Electric vehicle

Abstract

To provide an electric vehicle that is configured so that a motor is arranged as close to a central part in a longitudinal direction of a vehicle as possible to create a layout that is advantageous for yaw inertial moment and sufficient on-board power of a battery can be secured.SOLUTION: An electric vehicle is provided with a drive shaft, arranged at a front side or a rear side of a tunnel part 11 which a floor panel 10 has, which transmits rotary power of a motor M to driving wheels. The motor M is arranged between the tunnel part 11 and the drive shaft. A battery arrangement part in which a battery can be arranged is provided so that at least a portion of the part overlaps with the motor M in a side view.SELECTED DRAWING: Figure 4

Description

[Technical field]

[0001] The present disclosure relates to an electric vehicle that includes a motor that drives drive wheels and a battery that supplies power to the motor. [Background technology]

[0002] In an electric vehicle equipped with a motor that drives the drive wheels, the cruising distance is greatly affected by the amount of battery that supplies power to the motor. For example, in the case of the electric vehicle disclosed in Patent Document 1, the battery is mounted in a tunnel portion formed in the floor panel, and is also mounted under the rear seat, thereby increasing the amount of battery that can be mounted. The battery mounted in the tunnel portion of the floor panel has a long and narrow shape in the front-rear direction because the tunnel portion is long in the front-rear direction, and the vertical dimension of the front end of the battery is longer than the vertical dimension of the middle portion of the battery (middle portion in the front-rear direction). On the other hand, the battery mounted under the rear seat has a long shape in the left-right direction because the rear seat is long in the left-right direction, thereby increasing the capacity.

[0003] Furthermore, Patent Document 2 discloses that a raised portion is formed on the passenger seat side of the floor panel, and a battery is disposed within the raised portion. [Prior art documents] [Patent documents]

[0004] [Patent Document 1] JP 2011-1950566 A [Patent Document 2] JP 2008-155828 A Summary of the Invention [Problem to be solved by the invention]

[0005] When considering the dynamic performance of an automobile, it is important to reduce the yaw moment of inertia, and the issue is how to reduce the yaw moment of inertia. Therefore, when designing an automobile, the placement of heavy objects is carefully considered to reduce the yaw moment of inertia. In particular, in the case of an electric automobile, the motor is a heavy object and has a large effect on the yaw moment of inertia, so the mounting position of the motor must be carefully considered.

[0006] In addition, since the driving range of an electric vehicle is greatly affected by the capacity of the battery, there is also a demand to ensure that as many batteries as possible are installed.

[0007] The present disclosure has been made in consideration of these points, and has as its objective to provide a layout that is advantageous for yaw moment of inertia by locating the motor as close as possible to the center of the vehicle in the fore-and-aft direction, while ensuring sufficient battery capacity. [Means for solving the problem]

[0008] In order to achieve the above object, a first aspect of the present disclosure can be based on the premise of an electric vehicle including a motor that drives drive wheels and a battery that supplies power to the motor. The electric vehicle includes a drive shaft that is provided at the front or rear of a tunnel portion of a floor panel and transmits the rotational force of the motor to the drive wheels. The motor is provided between the tunnel portion and the drive shaft, and a first battery placement portion in which the battery can be placed is provided so as to at least partially overlap the motor in a side view.

[0009] According to this configuration, when viewed in the vehicle longitudinal direction, the tunnel portion of the floor panel, the motor, and the drive shaft are arranged in that order. Therefore, the motor, which is a heavy object, is closer to the vehicle longitudinal center than the drive shaft. Also, because the first battery arrangement portion at least partially overlaps with the motor in a side view, the battery, which is a heavy object arranged in the first battery arrangement portion, is closer to the vehicle longitudinal center than the drive shaft. Therefore, the layout, including the motor and the battery, is advantageous for the yaw moment of inertia.

[0010] Furthermore, by providing the first battery placement portion in the space forward of the drive shaft, it is possible to ensure a sufficient amount of battery capacity.

[0011] The motor according to the second aspect of the present disclosure may be disposed in a middle portion in a vehicle width direction. In this case, the first battery arrangement portion may be provided on both sides of the motor in the vehicle width direction.

[0012] According to this configuration, since the first battery arrangement portions are provided on both sides of the motor, the amount of batteries that can be mounted can be further increased while maintaining a good left-right weight balance.

[0013] A second battery arrangement section in which a battery that supplies power to the motor can be arranged may be provided within the tunnel section according to the third aspect of the present disclosure.

[0014] According to this configuration, since the second battery mounting section is provided separately from the first battery mounting section, the amount of batteries that can be mounted can be further increased. Also, since the battery can be accommodated inside the tunnel section, the center of gravity of the vehicle can be moved closer to the center of the vehicle, and the yaw moment of inertia can be further reduced.

