Electric vehicle

Abstract

To provide an electric vehicle which can prevent deterioration of travel performance while adopting an air-cooled type electric motor and a controller.SOLUTION: An electric vehicle can effectively prevent a controller 70 and a brushless motor 50 from being soiled with mud and the like because an air flow passage 100, which extends to a cross direction of an electric vehicle 10 and through which travel wind (air) flows when the electric vehicle 10 travels, is provided on a cover member 20 and the controller 70 and the brushless motor 50 are provided inside the air flow passage 100. Thereby, deterioration of cooling efficiency of the controller 70 and the brushless motor 50 is prevented. As a result, the electric vehicle makes it possible to achieve stable travel performance over prolonged period in the air-cooled type brushless motor 50 and the controller 70.SELECTED DRAWING: Figure 1

Description

Technical Field

[0001] The present invention relates to an electric vehicle including front and rear wheels, a frame that supports the front and rear wheels, a cover member that covers the frame, an electric motor that drives the rear wheels, and a controller that controls the electric motor.

Background Art

[0002] Conventionally, among electric vehicles having front and rear wheels, for example, there is a saddle-type electric vehicle (motorcycle) described in Patent Document 1. The motorcycle described in Patent Document 1 includes a vehicle body frame (frame) that supports the front and rear wheels, an electric motor provided on the vehicle body frame, a motor control unit (controller) provided on the vehicle body frame, and a battery provided on the vehicle body frame and supplying drive current to the electric motor.

Prior Art Documents

Patent Documents

[0003]

Patent Document 1

Summary of the Invention

Problems to be Solved by the Invention

[0004] In the electric vehicle described in Patent Document 1 above, both the electric motor and the controller are of the "air-cooled type" cooled by the running wind hitting them. Therefore, a complicated structure such as piping or a radiator through which cooling water flows, like in the "water-cooled type", is not required, and a simple drive system can be constructed. On the other hand, in order to suppress a decrease in running performance, it is necessary to efficiently cool the electric motor and the controller.

[0005] The electric motor and controller described in the above Patent Document 1 both have an exposed structure on the outside and are mounted on an off-road electric vehicle that can travel on muddy roads or the like. Therefore, there is a risk that a large amount of mud will adhere to the electric motor and the controller. Continuing to drive with mud adhering will significantly reduce the cooling efficiency of the electric motor and the controller, and as a result, there has been a problem that the driving performance is likely to deteriorate.

[0006] An object of the present invention is to provide an electric vehicle that can suppress a decrease in driving performance while adopting an air-cooled electric motor and controller.

Means for Solving the Problems

[0007] In the electric vehicle of the present invention, there are a front wheel and a rear wheel, a frame that supports the front wheel and the rear wheel, a cover member that covers the frame, an electric motor that drives the rear wheel, and a controller that controls the electric motor, A battery that supplies drive current to the electric motor, which is an electric vehicle provided with, the cover member has a front cover portion that covers the front portion of the frame, and an air flow path that extends in the front-rear direction of the electric vehicle and through which running wind flows when the electric vehicle is running. Inside the air flow path, the controller and the electric motor are provided and a part of the battery is exposed, and a running wind inlet is provided on the vehicle front side of the air flow path. The running wind inlet is arranged on the side opposite to the ground with respect to the front wheel and on the front cover portion. and on the vehicle rear side of the air flow path, a pair of flow paths divided in the vehicle width direction of the electric vehicle are provided, the electric motor is disposed inside one of the pair of flow paths, and a part of the battery is disposed inside the other of the pair of flow paths. It is characterized by this.

Effects of the Invention

[0008] According to the present invention, an air flow path that extends in the front-rear direction of the electric vehicle and through which running wind flows when the electric vehicle is running is provided in the cover member, and the controller and the electric motor are provided inside the air flow path. Therefore, it is possible to effectively suppress the controller and the electric motor from being contaminated with mud or the like. As a result, a decrease in the cooling efficiency of the controller and the electric motor is suppressed, and thus, in the air-cooled electric motor and controller, it is possible to obtain stable driving performance over a long period of time.

Brief Description of the Drawings

[0009]

Figure 1

Figure 2

Figure 3

Figure 4

Figure 5

Figure 6

Figure 7

Figure 8

Figure 9

Modes for Carrying Out the Invention

[0010] Hereinafter, an embodiment of the present invention will be described in detail with reference to the drawings.

