bent to extend rearward. In the top plan view, the rear portions of the main frame pair 17 linearly extend along a front-rear direction. The front portions of the main frame pair 17 have an up-and-down width corresponding to the length of the head pipe 16 in the axial direction in a side view. The rear portions of the pair of main frames 17 are shaped to have an up-down width toward a rear lower side in the side view.Each of the two pivot frames 18 extends downward from a rear end portion of the right or left main frame 17 on the same side. A pivot shaft 33 extending in the vehicle width direction is provided between middle portions of the pair of pivot frames 18 near an upper portion in an up-down direction. The term "center" used in this embodiment includes not only the center between both ends of a target but also an inner region between both ends of the target.The upper cross member 22 extends in the vehicle width direction above the pivot shaft 33 and connects the upper portions of the pair of pivot frames 18 to each other. A pair of right and left upper fixing portions 22 athat fix an upper portion of a mounting portion 56 of a housing 53 of the power unit 8 is provided on an outer side in the vehicle width direction of the upper cross member 22.The lower cross member 23 extends in the vehicle width direction below the pivot shaft 33 and connects the lower portions of the two pivot frames 18 to each other. A single lower fixing portion 23 athat fixes a lower portion of the mounting portion 56 of the housing 53 of the power unit 8 is provided at a vehicle width direction center portion of the lower cross member 23.As illustrated in FIG. 1, the vehicle body frame 5 further includes a rear frame 24 that supports a seat 9 as a driver's seat. For example, a front end portion of the rear frame 24 is attachable and detachably attached to a rear upper surface of the right and left main frames 17 by bolting or the like. A step bracket 27 athat supports the right and left steps 27 is threadedly attached to a rear part of the right and left pivot frames 18 in an attachable and detachable manner.FIG. 5 is a front view of a main part of FIG. 4 when viewed from the front, FIG. 6 is a perspective view of a configuration of FIG. 2 when viewed obliquely from an upper rear side, and FIG. 7 is a perspective view of the vehicle body frame 5 when viewed obliquely from an upper rear side.Referring to FIGS. 1, 2, and 6, a battery unit 80 for running is mounted on the vehicle body frame 5 between the right and left main frames 17 at a rear side of the head pipe 16 and a front side of the right and left swing frames 18.The battery unit 80 can be inserted and removed in a space formed between the right and left main frames 17 in plan view. The battery unit 80 is enclosed by the right and left main frames 17 from the vehicle width direction outside, and is thereby prevented from external interference from the vehicle width direction outside.The vehicle body frame 5 supports the drive unit 8 for traveling the vehicle at the rear of the right and left swing frames 18.The drive unit 8 comprises an electric motor 50 and a reduction gear 51, wherein the electric motor 50 and the reduction gear 51 are accommodated in an integrated housing 53. The power unit 8 is fixed and fixed to a bulkhead portion 25 formed of the upper and lower cross members 22, 23 and the right and left pivot frames 18 in the vehicle body frame 5 from a vehicle rear side. Even in a configuration in which the drive unit 8 is supported on the rear side of the right and left pivot frames 18, appropriate weight distribution forward and rearward can be achieved by disposing the battery unit 80 closer to the head pipe 16.As illustrated in FIG. 1, the body cover 6 covers the vehicle body frame 5 and the like. The body cover 6 includes a front cowl 41, a rear cowl 42, a front seat cover 43, and a lower cowl 44.The front cowl 41 covers an area extending from the front side of the head pipe 16 to the right and left sides, right and left side portions of the front cowl 41 extend further rearward, and cover a vehicle body side part from the outside in the vehicle width direction.The rear cowl 42 covers a region extending from right and left side portions of the rear frame 24 to a rear side. The seat 9 is disposed on the rear cowl 42.The front seat cover 43 is formed so that a space between the right and left main frames 17 at the front of the seat 9 protrudes upward. The front seat cover 43 is a tank cover having an outer shape simulating a fuel tank. The front seat cover 43 forms a knee grip portion located between both knees of a driver seated on the seat 9. An upper portion of the battery unit 80 is accommodated inside the front seat cover 43. The front seat cover 43 covers the upper part of the battery unit 80 from above.The lower cowl 44 continues to a lower side of the front cowl 41 and covers a lower part of the vehicle body from below.FIG. 8 is a left side view showing a principal part of the rear suspension system 7, while FIG. 9 is a left side view showing a partial cross section of the rear suspension system 7.Referring to FIGS. 8 and 9, the rear suspension system 7 includes a swing arm 30 pivotally supporting the rear wheel 3 at a rear end portion, a link mechanism 31 connected to a front upper portion of the swing arm 30, and a rear damper 32 extending between the link mechanism 31 and the upper cross member 22.The swing arm 30 is disposed below a rear part of the vehicle body and extends in the front-rear direction. A front end portion of the swing arm 30 is supported by the pair of swing frames 18 and the mounting portion 56 of the housing 53 so as to be swingable up and down via the swing shaft 33. The mounting portion 56 is a fixing portion between the vehicle body frame 5, the drive unit 8, the swing arm 30, the rear damper 32, and the like, and easily achieves support rigidity of the pivot shaft 33.The link mechanism 31 includes a link arm 34 extending in an up-down direction and a link member 35 having an inverted triangular shape in a side view. The link arm 34 is disposed on the inner side of an upper protrusion portion (an arm connection portion 37) formed at a front upper portion of the swing arm 30 in the side view. The link arm 34 extends downward from the inside of the upper protrusion portion and has a lower end portion rotatably connected to a hinge connection portion 53 aat a rear end portion of the housing 53. An upper end portion of the link