Mounting bracket for an impact protection structure

Abstract

A mounting bracket 300 is provided for coupling an underbody impact protection structure (200, Figure 8) to a body structure (100, Figure 8) of a vehicle 10 and transferring impact loads from the impact protection structure to the body structure during a collision. Mounting bracket 300 has forward and rearward mounts 310, a laterally extending protection structure mount 330 and a laterally extending shoulder 360. Shoulder 360 defines a longitudinally-facing contact surface abutting against a longitudinally facing surface of the body structure for transferring longitudinal impact loads from protection structure mount 330 to the body structure during a collision. Protection structure 330 may comprise a mount plate which may define shoulder 360, and may also have generally horizontal forward and rearward reinforcing plates. A vehicle body structure and a vehicle are also provided.

Description

The present disclosure relates to a mounting bracket for coupling an impact protection structure to a body structure of a vehicle. Aspects of the invention relate to a mounting bracket, a vehicle body structure comprising an impact protection structure and said mounting bracket, and a vehicle comprising said vehicle body structure. BACKGROUND It is known to provide vehicles with one or more power pack modules located in a floor region of the vehicle, for instance vehicles which use batteries or fuel cells for propulsion. Such power pack modules (e.g., battery modules or fuel cells) can be damaged if impacted by other sub-assemblies of the vehicle which may become displaced in the event of a collision. It is an aim of the present invention to address one or more of the disadvantages associated with the prior art. SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION Aspects and embodiments of the invention provide a mounting bracket for coupling an impact protection structure to a body structure of a vehicle, a vehicle body structure, and a vehicle as claimed in the appended claims. According to an aspect of the present invention there is provided a mounting bracket for coupling an impact protection structure to a body structure of a vehicle and transferring impact loads from the impact protection structure to the body structure during a collision, wherein the mounting bracket comprises: a forward mount portion for fastening to a portion of the body structure located forward of the impact protection structure; a rearward mount portion for fastening to a portion of the body structure located rearward of the impact protection structure; and a protection structure mount portion for fastening to the impact protection structure, the protection structure mount portion being connected to and located between the forward mount portion and the rearward mount portion, wherein the forward mount portion and the rearward mount portion extend in a longitudinal direction of the mounting bracket, and wherein the protection structure mount portion extends in a lateral direction of the mounting bracket. According to an aspect of the present invention there is provided a mounting bracket for coupling an underbody impact protection structure to a body structure of a vehicle and transferring impact loads from the impact protection structure to the body structure during a collision, wherein the mounting bracket comprises: a forward mount portion for fastening to a portion of the body structure located forward of the impact protection structure; a rearward mount portion for fastening to a portion of the body structure located rearward of the impact protection structure; and a protection structure mount portion for fastening to the impact protection structure, the protection structure mount portion being connected to and located between the forward mount portion and the rearward mount portion, wherein the forward mount portion and the rearward mount portion extend in a longitudinal direction of the mounting bracket, wherein the protection structure mount portion extends in a lateral direction of the mounting bracket, and wherein the mounting bracket further comprises a laterally extending shoulder portion defining a longitudinally-facing contact surface for abutting against a longitudinally-facing surface of the body structure to transfer longitudinal impact loads from the protection structure mount portion to the body structure during a collision. Advantageously, the provision of a mounting bracket having a laterally extending shoulder portion for abutting against a longitudinally-facing surface of the body structure allows longitudinal impact loads to be transferred directly onto the body structure of the vehicle via the contact surface of the laterally extending shoulder portion in the event of a collision. This helps to transfer longitudinal impact loads more evenly onto the body structure. It can also reduce the magnitude of the loads passing through the respective fasteners, which in turn can help to improve the structural stability of the mounting bracket and / or reduce the number of fasteners required to couple the impact protection structure to a body structure of the vehicle. The laterally extending shoulder portion may be located at any point along the length of the mounting bracket, for example towards a forward end or a rearward end of the mounting bracket. Optionally, the laterally extending shoulder portion may be located between the forward and rearward mount portions. Advantageously, locating the laterally extending shoulder portion between the forward and rearward mount portions can help to spread the impact loads from the impact protection structure more evenly in the longitudinal direction to the mounting bracket and / or to a vehicle structure to which the mounting bracket is mounted. Optionally, the longitudinally-facing contact surface of the laterally extending shoulder portion may be offset from one or both of the forward mount portion and the rearward mount portion in a vertical direction of the mounting bracket which is orthogonal to the longitudinal and lateral directions. Advantageously, offsetting the longitudinally-facing contact surface in the vertical direction can enable a proportion of the impact loads to be transferred to a region of the vehicle body structure which is vertically offset from the regions of the vehicle body structure to which the forward and rearward mount portions are mounted. This can help to spread the transfer of impact loads over a larger area of the vehicle body structure. Optionally, the protection structure mount portion may comprise a protection structure mount plate for fastening to a rear-facing surface of the impact protection structure. The protection structure mount plate may extend in the lateral direction with an orientation which is generally vertical during use. Optionally, the laterally extending shoulder portion may be defined by the protection structure mount plate. Advantageously, integrating the laterally extending shoulder portion into the protection structure mount plate enables impact loads applied onto the protection structure mount plate to be directly transferred onto the body structure of the vehicle in the event of a collision without having to pass through other intermediary components. Optionally, the mounting bracket may comprise a forward reinforcing plate which is generally horizontal during use and extends between the forward mount portion and a front surface of the protection structure mount plate. Advantageously, the provision of a forward reinforcing plate helps to further brace the mounting bracket against longitudinal impact loads in the event of a collision. Optionally, the forward reinforcing plate may form part of the protection structure mount portion and may comprise one or more fastener holes for fastening the forward reinforcing plate to a top surface of the impact protection structure. Advantageously, integrating the forward reinforcing plate with the protection structure mount plate helps to further brace the protection structure mount plate against longitudinal impact loads in the event of a collision. Optionally, the forward mount portion may comprise a first forward mount surface for fastening to a side surface of the body structure. Optionally, the first forward mount surface may extend in the vertical direction with an orientation which is generally vertical during use. Optionally, the forward mount portion may comprise a second forward mount surface for fastening to an underside of the body structure. Optionally, the second forward mount surface may extend in the lateral direction with an orientation which is generally horizontal during use. 2 Optionally, the forward mount portion may comprise a third forward mount surface for fastening to a side surface of the body structure. Optionally, the third forward mount surface may extend in the vertical direction with an orientation which is generally vertical during use. Optionally, the first forward mount surface may lie within a first longitudinal plane, and the third forward mount surface may lie in a second longitudinal plane, said second longitudinal plane being different to the first longitudinal plane. Optionally, the mounting bracket may comprise at least one rearward reinforcing plate which is generally horizontal during use and extends between the rearward mount portion and a rear surface of the protection structure mount plate. Advantageously, the provision of at least one rearward reinforcing plate (in addition to the rearward mount portion) allows longitudinal impact loads to be spread onto a larger portion of the vehicle body structure. Optionally, the at least one rearward reinforcing plate may comprise a pair of rearward reinforcing plates which are generally parallel and spaced apart in a vertical direction of the mounting bracket. Optionally, the