[0015] The drive shaft according to the fourth aspect of the present disclosure may be provided at the rear of the tunnel portion of the vehicle. In this case, the motor may be disposed so as to overlap at least a portion of a back portion of the seat in a side view.

[0016] According to this configuration, since the drive shaft is provided behind the tunnel, the motor is also located behind the vehicle. In this case, since the motor overlaps with at least a part of the seat back, the motor is relatively close to the center of the vehicle in the fore-and-aft direction. This further reduces the yaw moment of inertia.

[0017] The first battery mounting portion according to the fifth aspect of the present disclosure may be provided behind a passenger seat in the vehicle. In this case, a third battery mounting portion in which a battery that supplies power to the motor can be disposed can be provided in front of the passenger seat in the vehicle.

[0018] According to this configuration, the battery can be mounted in front of the passenger seat, further increasing the battery capacity.

[0019] In a sixth aspect of the present disclosure, a transmission or a reduction gear to which a rotational force of the motor is input may be disposed behind the motor, the drive shaft is provided to transmit the rotational force of the motor output from the transmission or the reduction gear to a driving wheel, and the first battery mounting portion is provided in front of the transmission or the reduction gear.

[0020] According to this configuration, the space in front of the transmission or the reducer can be effectively used as a first battery mounting portion. Effect of the Invention

[0021] As described above, the motor is provided between the tunnel portion of the floor panel and the drive shaft, and the first battery placement section in which the battery can be placed is provided so as to at least partially overlap the motor in a side view.This makes it possible to ensure sufficient battery capacity while locating the motor as close as possible to the center of the vehicle in the fore-and-aft direction, resulting in a layout that is advantageous for the yaw moment of inertia. [Brief description of the drawings]

[0022] [Figure 1] FIG. 1 is a left side view of an electric vehicle according to an embodiment of the present invention. [Diagram 2] FIG. 2 is a plan view of the electric vehicle according to the embodiment of the present invention. [Diagram 3] FIG. 3 is a plan view showing the interior of the electric vehicle with the roof, doors, interior materials, etc. omitted. [Figure 4] FIG. 4 is a cross-sectional view taken along line IV-IV in FIG. [Diagram 5] FIG. 5 is a cross-sectional view corresponding to the line VV in FIG. [Figure 6] FIG. 6 is a perspective view showing only the battery unit mounted on the vehicle body. DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS

[0023] Hereinafter, the preferred embodiments of the present invention will be described in detail with reference to the accompanying drawings. Note that the following description of the preferred embodiments is merely illustrative in nature and is not intended to limit the present invention, its applications, or its uses.

[0024] 1 and 2 show the exterior of an electric vehicle 1 equipped with a vehicle body structure A according to an embodiment of the present invention. In the description of this embodiment, the front side of the vehicle will be simply referred to as "front", the rear side of the vehicle will be simply referred to as "rear", the right side of the vehicle will be simply referred to as "right", and the left side of the vehicle will be simply referred to as "left". The left-right direction of the vehicle is the vehicle width direction. When the electric vehicle 1 is viewed from the left or right side, it is referred to as a side view. When the electric vehicle 1 is viewed from above, it is referred to as a top view or plan view.

[0025] The electric vehicle 1 is a passenger vehicle and may be, for example, a coupe type, a hatchback type, or a sedan type vehicle. A bonnet hood 2 is provided at the front of the electric vehicle 1. A front luggage storage space R1 (shown by a dashed line only in FIG. 1) capable of storing luggage is provided below the bonnet hood 2. By opening the bonnet hood 2, the front luggage storage space R1 is opened, making it possible to load and unload luggage.

[0026] A rear hood 3 is provided at the rear of the electric vehicle 1. A rear luggage storage space R2 (shown by a dashed line only in FIG. 1) capable of storing luggage is provided below the rear hood 3. By opening the rear hood 3, the rear luggage storage space R2 is opened, making it possible to load and unload luggage. Note that one or both of the front luggage storage space R1 and the rear luggage storage space R2 may be used as spaces in which auxiliary machinery is disposed.

[0027] A left door 4 and a right door 5 are provided on the left and right sides of the electric vehicle 1, respectively, so as to be able to be opened and closed. The roof 6 may be a fixed roof, a removable roof, or a folding roof. In the case of a removable roof or a folding roof, the electric vehicle becomes an open-top car with no roof above the occupants.

[0028] The body structure A of the electric vehicle 1 includes front wheels 7 and rear wheels 8 on the left and right, respectively, as well as a drive motor M (shown in Figs. 4 and 5, hereinafter simply referred to as motor M) for driving the rear wheels 8. Conventionally known inverter circuits, sensors, driving operation equipment, etc., required for controlling the motor M can be used.