arm 34 is rotatably connected to a rear end apex portion of the link member 35. A front apex of the link 35 is rotatably connected to the upper protrusion part of the swing arm 30. A rear end portion of the rear cushion 32 is rotatably connected to a lower end apex portion of the link member 35. A front end portion of the rear damper 32 is rotatably connected to a front damper connecting portion 56 dof the mounting portion 56. By the action of the link mechanism 31, it is possible to achieve a progressive effect in that the stroke of the damper is reduced when the rear load is small and the vibration of the swing arm 30 is small, and the stroke of the damper is increased when the rear load is large and the vibration of the swing arm 30 is large.The rear damper 32 is provided on the vehicle width direction inner side (e.g., on the vehicle body right-left at the center CL) of the rear part of the vehicle body. The rear cushion 32 is formed in a cylindrical shape in which a compression coil spring is disposed on an outer periphery of a cushion cylinder and is disposed in a horizontal posture in which an axis direction is generally along a front-rear direction of the vehicle. The rear damper 32 is disposed above the drive unit 8 and extends in the front-rear direction.The front damper connecting portion 56 dconnected to a front end portion of the rear damper 32 is located near an upper fixing portion 57 (a fixing portion to the vehicle body frame 5) of the mounting portion 56, and shares the strength and the rigidity near the upper fixing portion 57.In the rear damper 32, for example, an angle (angle of a central axis) 8 with respect to a vertical line VL in the side view is set in a range of 45 degrees to 120 degrees. The rear damper 32 is disposed to fit in an up-and-down width of the swing arm 30. The rear damper 32 is disposed substantially horizontally while avoiding the electric motor 50 having a large diameter and disposed at a rear side of the swing frame 18. As a result, the arrangement of the rear cushion 32 has no influence on the wheel base, so that the stroke of the rear cushion 32 and the damping capacity are ensured. By reducing the height of an arrangement portion of the rear cushion 32 in the up-down direction, a space under the seat is opened, and thus the present embodiment is also suitable for a low-seat vehicle.The drive unit 8 includes the electric motor 50 for driving the vehicle, the reduction gear 51 that decelerates a power of the electric motor 50, an output shaft 70 that outputs the power of the electric motor 50 decelerated in the reduction gear 51, and the housing 53 that houses a drive part such as the electric motor 50 and the reduction gear 51. The drive unit 8 is constructed as an integral unit including the electric motor 50, the reduction gear 51, the output shaft 70, and the housing 53.The electric motor 50 includes a drive shaft (motor drive shaft) 50 aand is disposed such that an axis direction of the drive shaft 50 aruns along the vehicle width direction. A gear type reduction gear 51 is disposed on one side (left side) in a right-left direction of the electric motor 50.The output shaft 70 extends in the vehicle width direction and has a left end portion 70 athat protrudes to the outside of the housing 53. The output shaft 70 is located at an upper front side of the motor drive shaft 50 ain side view. In the drive unit 8, the output shaft 70 and the motor drive shaft 50 aare provided as separate shafts from each other. The output shaft 70 and the motor drive shaft 50 amay be arranged coaxially with each other according to the configuration of the reduction gear 51 or the like.The housing 53 forms the outer shape of the drive unit 8, the housing 53 integrally includes: a motor housing 54 having a drum shape and accommodating the electric motor 50; a gear housing 55 having a box shape disposed at a left side portion of the motor housing 54 and accommodating the reduction gear 51; and the mounting portion 56 provided at a front portion of the housing 53.As illustrated in FIG. 8, the left end portion 70 aof the output shaft 70 protrudes to the outside of the housing 53, and the left end portion 70 ais connected to the rear wheel 3 via a chain-like transmission mechanism 74. Reference numeral 71 in the drawing represents a drive sprocket fixed to the left end portion 70 aof the output shaft 70, reference numeral 72 represents a driven sprocket fixed to the left side of the rear wheel 3, and reference numeral 73 represents a drive chain having an endless shape and suspended from both sprockets 71, 72.A tensioner 75 applying tension to the drive chain 73 is supported by a lower portion of the housing 53 of the drive unit 8.The tensioner 75 causes a tension roller 76 to be in contact with the drive chain 73 from an outer circumferential side of a winding portion of the drive chain 73 in the side view. The tension roller 76 is supported by a tension arm 77 on the left rear side of the housing 53.The tension arm 77 extends rearward along a lower side (the slack side) of the drive chain 73 in the side view, and supports the tension roller 76 at a rear end portion. In the tension arm 77, a front end portion is rotatably supported by the housing 53, and a rear end portion is biased upward (toward the drive chain 73 side). The tensioner 75 causes the tension roller 76 to be in contact with the drive chain 73 with a biasing force and to exert a corresponding tension on the drive chain 73. The tensioner 75 is disposed at the rear of the gear case 55 in a left side portion of the motor case 54 in a crescent-shaped space. The tensioner 75 applies tension to the drive chain 73 at the intermediate portion between the output shaft 70 and the rear wheel axle 3a. Thereby, the tension can be efficiently applied to the drive chain 73 with a small force.Although the embodiment is described taking the example of the chain-like transmission mechanism 74, a belt-like transmission mechanism may be used. The tensioner 75 may have a configuration corresponding to a transmission component such as a drive belt or the drive chain 73.Referring to FIG. 1, the PCU (Power Control Unit) 90 controlling the electric motor 50 is disposed below the drive unit 8. The PCU 90 is a control device including a PDU (Power Drive Unit) representing motor drive, an ECU (Electric Control Unit) controlling the PDU, and the like. The PDU includes an inverter. The PDU converts the power supplied from the battery unit 80 from