mounting bracket may further comprise one or more vertical stiffening ribs extending in the vertical direction between the pair of rearward reinforcing plates. Advantageously, the provision of one or more vertical stiffening ribs between the rearward reinforcing plates helps to brace the mounting bracket against buckling when the mounting bracket is subjected to vertical loads during a collision. Optionally, the mounting bracket may comprise one or more longitudinal stiffening ribs extending in the longitudinal direction between the at least one rearward reinforcing plate and a rear surface of the protection structure mount plate. Advantageously, the provision of one or more longitudinal stiffening ribs extending between the protection structure mount plate and the at least one rearward reinforcing plate helps to further reinforce the protection structure mount plate against longitudinal impact loads. Optionally, the one or more longitudinal stiffening ribs may extend between a rear surface of the protection structure mount plate and an underside of the at least one rearward reinforcing plate. Optionally, the one or more longitudinal stiffening ribs may extend longitudinally along the underside of the at least one rearward reinforcing plate. Optionally, the mounting bracket may be formed as a unitary structure. Advantageously, providing the mounting bracket as a single unitary structure enables impact loads applied onto the mounting bracket to be directly transferred onto the body structure of the vehicle in the event of a collision without having to pass through other intermediary components. Optionally, the mounting bracket may be configured to withstand longitudinal impact loads of at least 100 kN during use. Optionally, the mounting bracket may be configured to withstand longitudinal impact loads of at least 120 kN during use. Optionally, the mounting bracket may be formed of a cast metal, such as aluminium. Optionally, the mounting bracket may have a thickness in the range of 4mm and 6mm. 3 According to another aspect of the invention, there is provided an impact protection system for a vehicle comprising: an impact protection structure for protecting a power pack module of a vehicle from impact by a sub-assembly of the vehicle during a collision; and a pair of mounting brackets according to the previous aspect of the invention, said mounting brackets being fastened at opposed ends of the impact protection structure. According to yet another aspect of the invention, there is provided a vehicle body structure comprising: at least one body structure member; an underbody impact protection structure; and at least one mounting bracket according to a previous aspect of the invention, wherein the underbody impact protection structure is coupled to the at least one body structure member by the protection structure mount portion and the forward and rearward mount portions of the at least one mounting bracket such that the longitudinally-facing contact surface of the laterally extending shoulder portion abuts against a longitudinally-facing surface of the at least one body structure member. Optionally, the vehicle body structure may comprise a surface geometry, and the forward mount portion of the at least one mounting bracket may comprise a complementary shape configured to conform to the surface geometry of the vehicle body structure. Optionally, the at least one body structure member may comprise a pair of body structure members, and the at least one mounting bracket may comprise a pair of mounting brackets fastened at opposed ends of the impact protection structure, each fastened to a respective one of the pair of body structure members such that the impact protection structure extends between the pair of body structure members. Optionally, the pair of body structure members may be a pair of longitudinal body structure members extending in the longitudinal direction of the vehicle body structure. Optionally, the impact protection structure may extend in a lateral direction across the vehicle body structure between the pair of body structure members. Optionally, the pair of body structure members may each comprise a respective diagonal body structure member extending in both the longitudinal direction of the vehicle body structure and a transverse direction away from the impact protection structure, that is, in a laterally outward direction of the vehicle body structure. Optionally, the longitudinally-facing contact surface of the laterally extending shoulder portion of each mounting bracket may abut against a longitudinally-facing surface of one of the pair of diagonal body structure members.] Optionally, the impact protection structure comprises: an impact guard panel; and a brace fixed at a proximal end of the impact guard panel, wherein the pair of mounting brackets are fastened at opposed ends of the brace to transfer impact loads from the impact guard panel to the pair of body structure members, and wherein the impact guard panel extends from the brace at an angle relative to the brace to define a declined surface. Advantageously, the provision of an impact guard panel which defines a declined surface allows the impact protection structure to deflect the subassembly downwards and away from a protected vehicle component located behind the impact guard panel, such as a power pack module, during a collision, thereby helping to protect the vehicle component in the event of a collision without the need for the impact protection structure to absorb all of the impact energy of the sub-assembly. Optionally, the apparatus may comprise a barrier surface positioned at a proximal end of the declined surface and parallel to the brace, and wherein said barrier surface is contiguous with the declined surface. Advantageously, the barrier surface can act as a block to further restrict movement of the sub-assembly towards the protected vehicle component during a collision and as a guide to direct the sub-assembly towards the declined surface. The barrier surface and the declined surface can thus act together to block and deflect the sub-assembly, thereby affording further protection for the protected vehicle component in the event of a collision. Optionally, the barrier surface may be defined by the impact guard panel, for example via a portion of the proximal end of the impact guard panel. In other embodiments, the barrier surface may be defined by the brace, by an additional component, or any combination thereof. The declined surface may extend from the barrier surface at any suitable angle of declination relative to the barrier surface. For example, from 20 to 80 degrees, from 30 to 70 degrees, from 40 to 60 degrees, or any combination of such end points, Optionally, the declined surface may extend from the barrier surface at an angle of declination in the range of 45 degrees to 55 degrees relative to the barrier surface. Advantageously, it has been found that setting the declined surface at an angle of declination between 45 degrees to 55 degrees can provide particularly effective deflection and re-direction of the sub-assembly away from the protected vehicle component. Optionally, declined surface may extend from the barrier surface at an angle of declination of approximately 50 degrees. The impact guard panel may be designed such that its distal end is free from attachment to other vehicle components. Optionally, the impact guard panel comprises a flange extending from the distal end of the impact guard panel, said flange being configured for fastening the distal end of the impact guard panel to a fixed structure of the vehicle. Advantageously, the provision of a flange (provided at the tip end of the impact guard panel) for attachment to a fixed structure of the vehicle helps to constrain the distal end of the impact guard panel against upward deflection in the event of a collision. This may help to increase impact energy absorption by the panel. Optionally, the impact guard panel may have a tapered cross-sectional shape such that a proximal depth at the proximal end of the impact guard panel is greater than a distal depth at the distal end of the impact guard panel. Advantageously, tapering the cross-sectional shape of the impact guard panel can allow the panel to deform more towards its lower, or distal, end in the event of a collision, while maintaining structural rigidity towards its upper, or proximal, end. This can be beneficial for impact energy absorption by the distal end and for impact energy transfer to the brace at the proximal end. Optionally, the brace may comprise one or more box sections. Advantageously, this structure can help to provide a robust but easy to manufacture brace whilst also helping to reduce the overall weight of the structure. Optionally, the brace may comprise a pair of box sections, said box sections being stacked one atop the other. The impact guard panel may be defined by a single component. The impact guard panel may be solid in the thickness direction. Optionally, the impact guard panel may be formed by a pair of plates which are spaced apart in a thickness direction to define a cavity therebetween. As used herein, the term “thickness direction” may be used interchangeably with the term “depth direction”. Advantageously, providing the impact guard panel as a pair of plates (with a cavity defined therebetween) enables the overall strength of the panel to be increased for a given weight and can enable increased impact energy absorption by the panel through deflection of the frontmost plate into the cavity. In this manner, the impact guard panel comprises a front plate which defines the declined surface, and a rear plate spaced apart from the front plate. One or both of the pair of plates may be directly connected to the brace or indirectly connected via one or more intermediate components. Optionally, the impact guard panel