[0029] In this embodiment, the rear wheels 8 are the drive wheels, but the front wheels 7 may be drive wheels, or both the front wheels 7 and the rear wheels 8 may be drive wheels. Which wheels are to be drive wheels can be selected by the arrangement of the motor M; when the motor M is mounted only on the rear side, only the rear wheels 8 are drive wheels, when the motor M is mounted only on the front side, only the front wheels 7 are drive wheels, and when the motor M is mounted both on the front and rear sides, only the front wheels 7 and the rear wheels 8 are drive wheels. In the following explanation, a case where the motor M is mounted only on the rear side will be described.

[0030] As shown in Fig. 1, a vehicle interior R3 serving as a space for passengers is provided between the front wheels 7 and the rear wheels 8. As shown in Fig. 4, a vehicle body structure A of an electric vehicle 1 includes a floor panel 10 that forms the floor surface of the vehicle interior R3, and a dash panel 20 that forms the front wall of the vehicle interior R3. The vehicle body structure A also includes an inclined panel 16 that extends upward from the rear end of the floor panel 10 and is inclined so as to be positioned further rearward as it goes upward, and a rear panel 17 that extends rearward from the upper end of the inclined panel 16.

[0031] A tunnel section 11 that bulges upward and extends in the front-rear direction is formed in the center of the floor panel 10 in the vehicle width direction. The interior surfaces of the tunnel section 11, floor panel 10, and dash panel 20 are covered with interior materials (not shown). As shown in Fig. 3, the vehicle body structure A also includes a right side sill 12 that extends in the front-rear direction along the right edge of the floor panel 10, and a left side sill 13 that extends in the front-rear direction along the left edge of the floor panel 10.

[0032] The front end of the tunnel portion 11 is located at the front end of the floor panel 10, and the rear end of the tunnel portion 11 is located at the rear end of the floor panel 10. Therefore, the tunnel portion 11 has a shape that extends continuously from the front end to the rear end of the floor panel 10.

[0033] This electric vehicle 1 is a right-hand drive vehicle. Therefore, the vehicle body structure A is provided with a passenger seat 30 as a left seat (seat) and a driver's seat 40 as a right seat (seat) on the left and right sides of the tunnel section 11 in the floor panel 10, respectively. Specifically, the passenger seat 30 is provided on the left side of the tunnel section 11 in the floor panel 10, and the passenger seat 30 is disposed between the tunnel section 11 and the left side side sill 13. The driver's seat 40 is provided on the right side of the tunnel section 11 in the floor panel 10, and the driver's seat 40 is disposed between the tunnel section 11 and the right side sill 12. Therefore, the passenger seat 30 and the driver's seat 40 are provided to be aligned in the vehicle width direction with the tunnel section 11 between them. The electric vehicle 1 may be a left-hand drive vehicle, in which case the driver's seat 40 may be provided on the left side and the passenger seat 30 on the right side. In addition, a rear seat may be provided.

[0034] The driver's seat 40 includes a cushion portion 41 that mainly supports the buttocks and thighs of the occupant, and a back portion 42 that extends upward from the rear end of the cushion portion 41 and mainly supports the waist, back, and shoulders of the occupant. The cushion portion 41 forms a seating surface. The passenger seat 30 also includes a cushion portion 31 and a back portion 32. In FIG. 3, the hip point of the occupant sitting in the driver's seat 40 is indicated by the symbol HP1, and the hip point of the occupant sitting in the passenger seat 30 is indicated by the symbol HP2. Here, it is assumed that the seated occupant has a standard physique and weight, but even if the physique and weight change slightly, the positions of the hip points HP1 and HP2 do not change significantly. In FIG. 4, the hip point of the occupant sitting in the passenger seat 30 is indicated by the symbol HP2.

[0035] When the driver's seat 40 is attached to the floor panel 10 so as to be slidable in the fore-aft direction, the hip point HP1 moves in the fore-aft direction depending on the sliding position, but the hip point HP1 when the driver's seat 40 is in a position where a passenger with a standard build can assume a standard driving posture can be used as the reference. The same applies to the hip point HP2 on the passenger seat 30 side. The passenger seat 30 may be attached to the floor panel 10 so as not to be slidable in the fore-aft direction.

[0036] The upper end of the tunnel portion 11 is positioned higher than the upper surfaces of the cushion portions 31 and 41. By making the tunnel portion 11 at such a height, when the center battery unit BY1 (described later) is accommodated in the tunnel portion 11, a wide accommodation space can be secured in the vertical direction.