a direct current to an alternating current and then supplies the electric motor 50 with electric power.The PCU 90 is accommodated in a PCU cover 91 which is formed in a parallelepiped shape and extends as far as the lower side of the battery case 81. The PCU cover 91 prevents external noise from reaching the PCU 90, and an operation noise generated by the PCU 90 is less likely to leak to the outside. A sound absorbing material may be attached to the PCU cover 91, or the cover itself may be made of a sound absorbing material.At a height corresponding to that of a lower end portion (in this embodiment, a lower end portion of the lower cross member 23) of the vehicle frame 5, a lower end portion of the PCU 90 is located. The exterior of the PCU 90 is covered from below by the lower hood 44 extending to the lower side of the front hood 41.The mounting portion 56 formed at a front part of the housing 53 is fixed to the bulkhead portion 25 of the vehicle body frame 5, thereby connecting (and supporting) the drive unit 8 to the vehicle body frame 5. The bulkhead portion 25 is formed of the right and left pivot frames 18 and the upper and lower cross members 22, 23 in a frame shape that opens in the front-rear direction. The bulkhead wall portion 25 may include, for example, a wall that closes the opening portion. In this case, the operating noise of the drive unit 8 can be prevented from invading forward (occupant side).Most of the power unit 8 except for the mounting portion 56 is disposed more rearward than the right and left pivot frames 18 in the side view. The rear suspension system 7 in FIGS. 8 and 9 shows a posture when the vehicle is in a vehicle empty state 1G (stationary state in which a vehicle weight is added). A lower end portion of the power unit 8 is located at a height corresponding to that of a lower end portion (lower cross member 23) of the vehicle frame 5. The lower end portion of the power unit 8 is covered from below by a rearward extended portion of the lower cowl 44.On the mounting portion 56, a first pivot shaft support portion through which the pivot shaft 33 passes and which supports the pivot shaft 33 is provided. Since the pivot shaft 33 passes through the first pivot shaft support portion, the first pivot shaft support portion is disposed at a position avoiding the electric motor 50 in the side view. Therefore, the first pivot shaft support portion is located on the outside of the housing 53 in the side view. In order to avoid enlargement of the housing 53, it is difficult to make the first pivot shaft support portion itself large, whereby strength and rigidity could be ensured. In this embodiment, the mounting portion 56 is fixed to the bulkhead portion 25, thereby securing the strength and rigidity of the first pivot shaft support portion. In addition to the support of the pivot shaft 33 by the mounting portion 56, the right and left side portions of the pivot shaft 33 are supported by the right and left pivot frames 18, respectively. Thereby, it is possible to prevent the enlargement of the housing 53 and at the same time to increase the swing rigidity of the swing arm 30. A pivot shaft support portion in the right and left pivot frames 18 is referred to as a second pivot shaft support portion.Referring to FIGS. 1, 2, and 6, the battery unit 80 defines a rectangular parallelepiped shape that is elongated in the up-down direction and accommodated in the battery case 81 of a similar shape. The battery unit 80 receives a predetermined high voltage, for example, by series-connecting a plurality of unit batteries. The battery unit 80 is formed to fit between inner surfaces of the right and left main frames 17 in the vehicle width direction plan view.The battery unit 80 is disposed such that an upper part protrudes above the main frame 17 and a lower part protrudes below the main frame 17 in a side view. A part of the battery unit 80 protruding beyond the main frame 17 is covered from above by the front seat cover 43. The main frame 17 is disposed so as to diagonally cross the battery unit 80 on the outside thereof in the vehicle width direction. A part of the battery unit 80 protruding below the main frame 17 is covered by the two side parts (side panels) of a rear part of the front panel 41 from the right and left outside.The PCU 90 is disposed below the battery unit 80 so as to extend to the battery unit 80. This reduces the length of a high voltage cable (a plus cable and a minus cable) extending from the battery unit 80. The power supply unit 8 is disposed at a rear side of the PCU 90 so as to be adjacent to the PCU 90 in the front-rear direction. The PCU 90 and the drive unit 8 are arranged to overlap in the up-down direction and the right-left direction as viewed from the front-rear direction. Thereby, the length of an electric power line (three-phase cable) between the PCU 90 and the drive unit 8 is reduced.The PCU 90 is disposed more forward than the bulkhead portion 25 and is located below the battery unit 80 Thereby, even if the PCU 90 is formed larger due to an increase in the output of the electric motor 50, abutment of the PCU 90 with a fastening portion between the drive unit 8 and the vehicle body frame 5 is avoided. Thereby, it is possible to reduce the influence on the rigidity of the vehicle body frame 5 or the like and improve the degree of freedom of the construction of the vehicle body. As compared with the case where the PCU 90 is disposed more rearward than the bulkhead portion 25, rearward displacement of the rear wheel 3 and wheel base increase are prevented.FIG. 10 is a front view of the swing arm, FIG. 11 is a rear view of the swing arm, and FIG. 12 is a plan view of the swing arm.Referring to FIGS. 10 to 12, the swing arm 30 includes a pair of right and left arm main bodies 36, and the arm connecting portion 37 connecting the front portions of the right and left arm main bodies 36 to each other.The right and left arm main bodies 36 have a bent shape protruding upward in the side view. Right and left arm main bodies 36 extend along the bent shape, for example, in the side view while having a rectangular hollow cross-sectional shape. At a front end portion of the right and left arm main bodies 36, a cylindrically shaped pivot support portion 38 through which the pivot shaft 33 is inserted is provided. An axle support portion 39, which has a plate shape and through which the rear wheel axle 3 ais inserted, is provided at a rear end portion of the right and left