may further comprise a plurality of baffles located within the cavity and extending between the pair of plates. Advantageously, the provision of a plurality of baffles extending between the first and second plates can help to increase the rigidity and positional stability of the impact guard panel. The impact guard panel may define one or more drainage channels at its distal end which extend from the cavity to an exterior of the impact guard panel. Optionally, one or both plates comprise a plurality of flutes at the distal end of the impact guard panel, said flutes defining a plurality of drainage channels extending from the cavity to an exterior of the impact guard panel. Advantageously, the provision of drainage channels can facilitate drainage of liquids (such as water) from the cavity defined between the first and second plates. The brace and the impact guard panel may be formed from the same material. Optionally, the brace may comprise a first material having a first yield strength, and the impact guard panel may comprise a second material having a second yield strength, said second yield strength being greater than the first yield strength. Advantageously, the provision of different materials for the first and second barrier portions allows for the tailoring and selection of materials according to the properties required for each component. Optionally, the impact protection structure is formed of a material having a yield strength of at least 200 MPa. Optionally, the impact protection structure is formed of a material having a yield strength of at least 300 MPa. Optionally, the yield strength of the first material is at least 300 MPa, and the yield strength of the second material is at least 400 MPa. Optionally, the impact guard panel is formed from a material having a yield strength of at least 350 MPa. According to a further aspect of the invention, there is provided a vehicle comprising: the vehicle body structure according to the previous aspect of the invention; a sub-assembly mounted to the vehicle body structure; and a power pack module mounted to the vehicle body structure, wherein the impact protection structure is positioned between the sub-assembly and the power pack module such that the power pack module is located behind the impact guard panel in relation to the sub-assembly and is protected by the impact protection structure during a collision.. The impact protection structure may include an impact guard panel and a brace fixed at a proximal end of the impact guard panel, wherein the impact guard panel extends from the brace at an angle relative to the brace to define a declined surface. The declined surface of the impact guard panel may be arranged to deflect the sub-assembly in a direction towards a distal end of the impact guard panel and away from the brace and the power pack module during a collision. Optionally, the sub-assembly may be a front sub-frame of the vehicle and the power pack module may be located rearward of the impact guard panel such that the front sub-frame is deflected below the power pack module by the declined surface during a frontal collision. Optionally, the vehicle may comprise an electric drive unit mounted to the front sub-frame. Optionally the vehicle may comprise: an electric drive unit configured to provide motive power to the vehicle for propelling the vehicle; and a traction battery configured to supply electrical power to the electric drive unit, and wherein the power pack module forms part of the traction battery. According to yet a further aspect of the present invention there is provided a mounting bracket for coupling an underbody impact protection structure to a body structure of a vehicle and transferring impact loads from the impact protection structure to the body structure during a collision, wherein the mounting bracket comprises a protection structure mount portion for fastening to the impact protection structure, said protection structure mount portion extending in a lateral direction of the mounting bracket and a laterally extending shoulder portion defining a longitudinally-facing contact surface for abutting against a longitudinally-facing surface of the body structure to transfer longitudinal impact loads from the protection structure mount portion to the body structure during a collision. Within the scope of this application, it is expressly intended that the various aspects, embodiments, examples, and alternatives set out in the preceding paragraphs, in the claims and / or in the following description and drawings, and in particular the individual features thereof, may be taken independently or in any combination. That is, all embodiments and / or features of any embodiment can be combined in any way and / or combination, unless such features are incompatible. The applicant reserves the right to change any originally filed claim or file any new claim accordingly, including the right to amend any originally filed claim to depend from and / or incorporate any feature of any other claim although not originally claimed in that manner. BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS One or more embodiments of the invention will now be described, by way of example only, with reference to the accompanying drawings, in which: Figure 1 shows a schematic representation of a vehicle according to an embodiment of the present invention; Figure 2 shows a side view of a front part of the vehicle illustrated in Figure 1, showing a sub-assembly of the vehicle; Figure 3 shows a front perspective cross-sectional view of a lower part of the vehicle illustrated in Figure 1, showing a body structure, a sub-assembly of the vehicle with a vehicle drive unit, a power pack module housing of the vehicle, and an impact protection structure according to an embodiment of the present invention mounted therebetween; Figure 4 shows an enlarged perspective cross-sectional view of the lower part of the vehicle of Figure 3; Figure 5 shows a further enlarged perspective cross-sectional view of the lower part of the vehicle of Figure 3; Figure 6 shows a cross-sectional side view of the impact protection structure of Figures 3 to 5; Figure 7 shows an isometric perspective view of the impact protection structure in isolation of Figure 6; Figure 8 shows an underside perspective view of a front section of a body structure of the vehicle illustrated in Figure 1, with the impact protection structure of Figures 3 to 7 mounted thereto; and Figure 9 shows a perspective view of a mounting bracket suitable for coupling the impact protection structure of Figures 3 to 7 to the body structure of Figure 8; Figure 10 shows an isometric view of the mounting bracket of Figure 9; and Figure 11 shows an enlarged underside perspective view of the body structure of the vehicle illustrated in Figure 8, in which the connection formed between the mounting bracket and the body structure has been enlarged. DETAILED DESCRIPTION A vehicle in accordance with an embodiment of the present invention is described herein with reference to the accompanying Figures 1 to 9. As shown in Figure 1, the vehicle 10 defines a central longitudinal axis X, a left side 10a and a right side 10b with respect to the central longitudinal axisX, and a front 10c and a rear 10d with respect to a forward direction of travel of the vehicle 10. The vehicle 10 comprises a body 12 having a body structure 100 as shown in Figures 2 to 4. The body structure 100 forms at least a lower part of the vehicle 10 and may be characterised as corresponding to the floor and sub-structure of the vehicle 10, for example between its front axle 14 and its rear axle 16. The vehicle 10 also includes a propulsion system configured to provide motive power to the front 14 and / or rear 16 axles. The propulsion system includes a power source 18 comprising one or more power pack modules, and a vehicle drive unit 20 configured to provide motive power to the front 14 and / or rear 16 axles for propelling the vehicle 10. In the embodiment of Figures 1 to 9, the vehicle 10 is a battery electric vehicle (BEV) 10. The vehicle drive unit 20 is therefore an electric drive unit (EDU) that contains an electric machine and one or more drivetrain components arranged to transfer motive power from the electric drive unit 20 to the front 14 and / or rear 16 axles, and the power source 18 is a traction battery comprising one or more battery modules for suppling electrical power to the vehicle drive unit 20. However, it shall be appreciated that in alternative embodiments, the vehicle 10 maybe a hydrogen electric vehicle (HEV) and hence the power source 18 may be a hydrogen fuel cell arrangement comprising one or more hydrogen fuel cells. It shall be appreciated that the term “power pack module” encompasses both hydrogen fuel cells and battery modules. A traction battery is defined herein as an energy storage unit that supplies power to a vehicle drive unit 20 for propelling the vehicle. As such, traction batteries are distinguished over other “non-traction” batteries which may be provided on the vehicle (such as the service battery) which do not supply power to the vehicle drive unit 20 for propelling the vehicle. For example, a traction battery will typically be a high voltage battery having a voltage in the region of 350V to 800V due to the energy demand of the vehicle drive unit 20, whereas a non-traction battery will typically be a low voltage battery often having a voltage at least an order of magnitude less than that of a high voltage battery (typically below 15V). Referring to Figure 2, the body structure 100 includes a plurality of body structure members (not shown in Figure 1) by which the body structure 100 is at least partially defined. The vehicle 10 also includes one or more sub-assemblies 110 which are secured to the body structure 100. In the illustrated embodiment, the vehicle 10 is