[0037] As shown in FIG. 4 and FIG. 5, the bulging height of the tunnel portion 11 from the floor panel 10 (the bulging height from the portion where the passenger seat 30 and the driver's seat 40 are attached) increases toward the front. Therefore, the upper end of the tunnel portion 11 is gently inclined so as to be located lower toward the rear. The passenger seat 30 and the driver's seat 40 are located on the sides of the rear portion of the tunnel portion 11, and the rear portion of the tunnel portion 11 overlaps with the passenger seat 30 and the driver's seat 40 in a side view. Since the height of the portion of the tunnel portion 11 that overlaps with the passenger seat 30 and the driver's seat 40 in a side view is low, for example, a passenger (driver) seated in the driver's seat 40 can move over the tunnel portion 11 to the passenger seat 30 side, and a passenger seated in the passenger seat 30 can move over the tunnel portion 11 to the driver's seat 40 side.

[0038] 3, the width (dimension in the vehicle width direction) of the tunnel section 11 becomes wider toward the front. Specifically, the distance between the left and right walls of the tunnel section 11 becomes narrower toward the rear, and the width of the rear portion of the tunnel section 11 is narrower than the width of the front portion. Since the width of the portions of the tunnel section 11 that overlap with the passenger seat 30 and the driver's seat 40 in a side view is narrow, it is possible to ensure a wide width for the passenger seat 30 and the driver's seat 40 while suppressing an increase in the vehicle width.

[0039] Incidentally, since the front portion of the tunnel section 11 does not overlap with the passenger seat 30 and the driver's seat 40 in a side view, even if the width of the front portion is wide, it does not cause a problem in terms of ensuring the width of the passenger seat 30 and the driver's seat 40. Moreover, since only the feet of the driver and the passenger in the passenger seat 30 are positioned to the sides of the front portion of the tunnel section 11, even if the width of the front portion of the tunnel section 11 is wide, it has almost no effect on the livability of the passenger seat 30 and the driver's seat 40.

[0040] The dash panel 20 extends upward and in the vehicle width direction from the front end of the floor panel 10, and is a member that separates the vehicle interior R3 from the space in front of the vehicle interior R3. A bulging portion 20a that bulges toward the vehicle interior R3 is provided in the center of the dash panel 20 in the vehicle width direction. As shown in FIG. 5, a lower end of the bulging portion 20a is connected to the front end of the tunnel portion 11.

[0041] 3 to 6, the vehicle body structure A includes a center battery unit BY1, a passenger-side battery unit BY2, a rear right battery unit BY3, and a rear left battery unit BY4. In this embodiment, the battery units BY1 to BY4 are arranged in various parts of the vehicle body, which makes it possible to effectively use multiple spaces formed in various parts of the vehicle body to increase the amount of batteries that can be mounted.

[0042] The center battery unit BY1 is housed in a tunnel section 11. A center battery arrangement section (first battery arrangement section) 11A in which the center battery unit BY1 can be arranged is provided long in the front-rear direction in the tunnel section 11, and the center battery unit BY1 arranged in the center battery arrangement section 11A is fixed to a floor panel 10 or the like so as to be detachable (replaceable). When fixed to the floor panel 10 or the like, the front end of the center battery unit BY1 is positioned rearward of the dash panel 20. This eliminates the presence of the battery, which is a heavy object, in the front portion of the vehicle.

[0043] The center battery unit BY1 includes multiple batteries (center batteries) B1 arranged in a row in the front-to-rear direction, and these batteries B are intended to supply power to a motor M. The motor M receives power from the center battery unit BY1 to drive the rear wheels 8. Although not shown, the center battery unit BY1 may also include a battery case that houses the center battery B1, a sensor that detects the temperature of the center battery B1, a heat exchanger that adjusts the temperature of the center battery B1, etc.

[0044] Center battery B1 is composed of chargeable and dischargeable secondary batteries (battery cells) and the like. Center battery B1 may be, for example, a lithium ion battery, an all-solid-state battery, or another type of secondary battery. Center battery B1 may be a so-called battery cell, or a battery pack containing multiple battery cells. In the figure, center battery B1 is shown as a rectangular parallelepiped to approximate its shape, but the shape of center battery B1 is not limited to a rectangular parallelepiped. All center batteries B1 are the same.

[0045] Since the motor M drives the rear wheels 8, it is provided at the rear of the vehicle body, specifically behind the center battery unit BY1. The center battery unit BY1 is configured to become heavier as it moves away from the motor M, i.e., toward the front. For example, as shown in FIG. 3, the center battery unit BY1 is configured so that the width (dimension in the left-right direction) of the center battery unit BY1 increases as it moves away from the motor M in a top view of the vehicle. Specifically, five center batteries B1 constituting the center battery unit BY1 are lined up in the front-rear direction with the longitudinal direction being the front-rear direction. The foremost center batteries B1 are lined up in three in the vehicle width direction. The second-nearest center batteries B1 are lined up in two in the vehicle width direction. The third- and fourth-nearest center batteries B1 and the rearmost center batteries B1 are lined up in a single row in the front-rear direction, and therefore are not lined up in the vehicle width direction.