arm main bodies 36.In a side view of the right and left arm main bodies 36, in the front-rear direction, at a position farther forward than the center of the right and left arm main bodies 36, an upper end portion (apex portion) is located. The arm connecting portion 37 is provided so as to extend between upper end portions in the side view of the right and left arm main bodies 36. The inside of the arm connecting portion 37 is correspondingly tapered, and a rear portion of the rear damper 32 and the connecting mechanism 31 are accommodated in the inside of the arm connecting portion 37.An upper portion of the drive unit 8 is disposed between the front portions of the right and left arm main bodies 36. Since the rear wheel 3 is disposed on the rear side of the drive unit 8 in the vicinity of the drive unit 8, the arm connecting portion 37 between the right and left arm main bodies 36 is provided so as to bypass a vicinity between the drive unit 8 and the rear wheel 3 and bypass the vicinity. A rear end portion of the rear damper 32 is connected to the link mechanism 31 at the inside of the arm link portion 37. A front end portion of the rear damper 32 is connected to the front damper connecting portion 56 don the mounting portion 56 of the drive unit 8.In a side view, a straight line connecting the center 33 cof the pivot shaft 33 to the center 3 cof the rear wheel axle 3 ais represented by reference character T 1. The arm connecting portion 37 is located at a position higher than the straight line T 1 in the side view.The center point 50 cof the motor drive shaft 50 aof the drive unit 8 is located at a position below the straight line T 1. The center point 70 cof the output shaft 70 is located at a position below the straight line T 1, but is located closer to the straight line T 1 than the center point 50 cof the input shaft 50 a. The motor drive shaft 50 aand the output shaft 70 are located at a position farther rearward than the pivot shaft 33.The swing arm 30 includes an arm plate portion 36 athat terminates a triangular region below the right and left arm main bodies 36 in the side view. In the swing arm 30, the right and left arm main bodies 36 have a hollow cross-sectional shape, and the right and left arm plate portions 36 aare plate-shaped in cross-section. The right and left arm plate portions 36 aare formed in a plate shape and have a thickness similar to a wall portion on the vehicle width direction outer side of the right and left arm main bodies 36 on the same side. The outer side surfaces of the right and left arm plate portions 36 aare formed so as to be flush with the outer side surfaces of the wall portions on the vehicle width direction outer side of the right and left arm main bodies 36 on the same side. The swing arm 30 has a shape such as an arm in which the height is increased up and down in the side view, whereas a skeleton part of the right and left arm main bodies 36 has a bent shape.Since the lower surfaces of the right and left arm main bodies 36 constitute the right and left arm plate portions 36 awhich have a plate shape, the rigidity of the swing arm 30 is not excessively increased. In particular, since the right and left arm plate portions 36 aare less likely to be bent in a so-called in-plane direction, the longitudinal rigidity (bending rigidity in the front-rear direction and in the up-down direction) of the right and left arm main body 36 is effectively enhanced by the right and left arm plate portions 36 a. Since the right and left arm plate portions 36 acan be easily bent in a so-called out-of-plane direction, excessive reinforcement of the lateral rigidity (bending rigidity in the right-left direction) of the right and left arm main bodies 36 is prevented.In a front portion of the swing arm 30, a portion above the straight line T 1 is formed in the side view so that the right-left width is narrower toward an upper position (arm connection portion 37 side). Thereby, the right-left width becomes tapered in the vicinity (in the vicinity of the arm connecting portion 37) of an upper end portion of the swing arm 30, and thereby becomes more compact, reducing the influence on the arrangement of a peripheral component. Since a protrusion shape is not provided below a portion along the straight line T 1, due to the increase in the right-left width of the portion, the influence on an inclination angle of the vehicle body is reduced.In a rear portion of the swing arm 30, the right and left arm main bodies 36 are formed between the arm connection portion 37 and a rear end portion (axle support portion 39) in the front-rear direction in a curved shape that protrudes outward in the vehicle width direction in a plan view. Thereby, the right-left width between the right and left arm main bodies 36 is widened on a more front side than in the vicinity of the rear wheel axle 3 a, thereby easily ensuring backlash with a gear component such as the drive chain 73 or the belt. Since the right-left width is decreased in the vicinity (in the vicinity of a lower end portion of the swing arm 30) of the rear wheel axle 3 a, the influence on the inclination angle of the vehicle body is reduced.The right and left arm main bodies 36 and the arm plate portion 36 aare slightly curved so as to be S-shaped throughout in plan view and have a shape in which stress concentration is less likely.The arm plate portion 36 aof the left arm main body 36 may be provided to extend to cover the entire chain-like transmission mechanism 74 from the outside in the vehicle width direction in a side view. In this case, the arm plate portion 36 acan act like a chain cover, can prevent an external object or the like from coming into contact with the drive chain 73, and can prevent the outward leakage of chain noise.As shown in FIGS. 3 to 5, the mounting portion 56 fixed and fixed to the bulkhead portion 25 of the vehicle body frame 5 is provided at a front end portion of the housing 53 of the power unit 8.The mounting portion 56 is shaped such that a right-left width is tapered toward a lower side with respect to the transmission 55 and motor housing 54 rectangular in a front-rear direction.The support portion 56 includes an upper wall portion 56 a, right and left side wall portions 56 a 1, a middle step wall portion 56 bspaced from a lower side of the upper wall portion 56 a, and right and left slope walls 56 cextending toward a lower side of the right and left side wall portions 56 a 1. The support portion 56 as a