ELECTRICALLY POWERED MOTOR VEHICLE

Description

[0001] The invention relates to an electrically powered motor vehicle, in particular an exclusively electrically powered motor vehicle or a battery electric vehicle (BEV) or a fuel cell vehicle.

[0002] The operation of mechanical brakes in motor vehicles produces respirable brake particles, which today are usually released unfiltered into the environment. Braking also produces respirable tire wear, which, like the brake particles, is released into the environment. Such particle emissions are increasingly viewed with concern for health protection reasons, so countermeasures are desirable.

[0003] Electric vehicles typically have an engine brake to recover kinetic energy, as well as a mechanical brake for emergency braking. The latter converts kinetic energy into heat energy and can be a disc or drum brake, for example.

[0004] DE 10 2021 107 504 B9 describes a fuel cell vehicle with a drive unit mounted on the wheel axle, which includes a mechanical brake. The brake is enclosed in an airtight housing to capture brake particles.

[0005] DE 10 2016 200 936 A1 describes a motor vehicle with an air guide structure behind the rear wheel, which guides air to a dust collector in the wake of the rear wheel. A device is provided for adjusting the distance of the lower edge of the air guide structure from the road surface depending on the vehicle speed. One object of the present invention is to provide a motor vehicle with which fewer brake particles and tire wear generated during driving are released into the environment.

[0006] These and other objects are solved by independent claims 1 and 7. Advantageous further developments are specified by the subclaims.

[0007] According to the invention, an electrically powered or drivable motor vehicle is proposed. The motor vehicle can be a battery-electric motor vehicle that is driven or driven exclusively electrically, but not with an electric wheel hub motor. A hybrid vehicle with both an electric and an internal combustion engine drive can also be provided, provided the thermal load on the brakes in this motor vehicle according to the invention is acceptable.

[0008] Furthermore, the vehicle has a (body) side wall that is closed in the area of ​​the rear wheel arch. Due to this closed design, the rear wheel is virtually no longer visible from the outside or is hidden. At most, the rear wheel is still visible in its lowest section, where the wheel rests on the road surface. Relative to the clear height of the rear wheel in the vertical direction, a maximum of 20-30% of the rear wheel is visible when looking across the vehicle and along the rear axle. The closed design can be achieved with a panel that is removably attached to the remaining side wall to allow access to the rear wheel if a wheel change is necessary.

[0009] In the area of ​​the rear wheel, the sidewall is equipped with a front air inlet (as viewed in the vehicle's longitudinal direction) and a rear air outlet (as viewed in the opposite direction). The air inlet and / or outlet can be provided in the aforementioned trim panel, which closes the envelope defined by the sidewall in the area of ​​the rear wheel arch. During driving, an air path is created between the air inlet and air outlet within the rear wheel arch, which draws in and entrains brake particles and tire wear, and removes them from the wheel arch.

[0010] Furthermore, the side wall or the trim part has a filter arranged in the air outlet to clean the escaping air so that the brake particles and tire abrasion can be captured in the filter material of the air outlet.

[0011] The above solution has several advantages: Fewer harmful brake particles and tire wear particles are released into the environment. The modifications required to implement this solution are minimal and, in particular, do not require any changes to the brakes or rims. Because less air flows into the rim by closing the rear wheel arch, less moisture and dirt reach the brake disc and caliper, resulting in less corrosion and braking noise. The closed design of the sidewall in the area of ​​the rear wheel arch reduces turbulence, which has a positive effect on the range of the electrically powered vehicle.

[0012] According to claim 1 of the invention, the motor vehicle is a purely electric vehicle, i.e., it is exclusively electrically powered or can be exclusively electrically powered. In such a case, the wheel housing is not required, as is the case with an internal combustion engine, to direct air to the brakes and thereby cool them, since such vehicles recuperate during braking without generating heat.

[0013] In one embodiment, the rear wheel has a rim, e.g., made of steel or a light metal such as aluminum, and the mechanical brake protrudes at least partially into the inner recess of the rim. The brake is thus positioned close to the envelope defined by the sidewall of the body and is located in the wheel house or below the fender. The mechanical brake can be conventionally designed as a disc or drum brake.

[0014] In a further embodiment, the air inlet and / or the air outlet are elongated, with their longitudinal axis arranged at an angle of + / - 20° to the vertical. This allows the air flowing along the sidewall to be well coupled into the wheel house.