[0046] Furthermore, center battery unit BY1 is configured so that its vertical dimension increases with increasing distance from motor M. As shown in Fig. 5, the frontmost center battery B1 and the second-nearest center battery B1 are lined up in fours vertically. The third-nearest and third-nearest center batteries B1 are lined up in threes vertically. The rearmost center battery B1 is lined up in twos vertically. The number of center batteries B1 lined up in the vertical direction can also be referred to as the number of stages or the number of layers.

[0047] In other words, the center battery B1 is arranged so that the width of the center battery unit BY1 increases the further away from the motor M, and the vertical dimension of the center battery unit BY1 increases the further away from the motor M. For this reason, the front end of the center battery unit BY1 is the heaviest, and the rear end of the center battery unit BY1 is the lightest. The weight of the front-to-rear intermediate part of the center battery unit BY1 is halfway between the front and rear ends.

[0048] The passenger seat 30 and the driver's seat 40 are located to the sides of the center battery B1, which is located third, fourth, and rearmost from the front of the center battery unit BY1. Meanwhile, the center batteries B1, which are located foremost and second from the front of the center battery unit BY1, are disposed forward of the passenger seat 30 and the driver's seat 40. That is, the center batteries B1 are not lined up in the vehicle width direction in the portion of the center battery unit BY1 between the passenger seat 30 and the driver's seat 40, so the width is set narrower than the portion of the center battery unit BY1 forward of the passenger seat 30 and the driver's seat 40. The width of the center battery unit BY1 corresponds to the width of the tunnel section 11, and becomes narrower toward the rear.

[0049] In addition, the center batteries B1 located at the front and second furthest from the front of the center battery unit BY1 have the most number of tiers, the third and fourth furthest from the front have the next fewest number of tiers, and the rearmost center battery B1 has the fewest number of tiers. As a result, the height of the center battery unit BY1 increases toward the front in accordance with the bulging height of the tunnel section 11.

[0050] The number of center batteries B1 constituting the center battery unit BY1, the number of rows in the front-rear direction, and the number of rows are not limited to those described above, and can be set arbitrarily. That is, the row and number of rows of the center batteries B1 may be set so that the center battery unit BY1 becomes heavier the farther it is from the motor M. For example, the number of rows in the front-rear direction may be any number equal to or greater than two, and the number of rows may be any number equal to or greater than one.

[0051] The passenger seat side battery unit BY2 is disposed in front of the cushion portion 31 of the passenger seat 30 on the floor panel 10. As a portion for disposing the passenger seat side battery unit BY2, a passenger seat side battery disposing portion (third battery disposing portion) 11B in which the passenger seat side battery unit BY2 can be disposed is provided in front of the passenger seat 30. Specifically, the passenger seat side battery unit BY2 is disposed in a rear portion of the floor panel 10 on the passenger seat side, and a front portion of the floor panel 10 on the passenger seat side is made into a foot rest portion 10a on which the feet of an occupant seated in the passenger seat 30 can be placed. An occupant with a normal body type rarely takes a posture in which the feet are placed immediately in front of the cushion portion 31 of the passenger seat 30, and often stretches out the legs a little and places the legs away from the cushion portion 31 forward. In this embodiment, the passenger side battery unit BY2 is not located forward from the cushion portion 31, and a footrest portion 10a is provided, so that the comfort of the occupant seated in the passenger seat 30 can be increased while the battery B2 is mounted on the passenger seat 30 side.

[0052] Regarding the positional relationship between the passenger seat side battery unit BY2 and the hip point HP1 of the occupant seated in the driver's seat 40, the passenger seat side battery unit BY2 is disposed forward of the hip point HP1 of the occupant seated in the driver's seat 40. In FIG. 3, the center of gravity of the passenger seat side battery unit BY2 is indicated by point P1, and the center of the vehicle (center in the front-rear and width directions) is indicated by point P2. In a top view, the hip point HP1 of the occupant seated in the driver's seat 40, the vehicle center (point P2), and the center of gravity of the passenger seat side battery unit BY2 (point P1) are disposed on the same straight line (imaginary line L). This imaginary line L is inclined in a top view so that it is positioned further back as it approaches the driver's seat 40.

[0053] The passenger-side battery unit BY2 includes a plurality of passenger-side batteries B2 similar to the center battery B1 constituting the center battery unit BY1. The passenger-side batteries B2 also serve to supply power to the motor M. The passenger-side battery unit BY2 may include a battery case, a sensor for detecting the temperature of the passenger-side batteries B2, a heat exchanger for adjusting the temperature of the passenger-side batteries B2, etc.