provided with a sub-assembly 110 in the form of a front sub-frame 110 which is mounted to the body structure 100 at the front 10c of the vehicle 10. The front sub-frame 110 acts as a mount structure for one or more components of the vehicle 10 (such as the front suspension, steering, and / or a vehicle drive unit) and includes a plurality of sub-frame members 110a-d which may be bolted or welded together to form a framework. Referring now to Figure 3, the one or more power pack modules are optionally supported within a power pack module housing 120 which is mounted to the body structure 100 of the vehicle 10.The power pack module housing 120 is mounted in the region of the vehicle floor behind (or rearwards of) the front sub-frame 110 and the vehicle drive unit 20 in the longitudinal (X) direction. As such, in the event of a frontal collision, the front sub frame 110 and / or the vehicle drive unit 20 may become rearwardly displaced causing them to impact against the power pack module housing 120, thereby potentially damaging the power pack modules contained therein. The term “frontal collision” is defined herein as a collision in which an impact force extending in a direction which is substantially parallel to the longitudinal (X) axis of the vehicle 10 is applied to the front 10c of the vehicle. Therefore, in order to protect the one or more power pack modules from the sub-assembly 110 and / or the vehicle drive unit 20 in the event of a frontal collision, the vehicle 10 is provided with an impact protection structure 200 which shall now be described in greater detail with reference to Figures 4 to 8. The impact protection structure 200 includes an impact guard panel 210 for protecting the one or more power pack modules positioned behind the impact guard panel 210 during use and a brace 220, provided at the proximal end of the impact guard panel 210, for connecting the impact guard panel 210 to the body structure 100 of the vehicle 10. As best seen in Figure 6, the impact guard panel 210 extends from the brace 220 at an angle a relative to the brace 220 to define a declined surface 211a which, in the event of a collision, helps to deflect the sub-assembly 110 in a direction towards the distal end of the impact guard panel 210 (i.e. downwards in the illustrated embodiment) and hence away from the brace 220 and the one or more power pack modules situated behind the impact protection structure 200, thereby helping to prevent the one or more power pack modules from being impacted by the sub-assembly 110 or at least reducing the impact force. The declined surface 211a extends from the brace 220 at an angle of declination a in the range of 45 degrees to 55 degrees (approximately 50 degrees in the case of the illustrated embodiment). It has been found that setting the angle of declination of the declined surface in the range of 45 to 55 degrees is particularly effective for re-directing the sub-assembly 110 away from the one or more power pack modules housed behind the impact protection structure. However, it shall be appreciated that in alternative embodiments, impact protection structures having a declined surface with an angle of declination falling outside of the above range may also be envisaged. For example, from 20 to 80 degrees, from 30 to 70 degrees, from 40 to 60 degrees, or any combination of such end points. Referring now to Figure 6, the impact guard panel 210 optionally has a tapered cross-sectional shape such that a proximal depth Ti of the impact guard panel 210 (i.e., a thickness or depth taken at the proximal end of the impact guard panel 210 in the longitudinal direction X) is greater than a distal depth T2 of the impact guard panel 210 (i.e., a thickness or depth taken at the distal end of the impact guard panel 210 in the longitudinal direction X). In other words, the depth (or thickness) of the impact guard panel 210 tapers towards its distal end. It has been found that tapering the cross-sectional shape of the impact guard panel 210 towards its distal end can be beneficial in that it can allow the impact guard panel 210 to deform towards its distal (or lower) end more easily than at the proximal end in the event of a collision which can be beneficial for impact energy transfer. Furthermore, since the impact guard panel 210 is thicker at its proximal end, the panel can remain more structurally rigid towards the proximal (or upper) end which can be beneficial for transferring impact energy to the brace 220. However, it shall be appreciated that in alternative embodiments, the impact guard panel 210 may have a substantially uniform thickness. The impact guard panel 210 is optionally formed from a pair of plates, a front plate 212 and a rear plate 214, which are spaced apart in a depth (or thickness) direction to define a cavity 230 therebetween. In the illustrated embodiment, the front 212 and rear 214 plates (and hence the impact guard panel 210) are manufactured from a “High Strength Low Alloy” HSLA420 steel material having a yield strength of approximately 420 MPa. However, it shall be appreciated that in other embodiments, the impact guard panel 210 may be manufactured using other suitable materials (such as different grades of steel or aluminium) and hence in other embodiments the impact guard panel 210 may be manufactured from a material having a different yield strength. A plurality of baffles 216 are located within the cavity 230 which extend across the cavity 230 between the front 212 and rear 214 plates. The provision of a plurality of baffles 216 extending between the front 212 and rear 214 plates has been found to improve the rigidity and stability of the impact guard panel 210. In the illustrated embodiment, the plurality of baffles 216 are provided by a corrugated panel secured to the front 212 and rear 214 plates via a series of fusion spot welds (illustrated schematically as feature 218 in Figures 6 and 7). However, it shall be appreciated that in other embodiments, other suitable joining methods may be used. It shall also be appreciated that in some embodiments, the plurality of baffles may be omitted. The front plate 212 of the impact guard panel 210 comprises a joining portion 212a provided at the proximal end of the impact guard panel 210 for joining the front plate 212 to a front surface of the brace 220, a flange portion 212c provided at the distal end of the impact guard panel 210 for fastening the distal end of the impact guard panel 210 to a fixed structure of the vehicle 10, and an declined portion 212b extending between the joining portion 212a and the flange portion 212c which defines the declined surface 211 a of the impact guard panel 210. The joining portion 212a is orientated substantially parallel to the front surface of the brace 220 and hence, in the illustrated embodiment, the joining portion 212a is orientated substantially parallel to a vertical (Z) axis of the vehicle 10. Meanwhile, the flange portion 212c is orientated substantially perpendicular the joining portion 212a and extends rearwardly away from the declined portion 212b in the longitudinal (X) direction. The rear plate 214 of the impact guard panel 210 is of a similar construction to that of the front plate 212 and hence also comprises a joining portion 214a provided at the proximal end of the impact guard panel 210 for joining the rear plate 214 to a rear surface of the brace 220, a flange portion 214c provided at the distal end of the impact guard panel 210 for fastening the distal end of the impact guard panel 210 to a fixed structure of the vehicle 10, and a declined portion 214b extending between the joining portion 214a and the flange portion 214c.The joining portion 214a of the rear plate 214 is orientated substantially parallel to the rear surface of the brace 220 (and also to the corresponding joining portion 212a of the front plate 212) and hence, in the illustrated embodiment, the joining portion 214a is orientated substantially parallel to the vertical (Z) axis of the vehicle 10. Meanwhile, the flange portion 214c of the rear plate 214 is orientated substantially perpendicular the joining portion 214a and extends rearwardly away from the declined portion 212b in the longitudinal (X) direction. As shown in Figure 6, the declined portion 214b of the rear plate 214b has a steeper angle of declination p than that of the declined portion 212b of the corresponding front plate 212. Consequently, the impact guard panel 210 depicted in Figures 3 to 8 features a tapered cross-sectional shape. However, it shall be appreciated that in other embodiments, the impact guard panel 210 may comprise a different cross-sectional shape, and / or in further alternatives may be of a substantially solid construction. As best seen in Figure 7, a plurality of flutes 215 are provided at the distal end of the impact guard panel 210 which define a plurality of drainage channels extending from the cavity 230 to an exterior of the impact guard panel 210. The provision of a plurality of flutes 215 provided at the distal end of the impact guard panel 210 allows for the better drainage of fluids (such as water) from the cavity 230 defined between the front 212 and rear plates 214 which may collect when the vehicle 10 is operated in wet weather conditions or during routine cleaning and / or maintenance and / or offroad usage (such as water wading). In the illustrated embodiment, the plurality of flutes 215 are provided at the front plate 212 only and extend longitudinally along the length of the flange portion 212c. However, it shall be appreciated that in alternative embodiments, the plurality of flutes 215 may be provided at the rear plate 214 only or may be provided on both the front plate 212 and the rear plate 214. It shall also be appreciated that in some further alternatives, the plurality of flutes may also be omitted. The impact guard panel 210 also