[0015] Furthermore, a design is chosen in which the filter is designed to filter brake dust and brake particles, particularly to filter out respirable particles below 2-3 µm that can enter the bronchi, but especially particles with a size below 1 µm that can enter the alveoli. This prevents harmful particles from entering the air.

[0016] Furthermore, it is conceivable that the filter comprises a nonwoven material to filter out particles.

[0017] This option, for example, implemented as a cartridge with the aforementioned nonwoven material that absorbs the particles and is arranged in a holder, is particularly cost-effective, and changing the nonwoven material or cartridge is easy. Alternatively, a ceramic filter can also be used. With a sufficiently large filter volume, long service intervals are also possible, making it possible to replace the filter during an annual inspection.

[0018] The invention will be described in more detail below using an exemplary embodiment. It shows: Fig. 1 a motor vehicle according to the invention in a first embodiment

[0019] Fig. 1shows a battery-electric motor vehicle 1 with a right rear wheel 3 and a side wall 5 made of sheet metal. The side wall 5 has no recess in the area 7 of the rear wheel 3, but is designed as a closed panel. The closed panel design is achieved with a cover part 9, which is removably attached to the side part 5 using suitable fastening means such as clips and rests flush against it. The cover part 9 conceals the rear wheel 3 except for a lower area, which accounts for approximately 25% of the clear height of the rear wheel 3, and is therefore not visible.

[0020] In Fig. 1Arrow X points forward in the longitudinal direction of the vehicle. When driving ahead, air flows in the direction of arrows P1 into the air inlet 11, flows along the inside of the trim panel 9, and out again from the air outlet 13 located roughly below the door handle 17, as indicated by arrows P2. The air flowing past the inside of the trim panel creates a vacuum that sucks in and entrains brake particles and wheel wear particles. The particle flow reaches the air outlet 13, into which a filter 15 made of nonwoven material is clipped. The particles are captured by the filter fleece and thus no longer escape into the environment.

[0021] Vehicle 1 is a battery-electric vehicle that regularly recuperates during braking, meaning it no longer converts kinetic energy into heat. Therefore, ventilating the wheel brakes via an open wheel arch is not necessary, and the wheel arch can be closed, especially since the rear wheels do not steer. However, it is also conceivable for use in a hybrid vehicle such as a plug-in hybrid, provided it can also brake using recuperation. List of reference symbols

[0022] 1Motor vehicle 3Rear wheel 5Side wall 7Area 9Cover part 11Air inlet 13Air outlet 15Filter P1Arrow for incoming air P2Arrow for outgoing air XVehicle longitudinal direction

Claims

1. An electrically powered motor vehicle (1) with a rear wheel (3) and a side wall (5) that is closed in the area (7) of the rear wheel (3), characterized in that the area (7) is equipped with an air inlet (11) arranged at the front relative to the vehicle's longitudinal direction (X) and an air outlet (13) arranged at the rear relative to the vehicle's longitudinal direction, and with a filter (15) arranged in the air outlet (11) for cleaning escaping air.

2. A motor vehicle according to claim 1, designed as an exclusively electrically powered or drivable motor vehicle.

3. A motor vehicle according to claim 1 or 2, characterized in that the air inlet (11) and / or the air outlet (13) are elongated, with their longitudinal axis being arranged at an angle of + / - 20° to the vertical.

4. Motor vehicle according to one or more of the preceding claims, in which the filter (15) is designed to filter brake dust and brake particles.

5. Motor vehicle according to one or more of the preceding claims, in which the filter (15) comprises a nonwoven material or is a ceramic filter.

6. Motor vehicle according to one or more of the preceding claims, in which the filter (15) is replaceably arranged in the air outlet (11).

7. Side wall for a motor vehicle (1) with a wheel housing area for a rear wheel (3), which is designed to be closed, characterized in that the wheel housing area is equipped with an air inlet (11) arranged at the front with respect to the vehicle longitudinal direction (X) and with an air outlet (13) arranged at the rear with respect to the vehicle longitudinal direction, with a filter (15) arranged in the air outlet (11) for cleaning escaping air and with fastening means provided in the air outlet (11) for arranging the filter (15) for cleaning the escaping air.