[0054] The upper end of the passenger seat side battery unit BY2 is positioned below the upper surface of the front end of the cushion part 31 of the passenger seat 30. The passenger seat side battery unit BY2 is configured to be lower as it goes forward. That is, the passenger seat side batteries B2 are arranged in three in the front-rear direction with the longitudinal direction being the vehicle width direction, and the passenger seat side battery B2 located at the frontmost position has one tier, while the passenger seat side battery B2 located at the second position from the front and the rearmost position has two tiers. Of the passenger seat side batteries B2 arranged in two tiers, the height of the upper end of the upper passenger seat side battery B2 is lower than the upper surface of the front end of the cushion part 31 of the passenger seat 30. This makes it difficult for the passenger seat side battery unit BY2 to come into contact with the back of the thighs of the passenger seat 30, and therefore improves the habitability of the passenger seat 30. The passenger seat side battery B2 is covered by a battery cover 50 (only shown in FIG. 4). The battery cover 50 may be made of a flexible material such as cloth or synthetic leather, or may be made of a hard resin material. The battery cover 50 may be a member that constitutes a part of the passenger-side battery unit BY2.

[0055] Of the passenger-side batteries B2, the one located furthest from the front is a front battery, and the one located furthest from the rear is a rear battery. The rearmost passenger-side battery B2 is two-tiered, while the frontmost passenger-side battery B2 is a single-tiered battery. When comparing the heights of the upper ends, the rearmost passenger-side battery B2 is higher than the frontmost passenger-side battery B2.

[0056] In this embodiment, the hip point HP2 of the occupant sitting in the passenger seat 30 is set lower than the upper surface of the rear side of the passenger seat battery B2. That is, the shape of the legs of the occupant sitting in the passenger seat 30 becomes higher as it approaches the knees from the hip point HP2. By making the upper surface of the rear side of the passenger seat battery B1 higher than the hip point HP2 to accommodate this shape of the legs, the amount of the passenger seat battery B1 that can be mounted can be increased.

[0057] The number of passenger-side batteries B2 constituting the passenger-side battery unit BY2, the number of batteries arranged in the front-rear direction, and the number of stages are not limited to those described above, and can be set arbitrarily. That is, the arrangement and number of stages of the passenger-side batteries B2 may be set so that the passenger-side battery unit BY2 becomes lower as it moves forward, and for example, the number of batteries arranged in the front-rear direction may be any number equal to or greater than 2, and the number of stages may be any number equal to or greater than 1. The passenger-side battery B2 may have its longitudinal direction facing the vehicle width direction or the front-rear direction.

[0058] The passenger-side battery unit BY2 is detachably mounted on the vehicle body, i.e., the floor panel 10. Specifically, as shown in FIG. 4, an attachment / detachment mechanism 14 for attaching and detaching the passenger-side battery unit BY2 is provided on the passenger-side seat 30 side of the floor panel 10. The attachment / detachment mechanism 14 includes a main body 14a fixed to the passenger-side seat 30 side of the floor panel 10 and a locking portion 14b provided on the main body 14a and locking to the passenger-side battery unit BY2. The locking portion 14b is movable between a locking position where it is locked to the passenger-side battery unit BY2 and a non-locking position where it is released from the passenger-side battery unit BY2. When the passenger-side battery unit BY2 is mounted, the locking portion 14b is switched to the locking position, so that the passenger-side battery unit BY2 is fixed to the floor panel 10 so as not to move even due to vibrations during driving. On the other hand, when the passenger-seat side battery unit BY2 is to be removed, the locking portion 14b is switched from the locking position to the unlocking position.

[0059] The attachment / detachment mechanism 14 for the passenger-side battery unit BY2 may be provided as necessary. The structure of the attachment / detachment mechanism 14 is not limited to the above-mentioned structure, and may be a structure in which the passenger-side battery unit BY2 is attached to the floor panel 10 or a bracket (not shown) by fastening with a screw or a band, or an engagement structure using an engagement claw.

[0060] For example, when weight reduction is to be prioritized over the driving range of the electric vehicle 1, the electric vehicle 1 can be driven with the passenger-side battery unit BY2 removed. The passenger-side battery unit BY2 can also be removed to expand the living space of the passenger seat 30. The passenger-side battery unit BY2 may be removed to prioritize the front-rear and left-right weight balance over the driving range of the electric vehicle 1. In this case, the passenger-side battery unit BY2 can be used to adjust the weight balance of the electric vehicle 1, so that the passenger-side battery unit BY2 can be used as a part of the weight balance adjustment means. Only a part of the multiple passenger-side batteries B2 constituting the passenger-side battery unit BY2 may be made detachable. The multiple passenger-side batteries B2 constituting the passenger-side battery unit BY2 may be divided into multiple groups, and each group may be made detachable separately.