whole is formed hollow. The front damper connecting portion 56 dconnected to a front end portion of the rear damper 32 is provided to protrude at an upper position of the upper wall portion 56 a.For connecting a three-phase cable extending from the PCU 90, a terminal portion 59 is provided on another side (right in the embodiment) of the right and left sides of the right and left tilt walls 56 c. The terminal portion 59 is disposed in a recess portion 59a formed to cut the right inclination wall 56c of the mounting portion 56 (at the inner side of the mounting portion 56).FIG. 13 is a perspective view of a lower portion of the mounting portion 56.Referring to FIG. 13, on one side (in this embodiment, on the left side) of the right and left sides of the right and left slope walls 56 c, a stand fixing portion 56 efor fixing and fixing a stand bracket (not illustrated) supporting a side stand (not illustrated) may be provided. The stand fixing portion 56 eis located in the vicinity of a lower fixing portion 58 (a fixing portion to the vehicle body frame 5) of the mounting portion 56, and shares the strength and the rigidity in the vicinity of the lower fixing portion 58, thereby improving the degree of freedom in design of the strength and the rigidity of the lower portion of the vehicle body frame 5, as compared with the case where the stand fixing portion 56 eis provided to the vehicle body frame 5.FIG. 14 is a perspective view showing a modification example of the terminal portion 59 and the recess portion 59 a.As in the terminal portion 59' and the recess portion 59a' shown in FIG. 14, the terminal portion 59' and the recess portion 59a' may be provided on an outer side (e.g., on a right cover of the motor housing 54) of the mounting portion 56. This is because the position of the terminal portion 59 or a bearing changes to the outer side in the axis direction as the thickness of a stator of the electric motor 50 in the axis direction is increased. By collectiveizing such changing points on right and left outer covers of the motor housing 54, the portfolio of the drive unit 8 can be easily increased, whereby costs can be reduced.Referring to FIGS. 3 to 5, at right and left corners on both sides of an upper portion of the mounting portion 56, a pair of right and left upper mounting portions 57 fixed to the upper cross member 22 are provided. A single lower fixing portion 58 fixed to the lower cross member 23 is provided at a lower end portion of the mounting portion 56. Each fastening portion 57, 58 abuts a fastening portion of the bulkhead portion 25 from behind, and is fastened along the front-rear direction by a bolt. Thereby, the drive unit 8 including the electric motor 50 and the reduction gear 51, the pivot shaft 33 of the swing arm 30, and a front end portion of the rear damper 32 can be integrally fixed to the bulkhead portion 25.FIG. 15 is a perspective view corresponding to a main part of FIG. 3 and showing a first modification example of the embodiment, FIG. 16 is a front view of the rear suspension system 7 of the first modification example, FIG. 17 is a right side view of a main part of the first modification example, and FIG. 18 is a perspective view of a periphery of a swing adjuster 19 aof the first modification example.As shown in FIGS. 15 to 18, the second pivot shaft supporting portion of the right and left pivot frames 18 may be formed as a pivot block 19 as a separate body from a main body side defining most of the pivot frame 18. The pivot block 19 is fastened and fixed to the main body side of the pivot frame 18 in the front-rear direction by a bolt. A plurality of types of pivot blocks 19 in which the axis center position of the pivot shaft 33 can be changed may be used. At present, a plurality of kinds of swing adjusters 19 aselected according to the axis center position of the swing shaft 33 are inserted into the first swing shaft supporting portion of the mounting portion 56.For example, the front end portions of the right and left step brackets 27 acan be fixed and fixed to the right and left pivot blocks 19 on the same side. The step holder 27 ahas a V shape protruding rearward in a side view and having a rear end portion supporting the step 27 so that the step 27 can be fitted. Upper and lower front end portions of the step bracket 27a abut a rear end portion of the pivot block 19 from right and left outsides, and are fastened and fixed along the right-left direction by a bolt.By using a configuration in which the pivot block 19 and the step bracket 27 acan be integrally attached to and detached from the main body side of the pivot frame 18, a space for attaching and detaching the drive unit 8 is easily provided in a vehicle in which the drive unit 8 is attached to a rear side of the pivot frame 18, thereby facilitating the attachment and detachment work of the drive unit 8.A lower end portion of the mounting portion 56 is fixed to the lower cross member 23 at a point, thereby achieving the following advantages. The position of the lower mounting portion 58 is lowered downward to increase the distance between the upper mounting portion 57 and the lower mounting portion 58, a mounting area (area surrounded by a plurality of mounting portions) of the mounting portion 56 is increased to increase a connection rigidity, the number of the lower mounting portions 58 is minimal, whereby it is possible to reduce the right-left width of the lower part of the vehicle body near the floor.By forming the mounting portion 56 so that the right-left width is tapered toward the lower side, the right and left pivot frames 18 are also formed so that the right-left width is tapered toward the lower side. Thereby, the right-left width of the lower portion of the pivot frame 18 is narrowed, thereby reliably ensuring an inclination angle of the vehicle body.The mounting portion 56 supporting the pivot shaft 33 improves the pivot rigidity by causing rigidity improvement through the connection to the vehicle body frame 5, thereby achieving a configuration suitable for a high-performance vehicle as well.FIG. 19 is a perspective view showing a vehicle body frame 5' of a second modification example of the embodiment, whereas FIG. 20 is a front view of a vehicle body frame 5' of the second modification example.Referring to FIGS. 19 and 20, a configuration is also conceivable in which the vehicle body frame 5 continuously connects a region from a lower surface of the head pipe 16 to a front surface of the