comprises a flange 240 which extends rearwardly away from the distal end of the impact guard panel 210 in the longitudinal (X) direction. The flange 240 is configured for fastening the distal end of the impact guard panel 210 to a fixed structure of the vehicle 10. Advantageously, by fastening the distal end of the impact guard panel 210 to a fixed structure of the vehicle 10, the distal (or lower) end of the impact guard panel 210 can be better constrained against upward deflection in the event of a collision. In the embodiment illustrated in Figure 5, the flange 240 is fastened to a corresponding flange 122 provided on an outer surface of the power pack module housing 120. However, it shall be appreciated that in alternative embodiments, the flange 240 of the impact guard panel 210 may be fastened to a different fixed structure of the vehicle 10. It shall also be appreciated that in further alternatives, the impact guard panel 210 may have a cantilevered structure in which the distal end of the impact guard panel 210 is not fastened to the vehicle 10. In such embodiments, the flange portion maybe omitted. The flange 240 is defined by the respective the flange portions 212c, 214c of the front 212 and rear 214 plates and extends rearwardly away from the declined portions 212b, 214b of the front 212 and rear 214 plates. As such, the flange 240 is substantially horizontally orientated. The flange portions 212c, 214c are joined together to form the flange 240 via a plurality of fasteners 213 which are spaced laterally along the flange 240. In the illustrated embodiment, the plurality of fasteners 213 are also used to fasten to flange 240 to the fixed structure of the vehicle 10. However, it shall be appreciated that in alternative embodiments, separate fasteners may be provided for fastening the flange 240 to the vehicle 10. Furthermore, it shall also be appreciated that in other alternative embodiments, a different form of fastening means (such as welding or the like) may be used to join the respective flange portions 212c, 214c and / or to fasten the flange 240 to a fixed structure of the vehicle 10. Referring now to the brace 220 depicted in Figures 6 and 7, in the illustrated embodiment the brace 220 comprises an upper box section 224 and a lower box section 226 which are stacked one atop the other and joined together via a series of fusion seam welds 218 to form the brace 220. The upper 224 and lower 226 box sections each comprise a pair of front and rear surfaces, which together define the front and rear surfaces of the brace 220. In the illustrated embodiment, the upper 224 and lower 226 box sections are provided as a pair of substantially identical steel “box” beams (i.e„ hollow beams having a substantially square cross-sectional shape) and hence each box section also defines a cavity 223, 225. However, it shall be appreciated that in other embodiments, the brace 220 may comprise only a single box section, may comprise more than two box sections, or may be of an entirely different construction, such as a solid beam, I-beam, or equivalent construction. The upper 224 and lower 226 box sections (and hence the brace 220) depicted in Figures 6 and 7 are manufactured from a Q355 steel material having a yield strength of approximately 350 MPa (which is less than the yield strength of the steel material used for the impact guard panel 210). However, it shall be appreciated that in other embodiments, the brace 220 may be manufactured using other suitable materials (such as different grades of steel or aluminium) and hence in other embodiments the brace 220 may be manufactured from a material having a different yield strength. The impact protection structure 200 also defines a barrier surface 211b positioned at a proximal end of the declined surface 211a. Optionally, the barrier surface 211b is parallel to the brace 220. As such, the barrier surface 211b of the impact protection structure 200 is substantially vertically orientated (i.e., is orientated substantially parallel to a vertical axis (Z) of the vehicle 10) during use, which can help the barrier surface to restrict rearward travel of the vehicle drive unit (20) more effectively in the event of a collision, thereby helping to prevent the vehicle drive unit (20) from impacting the one or more power pack modules positioned behind the impact protection structure 200. In the illustrated embodiment, the barrier surface 211b is defined by the front surface of the brace 220, along with the joining portion 212a of the front plate 212 and so the barrier surface 211b is contiguous with the declined surface 211a of the impact guard panel 210 (which is defined by the declined portion 212b of the front plate 212). However, it shall be appreciated that in alternative embodiments, the barrier surface may be provided as a separate component mounted to the front surface of the brace 220, may be entirely defined by the front surface of the brace 220, or may be entirely defined by the joining portion 212a of the front plate 212. It shall also be appreciated that in embodiments wherein the barrier surface is provided as a separate component mounted to the front surface of the brace 220, the declined surface of the impact guard panel 210 may also be angled relative to the barrier surface, typically at an angle of declination in the range of 45 degrees to 55 degrees. Referring now to Figure 8, the impact protection structure 200 is coupled to the body structure 100 of the vehicle 10 via at least one mounting bracket 300. In the illustrated embodiment, the at least one mounting bracket 300 comprises a pair of mounting brackets at 300a, 300b fastened at either end of the brace 220. As set out above, in the illustrated embodiment, the flange 240 provided at the distal end of the impact guard panel 210 is also fastened to a corresponding flange 122 provided on an outer surface of the power pack module housing 120. In the illustrated embodiment, the body structure 100 forms part of the front 10c of the vehicle 10 and comprises a pair of longitudinally extending body structure members 132,134 (or “axial runners”), which extend in the direction of the longitudinal axis (X), and a pair of diagonal body structure members 136, 138 connected to the longitudinally extending body structure members 132, 134. The pair of longitudinally extending body structure 11 members includes a left side longitudinally extending body structure member 132 and a right side longitudinally extending body structure member 134. The left-side 132 and right-side 134 longitudinally extending body structure members form part of the vehicle “crash structure” and are designed to absorb energy in the event of a collision, thereby helping to prevent said energy from being transferred onto other parts of the body structure 100. The pair of diagonal body structure members 136, 138 extend in the longitudinal direction X and extend laterally outwardly towards the rear of the body structure 100. The pair of diagonal body structure members includes a left side diagonal body structure member 136 provided on the left-side 10a of the vehicle 10 and a right-side diagonal body structure member 138 provided on the right side 10b of the vehicle 10. The left-side diagonal body structure member 136 is connected to the left-side longitudinally extending body structure member 132. The right-side diagonal body structure member 138 is connected to the right-side longitudinally extending body structure member 134. A respective one of the pair of mounting brackets 300 is depicted in Figure 9. Although not shown in Figure 9, it shall be appreciated that the other mounting bracket is conceptually comparable to the mounting bracket 300 depicted in Figure 9 and so, for the sake of conciseness, the other mounting bracket shall not be described in detail within this application. Referring to Figure 9, the mounting bracket 300 comprises a forward mount portion 310 for fastening to a portion of the body structure 100 located forward of the impact protection structure 200 when installed on the vehicle, a rearward mount portion 320 for fastening to a portion of the body structure 100 located rearward of the impact protection structure 200 when installed on the vehicle, and a protection structure mount portion 330 located between the forward 310 and rearward 320 mount portions for fastening to the impact protection structure 200. The forward mount portion 310 extends in the longitudinal (X) direction of the mounting bracket 300 and has a complementary shape to that of the forward portion of the body structure 100 (said portion being located forward of the impact protection structure 200) to which the mounting bracket is intended to be mounted, such that the forward mount portion 310 can conform to the surface geometry of the body structure 100. In the illustrated embodiment, the forward mount portion 310 comprises a plurality of forward mount surfaces which are interconnected and in different orientations. These include a first forward mount surface 312 for fastening to a first side surface of the body structure 100, a second forward mount surface 314 for fastening to an underside of the body structure 100 and a third forward mount surface 316 for fastening to a second side surface of the body structure 100. As shown in Figure 10, the first forward mount surface 312 is configured to conform to a side surface of one of the longitudinally extending body structure members 132, 134 (or “axial runners”) and hence extends in the vertical (Z) direction with an orientation which is generally vertical during use. The second forward mount surface 314 is configured to conform to an underside of one of the respective longitudinally extending body structure members 132,134 (or “axial runners”) and hence extends in the lateral (Y) direction between the first and third forward mount surfaces 312,316 with an