[0061] As shown in Figs. 3 and 5, the motor M is attached to a subframe 80 provided on the rear lower part of the vehicle body, and is disposed in the middle part in the vehicle width direction below the inclined panel 16 and the rear panel 17. The motor M is disposed so that its output shaft M1 is oriented in the front-rear direction. In this embodiment, the output shaft M1 of the motor M protrudes rearward. The front part of the motor M is disposed inside the tunnel section 11. Since the mounting position of the motor M is thus set as far forward as possible, the motor M is disposed so as to overlap at least a part of the back section 32 of the passenger seat 30 in the side view shown in Fig. 4. For example, the lower part of the back section 32 and the front part of the motor M can be disposed so as to overlap in the side view. This allows the motor M to be closer to the center of the vehicle.

[0062] The vehicle body structure A includes a left drive shaft 60 and a right drive shaft 61 that are provided behind the tunnel portion 11 of the floor panel 10 and transmit the rotational force of the motor M to the rear wheels 8, which are drive wheels. The left drive shaft 60 and the right drive shaft 61 extend in the vehicle width direction. The motor M is provided between the left drive shaft 60 and the right drive shaft 61 and the tunnel portion 11. Therefore, the motor M is disposed closer to the center of the vehicle in the longitudinal direction than the drive shafts 60 and 61. Although not shown, in the case where the motor is provided on the front side and drives the front wheels 7, the left drive shaft and the right drive shaft may be provided in front of the tunnel portion 11.

[0063] The vehicle body structure A also includes a transmission 62 and a differential gear box 63. The transmission 62 and the differential gear box 63 are attached to a subframe 80. The transmission 62 and the differential gear box 63 are disposed behind the motor M and on the driver's seat 40 side of the vehicle body. The rotational force of the output shaft M1 of the motor M is input to the transmission 62 via a gear 64. The rotational force of the output shaft M1 extending in the front-rear direction is converted into a rotational force around an axis extending in the vehicle width direction via the gear 64 and input to the transmission 62. The transmission 62 is a transmission or a reduction gear. When the transmission 62 is a transmission, it may be a stepped transmission or a continuously variable transmission. The transmission 62 and the differential gear box 63 may be integrated, and the gears constituting the transmission and the gears constituting the differential mechanism may be housed in one gear box. In addition, the motor M and the transmission 62 may be modularized. Although not shown, in the case where the motor M is provided on the front side of the vehicle body to drive the front wheels 7, the transmission 62 and the differential gear box 63 may be provided in front of the tunnel section 11.

[0064] The rotational force of the motor M output from the transmission 62 is transmitted to the left and right rear wheels 8 via a differential mechanism (not shown) built into a differential gear box 63 and drive shafts 60 and 61 .

[0065] As shown in Fig. 3, the rear right battery unit BY3 is provided behind the driver's seat 40. The inclined panel 16 is located behind the driver's seat 40, and a rear right battery arrangement section (first battery arrangement section) 11C in which the rear right battery unit BY3 can be arranged is provided behind the inclined panel 16 (outside the vehicle compartment R3). The rear right battery unit BY3 includes a plurality of rear right batteries B3 similar to the center battery B1 that constitutes the center battery unit BY1. The rear right battery B3 also serves to supply power to the motor M. The rear right battery unit BY3 may include a battery case, a sensor that detects the temperature of the rear right battery B3, a heat exchanger that adjusts the temperature of the rear right battery B3, and the like.

[0066] The rear left battery unit BY4 is provided behind the passenger seat 30. The inclined panel 16 is located behind the passenger seat 30, and a rear left battery arrangement section (first battery arrangement section) 11D in which the rear left battery unit BY4 can be arranged is provided behind the inclined panel 16 (outside the passenger compartment R3). The rear left battery unit BY4 includes a plurality of rear left batteries (rear batteries) B4 similar to the center battery B1 constituting the center battery unit BY1. The rear left battery B4 also serves to supply power to the motor M. The rear left battery unit BY4 may include a battery case, a sensor for detecting the temperature of the rear left battery B4, a heat exchanger for adjusting the temperature of the rear left battery B4, and the like.

[0067] The rear right battery mounting section 11C and the rear left battery mounting section 11D are provided in front of the transmission 62 when the transmission 62 is used as a reference. The rear right battery mounting section 11C and the rear left battery mounting section 11D are provided on both sides of the motor M in the vehicle width direction. In other words, the motor M is disposed between the rear right battery B3 and the rear left battery B4, and is disposed so that the rear right battery B3 and the rear left battery B4 at least partially overlap the motor M in a side view. The rear right battery B3 and the rear left battery B4 are provided on both sides of the motor M in the vehicle width direction, and therefore can also be called side batteries.

[0068] The number of rear right batteries B3 constituting the rear right battery unit BY3, the number of arrangements in the front-rear direction, and the number of stages can be set arbitrarily. In addition, the number of rear left batteries B4 constituting the rear left battery unit BY4, the number of arrangements in the front-rear direction, and the number of stages can also be set arbitrarily. The rear right battery B3 and the rear left battery B4 may have their longitudinal directions facing the vehicle width direction or the front-rear direction. In addition, the rear right battery unit BY3 and the rear left battery unit BY4 are detachable.