right and left pivot frames 18.The vehicle body frame 5' shown in FIGS. 19 and 20 includes a box molding 26 including a pair of right and left side wall portions 26a respectively extending below the right and left main frames 17, a bottom wall portion 26b connecting the lower ends of the right and left side wall portions 26a to each other, and a front wall portion connecting the front ends of the right and left side wall portions 26a to each other. The box molding 26 is used as a supporting structure of the battery unit 80 mounted between the right and left main frames 17. The case molding 26 increases the rigidity of the vehicle body frame 5' to which a heavy object (drive system component) such as the battery unit 80, the PCU 90, and the drive unit 8 is mounted. For example, an outer peripheral portion of the PCU 90 is fixed to an outer periphery of a lower surface of a bottom wall portion 26 bof the box molding 26 by fastening. Thereby, the bottom wall portion 26b is reinforced by the PCU 90, whereby the rigidity of the vehicle body frame 5' can be further increased.As described above, the saddle-type electric vehicle in the above-described embodiment includes: the vehicle body frame 5 having a head part (head pipe 16) that steerably supports a steering wheel (front wheel 2), the pair of right and left main frames 17 branching rightward and leftward from the head pipe 16 and extending rearward, the pair of right and left pivot frames 18 extending downward from rear end parts of the right and left main frames 17, respectively, and the upper and lower cross members 22, 23 connecting the right and left pivot frames 18 to each other; the pivot arm 30 having a front end portion supported by the right and left pivot frames 18 and a rear end portion supporting a drive wheel (rear wheel 3); and the drive unit 8 including the electric motor 50 for driving a vehicle and disposed on a more rear side than the right and left swing frames 18 in a vehicle side view, wherein the drive unit 8 includes at least the housing 53 accommodating the electric motor 50, wherein the housing 53 includes the mounting portion 56 fixed between the right and left swing frames 18 in a front-rear direction of the vehicle by the upper and lower cross members 22, 23, and wherein the pivot shaft 33 of the swing arm 30 is supported by the right and left swing frames 18 and the mounting portion 56.According to this configuration, on the housing 53 of the drive unit 8 including the electric motor 50 for driving the vehicle, the mounting portion 56 fixed to the vehicle body frame 5 in the front-rear direction of the vehicle is provided, thereby achieving the following advantages. A structure is obtained in which a connection portion between the vehicle body frame 5 and the drive unit 8 easily receives a load (load accompanying acceleration and deceleration of the vehicle) due to the output and input of the electric motor 50. Therefore, it is possible to reduce (distribute) the load of a mounting portion of the power unit 8 and facilitate adjustment of the strength and rigidity of the housing 53 and the entire vehicle body. The pivot shaft 33 of the swing arm 30 is supported by the right and left swing frames 18 and the housing 53, whereby it is possible to facilitate adjustment of the strength and rigidity of the housing 53 and optimize the housing rigidity as compared with the case where the pivot shaft 33 is supported only by the housing 53.In the saddle-type electric vehicle described above, the cross member 22, 23 includes the upper cross member 22 connecting the upper portions of the right and left pivot frames 18 to each other and the lower cross member 23 connecting the lower portions of the right and left pivot frames 18 to each other, the upper fixing portion 57 fixed to the upper cross member 22 provided at an upper portion of the mounting portion 56, the lower fixing portion 58 fixed to the lower cross member 23 provided at a lower portion of the mounting portion 56, and the lower fixing portion 58 fixed to the lower cross member 23 in a vehicle width direction in an inner region other than the upper fixing portion 57.According to this configuration, the lower fixing portion 58 of the housing 53 is fixed to the lower cross member 23 in the vehicle width direction in an inner region wider than the upper fixing portion 57, whereby it is possible to reduce a right-left width of a lower portion of the housing 53 as much as possible and to easily ensure an inclination angle of the vehicle body. Specifically, the number of the lower fixing portion 58 in the center in the vehicle width direction is minimum, whereby it is possible to reduce the right-left width of the lower part of the vehicle body in the floor vicinity as much as possible.In the saddle-type electric vehicle described above, each of the right and left swing frames 18 may include the swing block 19 as a separate body with respect to a main body side of the swing frames 18, and each of the right and left swing blocks 19 may support the swing shaft 33 of the swing arm 30 and may be fixed on the same side in the front-rear direction of the vehicle with respect to the main body side of a right or left swing frame 18.According to this configuration, by supporting the pivot shaft 33 by the pivot block 19 as a separate body with respect to the main body side of the pivot frame 18 and fixing the pivot block 19 in the front-rear direction of the vehicle with respect to the main body side of the pivot frame 18, the area of the fixing portion in the front-rear direction of the vehicle is increased together with the fixing portion of the housing 53, whereby it is possible to improve connection rigidity to the main body side of the vehicle body frame 5 of a housing assembly body including the pivot block 19 and the pivot shaft 33. The assembly body of the power unit 8, the pivot shaft 33, and the pivot block 19 can be attached together to the main body side of the vehicle body frame 5 by the attachment in the front-rear direction.In the saddle type electric vehicle described above, the right or left steps 27 may be attached to each of the right and left pivot blocks 19 on a same side.According to this configuration, by supporting the step 27 by the right and left swing blocks 19, it is possible to absorb a high step load via the swing block 19. As a result, since the vehicle body frame 5 is not affected by the strength securing of a step mounting portion, it is possible to facilitate