orientation which is generally horizontal during use. In other words, the second forward mount surface 314 is orientated substantially perpendicular to the first (and third) forward mount surfaces 312,316. Meanwhile, the third forward mount surface 316 is configured to conform to a side surface of one of the diagonal body structure members 136, 138 and hence extends in the vertical (Z) direction with an orientation which is generally vertical during use. In other words, the third forward mount surface 316 is orientated substantially parallel to the first forward mount surface 312 and is substantially perpendicular to the second forward mount surface 314. In the illustrated embodiment, the first forward mount surface 312 lies within a first longitudinal plane and the third forward mount surface 316 lies in a second longitudinal plane which is parallel and offset from the first longitudinal plane in the lateral (Y) direction. In other words, the first and second longitudinal planes are separated in the lateral (Y) direction by the second forward mount surface 314 such that the third forward mount surface 316 12 is laterally outboard of the first forward mount surface 312. However, it shall be appreciated that in other embodiments the forward mount portion 310 may have a different configuration and hence the respective mount surfaces may have different orientations and / or may be configured to interface with different parts of the body structure 100. The rearward mount portion 320 also extends from the protection structure mount portion 330 in the longitudinal (X) direction of the mounting bracket, albeit in the opposite direction to that of the forward mount portion 310, In the illustrated embodiment, the rearward mount portion 320 comprises a rear mount surface 322 for fastening to a side surface of the body structure 100 of the vehicle 10. The rear mount surface 322 extends in the vertical (Z) direction with an orientation which is generally vertical during use. In the illustrated embodiment, the rear mount surface 322 also comprises a curved profile so as to allow the rear mount surface 322 to better conform to the surface geometry of the body structure 100. However, it shall be appreciated that in other embodiments, the rear mount surface 322 may have a different orientation or configuration. For example, in some embodiments, the rear mount surface 322 may be configured to interface with different parts of the body structure 100. The protection structure mount portion 330 is connected to the forward 310 and rearward 320 mount portions and extends in the lateral (Y) direction of the mounting bracket 300 substantially perpendicular to the forward 310 and rearward 320 mount portions. In the illustrated embodiment, the protection structure mount portion 330 comprises a protection structure mount plate 332 for fastening to a rear surface of the impact protection structure 200. The protection structure mount plate 332 extends transversely in the lateral (Y) direction, away from the forward 310 and rearward 320 mount portions, and in the vertical (Z) direction such that the protection structure mount plate 332 is generally vertically orientated during use. As shown in Figures 9 and 10, in the illustrated embodiment the mounting bracket 300 is formed as a unitary structure and hence the protection structure mount plate 332 is integrally formed with the forward 310 and rearward 320 mount portions. More particularly, the mounting bracket depicted in Figures 9 and 10 is formed as a single aluminium casting having a thickness in the range of 4mm to 6mm. However, it shall be appreciated that in other embodiments, alternative mounting brackets may be provided which may comprise different materials (such as steel) or thicknesses. It shall also be appreciated that in alternative embodiments, the mounting bracket may comprise a plurality of connected parts and hence may not always be formed as a unitary structure. Referring now to Figure 10, in the illustrated embodiment the mounting bracket further comprises a forward reinforcing plate 340 to help further brace the mounting bracket 300 against longitudinal impact loads in the event of a collision. The forward reinforcing plate 340 extends in the lateral (Y) direction transversely away from the first forward mount surface 312, between the forward mount portion 310 and a front surface of the protection structure mount plate 332, and hence is orientated generally horizontally during use. In the illustrated embodiment, the forward reinforcing plate 340 forms part of the protection structure mount portion 330 and comprises one or more fastener holes 342a-d configured to engage with corresponding fasteners (such as bolts or mushroom pins) provided on a top surface of the impact protection structure. However, it shall be appreciated that in other embodiments, the forward reinforcing plate 340 may have a different configuration and hence may be provided as a stand-alone support which is unconnected to the protection structure mount portion 330. Furthermore, in further alternatives, it shall be appreciated that the forward reinforcing plate may be omitted entirely. Referring back to Figure 9, the mounting bracket 300 also comprises a pair of rearward reinforcing plates 352, 354 which extend away from a rear surface of the protection structure mount plate 332 in the longitudinal (X) direction. 13 The first rearward reinforcing plate 352 is located proximal to the top of the mounting bracket 300 in the vertical (Z) direction and extends between the rear surface of the protection structure mount plate 332 and the rearward mount portion 320. The first rearward reinforcing plate 352 is orientated generally horizontally during use and hence extends away from the rear mount surface 322 in the lateral (Y) direction. In other words, the first rearward reinforcing plate 352 is orientated substantially perpendicular to both the rearward mount portion 320 and the protection structure mount plate 332. In the illustrated embodiment, the first rearward reinforcing plate 352 has a substantially triangular shape when viewed along the vertical (Z) axis with a width which tapers from a first end of the first rearward reinforcing plate 352, proximal to the protection structure mount plate 322, to a second end of the first rearward reinforcing plate 352, distal to the protection structure mount plate 322. However, it shall be appreciated that in other embodiment, the first rearward reinforcing plate 352 may have a different shape. Meanwhile, the second rearward reinforcing plate 354 is located proximal to the bottom of the mounting bracket 300 in the vertical (Z) direction and also extends between the rear surface of the protection structure mount plate 332 and the rearward mount portion 320. The second rearward reinforcing plate 354 has a similar construction to that of the first rearward reinforcing plate 352 and hence has a substantially triangular shape when viewed along the vertical (Z) axis with a width which tapers from a first end of the second rearward reinforcing plate 354, proximal to the protection structure mount plate 322, to a second end of the second rearward reinforcing plate 354, distal to the protection structure mount plate 322 (although it shall be appreciated that in other embodiments the second rearward reinforcing plate 354 may have a different shape I configuration). Furthermore, as with the first rearward reinforcing plate 352, the second rearward reinforcing plate 354 is orientated generally horizontally during use and extends away from the rear mount surface 322 in the lateral (Y) direction. In other words, the second rearward reinforcing plate 354 is orientated substantially perpendicular to both the rearward mount portion 320 and the protection structure mount plate 322. As shown in Figure 9, the second rearward reinforcing plate 354 has a fastener hole 355 provided at its distal end which is configured to receive a corresponding fastener (not shown) for fastening the second rearward reinforcing plate 354 to an underside of the body structure 100. In this manner, the optional second rearward reinforcing plate 354 can also be considered to form part of the rearward mount portion 320 of the mounting bracket 300. In the illustrated embodiment, the first 352 and second 354 rearward reinforcing plates are orientated generally parallel to one another and are spaced about in the vertical (Z) direction. In the illustrated embodiment, the mounting bracket 300 also comprises a plurality of vertical stiffening ribs 356, 358 which extend in the vertical (Z) direction between the first 352 and second 354 rearward reinforcing plates, which help to brace the mounting bracket 300 against buckling due to vertical loads. However, it shall be appreciated that whilst a pair of vertical stiffening ribs are depicted in Figures 9 and 10, in other embodiments the mounting bracket may comprise a different number of stiffening ribs such as 1,3,4,5,6 etc. Furthermore, it shall also be appreciated that in some embodiments, the one or more vertical stiffening ribs may be omitted. The mounting bracket depicted in Figures 9 and 10 also comprises a pair of longitudinal stiffening ribs 357, 359 which extend in the longitudinal (X) direction 354 between a rear surface of the protection structure mount plate 332 and an underside 354a of the second rearward reinforcing plate 354. As shown in Figures 9 and 10, the pair of longitudinal stiffening ribs extend longitudinally along the underside 354a of the second rearward reinforcing plate 354 and help to further reinforce the protection structure mount plate 332 against longitudinal impact loads. In the illustrated embodiment, the longitudinal stiffening ribs are provided on the second rearward reinforcing plate 354 only. However, it shall be appreciated that in other embodiment, longitudinal stiffening