[0069] (Effects of the embodiment) As described above, in the body structure A of the electric vehicle 1 according to this embodiment, the floor panel 10 is provided between the front wheels 7 and the rear wheels 8, i.e., in the middle of the vehicle in the front-rear direction, and the tunnel section 11 of this floor panel 10 is provided in the center in the vehicle width direction, so that by accommodating the center battery unit BY1 inside the tunnel section 11, it is possible to position heavy objects closer to the center of the vehicle. This reduces the yaw moment of inertia. Furthermore, because the center battery unit BY1 is configured to become heavier the further it is from the motor M, the front-rear weight distribution of the vehicle is less likely to be biased forward or backward.

[0070] Furthermore, the passenger-side battery unit BY2 is disposed further forward in the vehicle than the cushion portion 31 of the passenger seat 30, thereby ensuring space for an occupant seated in the passenger seat 30. The passenger-side battery unit BY2 is heavy because it supplies power to the motor M, but since the passenger-side battery B2 is disposed further forward in the vehicle than the hip point HP1 of an occupant seated in the driver's seat 40, the center of gravity of the vehicle approaches the center of the vehicle when there is no occupant seated in the passenger seat 30, and as a result, the yaw moment of inertia is reduced.

[0071] Also, when viewed in the vehicle longitudinal direction, the tunnel portion 11 of the floor panel 10, the motor M, and the drive shafts 60 and 61 are arranged in this order. Therefore, the motor M, which is a heavy object, is closer to the vehicle longitudinal center than the drive shafts 60 and 61. Also, the rear right battery unit BY3 and the rear left battery unit BY4 at least partially overlap with the motor M in a side view, so that they are closer to the vehicle longitudinal center than the drive shafts 60 and 61. Therefore, the layout including the motor M, the rear right battery unit BY3, and the rear left battery unit BY4 is advantageous for the yaw moment of inertia. In addition, by providing the rear right battery unit BY3 and the rear left battery unit BY4 in the space forward of the drive shafts 60 and 61, it is possible to ensure a sufficient amount of battery mounting capacity.

[0072] The above-described embodiment is merely illustrative in every respect and should not be interpreted as being restrictive. Furthermore, all modifications and changes within the scope of equivalence of the claims are within the scope of the present invention. For example, only one of the rear right battery unit BY3 and the rear left battery unit BY4 may be provided. The motor M may be provided on the left side or on the right side of the vehicle body. The motor M may be disposed so that its output shaft M1 is oriented in the vehicle width direction. [Industrial Applicability]

[0073] As described above, the present disclosure can be used in an electric vehicle equipped with a drive motor and a battery. [Explanation of symbols]

[0074] 1. Electric vehicles 10th Floor 10a Footrest 11 Tunnel section 11A Center battery location (first battery location) 11B Passenger seat side battery location (third battery location) 11C Rear right battery location (first battery location) 20 Dash Panel 30 Passenger seat (left seat) 31 Cushion section 32 Back section 40 Driver's seat (right side seat) 60, 61 Drive shaft A. Body structure BY1 Center battery unit B1 Center battery Medium motor

Claims

1. An electric vehicle having a motor that drives a drive wheel and a battery that supplies power to the motor, a drive shaft provided at the front or rear of a tunnel portion of a floor panel for transmitting the rotational force of the motor to a drive wheel; The motor is provided between the tunnel portion and the drive shaft, a first battery placement portion in which the battery can be placed is provided so as to at least partially overlap with the motor in a side view.

2. 2. The electric vehicle according to claim 1, The motor is disposed at a middle portion in a vehicle width direction, an electric vehicle, wherein the first battery arrangement portion is provided on each side of the motor in a vehicle width direction;

3. 2. The electric vehicle according to claim 1, The electric vehicle further comprises a second battery arrangement section provided within the tunnel section, the second battery arrangement section being capable of accommodating a battery that supplies power to the motor.

4. 2. The electric vehicle according to claim 1, The drive shaft is provided at the rear of the tunnel portion, The electric vehicle, wherein the motor is disposed so as to overlap at least a portion of a back portion of the seat in a side view.

5. 2. The electric vehicle according to claim 1, The first battery mounting portion is provided behind a passenger seat of the vehicle, The electric vehicle further includes a third battery arrangement portion in front of the passenger seat, the third battery arrangement portion being capable of accommodating a battery that supplies power to the motor.

6. 2. The electric vehicle according to claim 1, a transmission or a reduction gear to which a rotational force of the motor is input is disposed behind the motor; the drive shaft is provided to transmit the rotational force of the motor outputted from the transmission or the reduction gear to a driving wheel; The first battery mounting portion is provided in front of the transmission or the reduction gear.

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