adjustment of the strength and rigidity of the main body side of the vehicle body frame 5.In the saddle-type electric vehicle described above, a plurality of types of the right and left pivot blocks 19 having a different axis center position of the pivot shaft 33 may be used.According to this configuration, by using a plurality of types of pivot blocks 19 by varying the center position of the pivot shaft 33, it is possible to easily change a pivot position by exchanging the pivot block 19, thereby making it possible to improve the employment possibilities of the vehicle component.The saddle-type electric vehicle described above includes: the rear damper 32 connected to the swing arm 30 via the link mechanism 31, the rear damper 32 being disposed above the drive unit 8, in a position oriented in the lifting direction in the front-rear direction of the vehicle, a front end portion connected to the drive unit 8 at a more front side than the drive shaft 50 aof the electric motor 50, and a rear end portion connected to the swing arm 30 at a more rear side than the drive shaft 50 aof the electric motor 50.According to this configuration, the rear damper 32 is disposed so as to extend over the drive shaft 50 aof the electric motor 50 in the front-rear direction of the vehicle, the front end portion of the rear damper 32 is connected to the drive unit 8, and the rear end portion of the rear damper 32 is connected to the swing arm 30 via the link mechanism 31. By connecting the front end portion of the rear cushion 32 to a portion to which the vehicle body frame 5 and the power unit 8 are fixed to increase the rigidity, it is possible to support the front end portion of the rear cushion 32 with high rigidity without providing additional reinforcement at the connection portion of the front end portion of the rear cushion 32. Since the rear damper 32 extends above the drive shaft 50 aof the electric motor 50 above the drive unit 8 in the front-rear direction of the vehicle, it is possible to ensure an efficient stroke length of the rear damper 32 while avoiding the drive unit 8 disposed on the rear side of the swing frame 18, and to prevent rearward displacement of the rear wheel 3 and increase in wheelbase as compared with the case where the rear damper 32 is disposed between the drive unit 8 and the rear wheel. It is also possible to connect the front end portion of the rear cushion 32 to the vehicle body frame 5 instead of the power unit 8. That is, the front damper connecting portion 56 dmay be provided on the upper cross member 22 or the like.In the saddle-type electric vehicle described above, the swing arm 30 includes a pair of right and left arm main bodies 36 and the arm connecting portion 37 connecting the right and left arm main bodies 36 to each other, the right and left arm main bodies 36 are curved so as to protrude upward in a vehicle side view, the arm connecting portion 37 connects upper end portions of the right and left arm main bodies 36 to each other, and the connecting mechanism 31 connecting a rear end portion of the rear damper 32 to the swing arm 30 is disposed at an inner side of the arm connecting portion 37.According to this configuration, the right and left arm main bodies 36 of the swing arm 30 have a bent shape protruding upward, and the upper end portions of the right and left arm main bodies 36 are connected by the arm connecting portion 37. Since the arm connecting portion 37 is disposed near an upper portion of the swing arm 30, the right and left arm main bodies 36 are efficiently connected to each other while avoiding the drive unit 8 at the rear of the swing frame 18, and the rear end portions of the rear damper 32 disposed above the drive unit 8 can be easily connected. Since the link mechanism 31 connected to the rear end portion of the rear cushion 32 is disposed at the inner side of the arm link portion 37, the link mechanism 31 improves flexibility in adjusting suspension characteristics, thereby making it possible to realize a compact link-type rear suspension.In the saddle type electric vehicle described above, the vehicle frame 5' may include the box molding 26 including the pair of right and left side wall portions 26 aextending below the right and left main frames 17, respectively, the bottom wall portion 26 bconnecting the lower ends of the right and left side wall portions 26 ato each other, and the front wall portion 26 cconnecting the front ends of the right and left side wall portions 26 ato each other.According to this configuration, the box molding 26 including the right and left side wall portions 26 a, the bottom wall portion 26 b, and the front wall portion 26 cis provided below the right and left main frames 17 of the vehicle body frame 5', whereby the box molding 26 can be used as a support structure for the battery unit 80 mounted between the right and left main frames 17. By the case molding 26, by eliminating or simplifying a structure for supporting the battery unit 80, the number of components is reduced and the rigidity of the vehicle body frame 5' to which the heavy battery unit 80 is mounted is improved.The saddle-type electric vehicle described above may include: a control device (PCU 90) controlling the drive of the electric motor 50, the PCU 90 being attachable to a lower surface of the bottom wall portion 26 bof the case molding 26.According to this configuration, by eliminating or simplifying the structure for supporting the PCU 90 by attaching the PCU 90 to the lower surface of the case molding 26 of the vehicle body frame 5', the number of components is reduced and, by attaching the PCU 90, the lower wall portion 26 bof the case molding 26 is reinforced, whereby it is possible to further improve the rigidity of the vehicle body frame 5'.In the saddle-type electric vehicle described above, when viewed in the front-rear direction of the vehicle, the electric motor 50 may be disposed at a height overlapping the PCU 90.According to this configuration, by disposing the PCU 90 and the electric motor 50 in an overlapping height, not only the PCU 90 and the battery unit 80 mounted on the inside of the case molding 26 are close to each other, but also the PCU 90 and the electric motor 50.In the saddle type electric vehicle described above, the electric motor 50 and the drive wheel (rear wheel 3) are connected via an endless transmission member (drive chain 73), and the tensioner 75 tensioning the drive chain 73 is supported by the housing 53 of the drive