ribs may also be provided on the first rearward reinforcing plate 352 (either in addition to or instead of those provided on the second rearward reinforcing plate). It shall also be appreciated that whilst a pair of longitudinal stiffening ribs are provided in the illustrated embodiment, in other embodiments a different number of longitudinal stiffening ribs such as 1, 3, 4, 5, 6 etc. may be provided. Furthermore, in yet further alternative embodiments, the longitudinal stiffening ribs may be omitted altogether. It shall also be appreciated that whilst a pair of rearward reinforcing plates are shown in the illustrated embodiment, in alternative embodiments a different number of rearward reinforcing plates may be provided such a 1, 3, 4, 5, etc and, in yet further alternatives, the one or more rearward reinforcing plates may also be omitted. Referring now to Figure 11, which is an expanded (or zoomed-in) view of the body structure 100 depicted in Figure 8, the mounting bracket 300 further comprises a laterally extending shoulder portion 360 which defines a longitudinally-facing contact surface for abutting against a corresponding longitudinally-facing contact surface (not shown) of the vehicle body structure 100. The laterally extending shoulder portion 360 is provided such that, in the event of a collision, longitudinal impact loads can be transferred from the protection structure mount portion 330 onto the body structure 100 of the vehicle 10 via the laterally extending shoulder portion 360 thereby helping to transfer longitudinal impact loads more evenly onto the body structure 100 and thereby reducing the magnitude of the impact loads which are transferred through the fasteners. In the illustrated embodiment, the laterally extending shoulder portion 360 is integrally formed as part of the protection structure mount plate 332. In other words, the laterally extending shoulder portion 360 is defined by the protection structure mount plate 332. As such, the laterally extending shoulder portion 360 is located between the forward 310 and rearward 320 mount portions. Advantageously, providing the laterally extending shoulder portion 360 between the forward 310 and rearward 320 mount portions can help to spread the loads applied onto the forward 310 and rearward 320 mount portions in the event of a collision, thereby helping to provide more even loading on the mounting bracket 300. However, it shall be appreciated that in some embodiments, the laterally extending shoulder portion 360 may be provided as a separate component and / or may be located within a different lateral plane to that of the protection structure mount plate 332. In the illustrated embodiment, the longitudinally-facing contact surface of the laterally extending shoulder portion 360 is also offset in the vertical (Z) direction from the forward 310 and rearward 320 mount portions. More particularly, in the illustrated embodiment, the longitudinally-facing contact surface of the laterally extending shoulder portion 360 extends beneath the forward 310 and rearward 320 mount portions in the vertical (Z) direction. Advantageously, offsetting the longitudinally-facing contact surface in the vertical (Z) direction can enable longitudinal impact loads to be transferred to a vertically offset region of the body structure which is located below the forward and rearward mount portions. This can help to further spread the impact loads across the body structure. This can be particularly beneficial if the vertically offset region of the body structure extends in laterally outward direction from the mount bracket, since this can enable impact loads to be spread in a diverging manner across the width of the body structure, as well as along its length. Further, this offset arrangement can also reduce the bending moment across the mount bracket about a horizontal axis. However, it shall be appreciated that in other embodiments, the laterally extending shoulder portion may be positioned at other locations about the mounting bracket 300, and hence in some embodiments may not be vertically offset from the forward 310 and rearward 320 mount portions. Referring back to Figure 8, the mounting brackets 300a, b are each fastened to a respective one of the longitudinally extending body structure members 132,134 such that the impact protection structure 200 extends in a lateral direction across a width of the vehicle 10 between the left-side 132 and right-side 134 longitudinally extending body structure members. As shown in Figures 3, 4 and 5, once fastened to the body structure 100 of the vehicle 10, the impact protection structure 200 is positioned between the sub-assembly 110 and the one or more power pack modules contained within the power pack module housing 120 such that the one or more power pack modules are located behind the impact protection structure 200 in relation to the sub-assembly 110. Therefore, in the event that the vehicle 10 is subjected to a frontal collision, the impact protection structure 200 provides a barrier surface for restricting rearward movement of the vehicle drive unit 20 towards the one or more power pack modules and also provides a declined surface for deflecting the sub-assembly 110 towards a distal end of the impact guard panel 210 and away from the one or more power pack modules as shall be described in greater detail below. Considering firstly the vehicle drive unit 20, in the event of a frontal collision which may cause the vehicle drive unit 20 to traverse rearwardly towards the power pack module housing 120, before the vehicle drive unit 20 is able to contact the one or more power pack modules it will first come into contact with the barrier surface 211b of the impact protection structure 200. When the vehicle drive unit 20 comes into contact with the barrier surface 211b, the barrier surface will impart an equal and opposite force (as per Newton’s third law) onto the vehicle drive unit 20 thereby helping to arrest the momentum of the vehicle drive unit 20 and preventing it from travelling further rearwardly towards the one or more power pack modules. Meanwhile, the impact force applied onto the barrier surface by the vehicle drive unit 20 will be transferred from the barrier surface onto the brace 220 and then further onto the body structure 100 of the vehicle 10 via the respective mounting brackets 300a, b and the flange 240 thereby allowing the impact force to be dissipated away from the one or more power pack modules and onto the body structure 100 of the vehicle 10. Furthermore, in the event that the frontal collision causes the front sub-frame 110 to also rearwardly displace towards the power pack module housing 120, before the components of the front sub-frame 110 can come into contact with the one or more power pack modules, they will first contact the declined surface 211a of the impact protection structure 200 which will cause them to be deflected downwardly towards the distal end of the impact guard panel 210 and the respective mounting brackets 300a, b and hence away from the power pack module housing 120. The impact protection structure 200 of the claimed invention is therefore able help protect the one or more power pack modules from impacts from the vehicle drive unit 20 and / or the vehicle sub-assembly 110 in the event of a collision. Whilst the claimed invention is described herein with reference to an embodiment in which the impact protection structure 200 is secured between a pair of body structure members provided at the front 10c of the vehicle 10, it shall be appreciated that in alternative embodiments the impact protection structure 200 may be secured between a pair of body structure members provided at the rear 10d of the vehicle 10 so as to afford protection to the one or more power pack modules from the rear sub-frame (not shown) in the event of a rear-end collision. In such embodiments, it shall be appreciated that the impact protection structure depicted in Figure 6 will be rotated by approximately 180 degrees such that the declined (or front) surface is facing towards the rear of the vehicle 10, with the impact guard panel 210 being positioned between the rear sub-frame and the power pack module housing 120. The term “rear-end collision” is defined herein as a collision in which an impact force extending in a direction which is substantially parallel to the longitudinal (X) axis of the vehicle 10 is applied to the rear 10d of the vehicle. It shall also be appreciated that in some alternative embodiments, the impact protection structure may be secured between a pair of body structure members provided on a side 10a, b of the vehicle 10 such that the impact protection structure extends longitudinally along a length of the vehicle so as to afford protection to the one or more power pack modules in the event of a side-on collision. In such embodiments, it shall be appreciated that the impact protection structure depicted in Figure 6 will be rotated by approximately +1- 90 degrees such that the declined (or front) surface is facing towards the left 10a or right 10b side the vehicle 10. The term “side collision” is defined herein as a collision in which an impact force extending in a lateral (Y) direction substantially perpendicular to the longitudinal (X) axis of the vehicle 10 is applied to either the left 10a or right 10b side of the vehicle 10. It shall also be appreciated that in further alternatives, a plurality of impact protection structures may be provided at different locations and orientations about the vehicle (e.g., front, rear, one or both sides etc.) to protect the one or more power pack modules from multiple collision scenarios (e.g., frontal, rear-end, side-on, etc.). It will be appreciated that various changes and modifications can be made to the present invention without departing from the scope of the present 5 application.

Claims

1. A mounting bracket for coupling an underbody impact protection structure to a body structure of a vehicle and transferring impact loads from the impact protection structure to the body structure during a collision, wherein the mounting bracket comprises:a forward mount portion for fastening to a portion of the body structure located forward of the impact protection structure;a rearward mount portion for fastening to a portion of the body structure located rearward of the impact protection structure; anda protection structure mount portion for fastening to the impact protection structure, the protection structure mount portion being connected to and located between the forward mount portion and the rearward mount portion,wherein the forward mount portion and the rearward mount portion extend in a longitudinal direction of the mounting bracket,wherein the protection structure mount portion extends in a lateral direction of the mounting bracket, andwherein the mounting bracket further comprises a laterally extending shoulder portion defining a longitudinally-facing contact surface for abutting against a longitudinally-facing surface of the body structure to transfer longitudinal impact loads from the protection structure mount portion to the body structure during a collision.

2. The mounting bracket according to claim 1, wherein the laterally extending shoulder portion is located between the forward and rearward mount portions.

3. The mounting bracket according to claim 1 or 2, wherein the longitudinally-facing contact surface of the laterally extending shoulderportion is offset from one or both of the forward mount portion and the rearward mount portion in a vertical direction of the mounting bracket which is orthogonal to the longitudinal and lateral directions.

4. The mounting bracket according to any preceding claim, wherein the protection structure mount portion comprises a protection structure mount plate for fastening to a rear-facing surface of the impact protection structure, and wherein the protection structure mount plate extends in the lateral direction with an orientation which is generally vertical during use.

5. The mounting bracket according to claim 4, wherein the laterally extending shoulder portion is defined by the protection structure mountplate.

6. The mounting bracket according to claims 4 or 5, further comprising a forward reinforcing plate which is generally horizontal during use and extends between the forward mount portion and a front surface of the protection structure mount plate.

7. The mounting bracket according to claim 6, wherein the forward reinforcing plate forms part of the protection structure mount portionand comprises one or more fastener holes for fastening the forward reinforcing plate to a top surface of the impact protection structure.

8. The mounting bracket according to any of claims 4 to 7, further comprising at least one rearward reinforcing plate which is generally horizontal during use and extends between the rearward mount portion and a rear surface of the protection structure mount plate.

9. The mounting bracket according to claim 8, wherein the at least one rearward reinforcing plate comprises a pair of rearward reinforcingplates which are generally parallel and spaced apart in a vertical direction of the mounting bracket, and wherein the mounting bracket further comprises one or more vertical stiffening ribs extending in the vertical direction between the pair of rearward reinforcing plates.

10. The mounting bracket according to claims 8 or 9, further comprising one or more longitudinal stiffening ribs extending in the longitudinal direction between the at least one rearward reinforcing plate and a rear surface of the protection structure mount plate.

11. The mounting bracket according to any preceding claim, wherein the mounting bracket is formed as a unitary structure.

12. A vehicle body structure comprising:at least one body structure member;an underbody impact protection structure; andat least one mounting bracket according to any preceding claim,wherein the underbody impact protection structure is coupled to the at least one body structure member by the protection structure mount portion and the forward and rearward mount portions of the at least one mounting bracket such that the longitudinally-facing contact surface of the laterally extending shoulder portion abuts against a longitudinally-facing surface of the at least one body structure member.

13. The vehicle body structure according to claim 12, wherein the at least one body structure member comprises a pair of body structure members, and wherein the at least one mounting bracket comprises a pair of mounting brackets fastened at opposed ends of the impact protection structure and each fastened to a respective one of the pair of body structure members such that the impact protection structure extends between the pair of body structure members.

14. The vehicle body structure according to claim 13, wherein the impact protection structure comprises: an impact guard panel; anda brace fixed at a proximal end of the impact guard panel,wherein the pair of mounting brackets are fastened at opposed ends of the brace to transfer impact loads from the impact guard panel to the pair of body structure members, andwherein the impact guard panel extends from the brace at an angle relative to the brace to define a declined surface.

15. A vehicle comprising:the vehicle body structure according to claim 14;a sub-assembly mounted to the vehicle body structure; anda power pack module mounted to the vehicle body structure, wherein the impact protection structure is positioned between the sub-assembly and the power pack module such that the power pack module is located behind the impact guard panel in relation to the sub-assembly and the declined surface of the impact guard panel is arranged to deflect the sub-assembly in a direction towards a distal end of the impact guard panel and away from the brace and the power pack module during a collision.

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