unit 8.According to this configuration, by supporting the tensioner 75 provided for the drive chain 73 by the housing 53, it is possible to efficiently apply the tension to the drive chain 73 in the vicinity of the drive unit 8.The present invention is not limited to the above-described embodiment, and therefore, the configuration of the present embodiment can be applied to other saddle-type vehicles, for example, instead of the motorcycle. The saddle type vehicles include all vehicles on which a rider sits straddled, including not only motorcycle (including motorized bicycles and scooter type vehicles) but also three-wheeled vehicles (including vehicles having two front wheels and one rear wheel in addition to vehicles having one front wheel and two rear wheels) or four-wheeled vehicles (a four-wheeled buggy or the like).The configuration in the above-described embodiment is an example of the present invention, and various changes may be made without departing from the scope of the present invention, such as replacing the components of the embodiment with known components.References included in the specificationThis list of documents cited by the applicant has been produced in an automated manner and is only included for the better information of the reader. The list is not part of the German patent application or utility model application. The DPMA does not take any adhesion for any faults or omissions.Patent Literature citedJP 2012-91595

[0004]

Claims

A saddle-type electric vehicle comprising: a vehicle body frame (5) having a head pipe (16) steerably supporting a steering wheel (2), a main frame (17) extending rearward from the head pipe (16), a pair of right and left pivot frames (18) extending downward from a rear end portion of the main frame (17), and a cross member (22, 23) connecting the right and left pivot frames (18) to each other; a pivot arm (30) supporting a drive wheel (3); and a drive unit (8) including an electric motor (50) for driving a vehicle and disposed on a more rear side than the swing frame (18) in a vehicle side view, wherein the drive unit (8) includes a housing (53) accommodating the electric motor (50), the housing (53) includes a mounting portion (56) fixed between the right and left swing frames (18) in a front-rear direction of the vehicle by the cross member (22, 23), and a pivot shaft (33) of the swing arm (30) is supported by the right and left swing frames (18) and the mounting portion (56).The saddle-type electric vehicle according to claim 1, wherein the cross member (22, 23) includes an upper cross member (22) connecting the upper portions of the right and left pivot frames (18) to each other, and a lower cross member (23) connecting the lower portions of the right and left pivot frames (18) to each other, an upper fixing portion (57) fixed to the upper cross member (22) is provided at an upper portion of the mounting portion (56), a lower fixing portion (58) fixed to the lower cross member (23) is provided at a lower portion of the mounting portion (56), and the lower fixing portion (58) is fixed to the lower cross member (23) in a further inner region in a vehicle width direction than the upper fixing portion (57).The saddle-type electric vehicle according to claim 1 or 2, wherein each of the right and left pivot frames (18) includes a pivot block (19) as a separate body with respect to a main body side of the pivot frames (18), and each of the right and left pivot blocks (19) supports the pivot shaft (33) of the pivot arm (30) and is fixed on the same side in the front-rear direction of the vehicle with respect to the main body side of a right or left pivot frame (18).The saddle type electric vehicle according to claim 3, wherein each of the right and left swing blocks (19) has right and left steps (27) attached thereto, respectively.The saddle type electric vehicle according to claim 3, wherein a plurality of types of right and left pivot blocks (19) having a different axis center position of the pivot shaft (33) can be used.The saddle-type electric vehicle according to claim 3, comprising: a rear damper (32) connected to the swing arm (30), the rear damper (32) being disposed above the drive unit (8) so that its stroke direction is oriented in the front-rear direction of the vehicle, having a front end portion connected to the vehicle body frame (5) or the drive unit (8) on a more front side than a drive shaft (50a) of the electric motor (50), and having a rear end portion connected to the swing arm (30) on a more rear side than the drive shaft (50a) of the electric motor (50).The saddle type electric vehicle according to claim 6, wherein the swing arm (30) includes a pair of right and left arm main bodies (36) and an arm connecting portion (37) connecting the right and left arm main bodies (36) to each other, the right and left arm main bodies (36) are curved to protrude upward in a vehicle side view, the arm connecting portion (37) connects the upper end portions of the right and left arm main bodies (36) to each other, and a connecting mechanism (31) connecting the rear end portion of the rear damper (32) to the swing arm (30) is disposed at an inner side of the arm connecting portion (37).The saddle-type electric vehicle according to claim 3, wherein the vehicle body frame (5) includes: a box molding (26) including a pair of right and left side wall portions (26a) extending below the right and left main frames (17), respectively; a bottom wall portion (26b) connecting the lower ends of the right and left side wall portions (26a) to each other; and a front wall portion (26c) connecting the front ends of the right and left side wall portions (26a) to each other.The saddle-type electric vehicle according to claim 8, comprising a control device (90) that controls the drive of the electric motor (50), wherein the control device (90) is fixed to a lower surface of the bottom wall portion (26b) of the box molding (26).The saddle-type electric vehicle according to claim 3, wherein the electric motor (50) is disposed at a height that overlaps the control device (90) when viewed in the front-rear direction of the vehicle.The saddle-type electric vehicle according to claim 3, wherein the electric motor (50) and the drive wheel (3) are connected via an endless transmission member (73), and a tensioner (75) applying tension to the transmission member (73) is supported by the housing (53) of the drive unit (8).

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