[0011] FIG. 1 is a view of the electric vehicle seen from the side, FIG. 2(a) is a view seen in the direction of arrow A in FIG. 1, (b) is a view seen in the direction of arrow B in FIG. 1, FIG. 3 is a perspective view of the brushless motor, FIG. 4 is a view of the brushless motor with the lid member omitted, FIG. 5 is a cross-sectional view taken along the line C-C of FIG. 4, FIG. 6 is a perspective view of the controller seen from the side of the closing plate, FIG. 7 is a perspective view of the controller seen from the side of the cooling fins, FIG. 8 is a view corresponding to FIG. 1 for explaining the shape of the air flow path, and FIG. 9 is a view seen in the direction of arrow C in FIG. 1 for explaining the shape of the air flow path.

[0012] The electric vehicle 10 shown in FIGS. 1 and 2 is a single - rider electric scooter, which is a type of small mobility. The electric vehicle 10 is provided with one front wheel 11 and one rear wheel 12. The front wheel 11 is steered by the operation of the driver's handle portion 13 and is disposed in front of the electric vehicle 10. On the other hand, the rear wheel 12 is disposed behind the electric vehicle 10 and is driven by a brushless motor (electric motor) 50.

[0013] The electric vehicle 10 includes a vehicle body frame (frame) 14 that forms the skeleton of the electric vehicle 10 and supports the front wheel 11 and the rear wheel 12. The vehicle body frame 14 is formed into a predetermined shape by connecting a plurality of hollow pipes made of steel materials, steel plates, etc. by welding or the like, and includes a front portion 14a and a rear portion 14b. Further, a floor portion 14c is provided between the front portion 14a and the rear portion 14b. Furthermore, a front inclined portion 14d is provided between the front portion 14a and the floor portion 14c, and a rear inclined portion 14e is provided between the rear portion 14b and the floor portion 14c. And a bracket 14f for supporting the brushless motor 50 is integrally provided on the rear inclined portion 14e. Here, the floor portion 14c is disposed closer to the ground G than the front portion 14a and the rear portion 14b.

[0014] A front fork 15 interlocked with the operation of the handle portion 13 is rotatably provided on the front portion 14a of the vehicle body frame 14. Front suspensions 15a (see FIG. 2(a)) disposed on the left and right sides of the front wheel 11 are provided on the front fork 15. And the front wheel 11 is rotatably mounted on the longitudinal front - end side (front - suspension side) of the front fork 15. Note that a front - side mudguard 16 is attached to the front fork 15, and the front - side mudguard 16 partially covers the upper side of the front wheel 11. Thereby, splashing of mud to the upper side of the front wheel 11 is suppressed.

[0015] Further, a handle portion 13 is provided at the longitudinal base end side of the front fork 15, and a pair of grips 13a (see FIG. 2) are provided on the left and right sides of the handle portion 13. Also, a pair of brake levers 13b and a pair of rearview mirrors 13c are respectively provided in the vicinity of the pair of grips 13a of the handle portion 13. Here, an accelerator sensor AS is electrically connected to the right grip 13a (the right side in FIG. 2(b)), and an operation signal is sent from the accelerator sensor AS to the controller 70 (see FIG. 1) as the right grip 13a is operated. Thereby, the electric vehicle 10 moves forward.

[0016] Furthermore, a display portion 13d is provided on the handle portion 13. The display portion 13d displays various information of the electric vehicle 10, and the display content of the display portion 13d includes, for example, speed (km / h), battery remaining amount (%), further controller temperature (°C), travel distance (ODO and TRIP), etc. Thereby, the driver can grasp the situation of the electric vehicle 10 in detail.

[0017] One longitudinal side of a pair of rear suspensions 17 (see FIG. 2(b)), which are respectively arranged on the left and right sides of the rear wheel 12, is rotatably attached to the rear portion 14b of the vehicle body frame 14. The other longitudinal side of the pair of rear suspensions 17 is rotatably attached to an axle 12a that rotatably supports the rear wheel 12. Note that the other longitudinal side of the pair of rear suspensions 17 is not limited to being attached to the axle 12a, and can also be attached to a swing arm (rear arm) not shown in the figure.

[0018] Furthermore, a rear fender 18 is attached to the axle 12a, and the rear fender 18 partially covers the upper side of the rear wheel 12. Thereby, splashing of mud to the upper side of the rear wheel 12 is suppressed.

[0019] On one longitudinal side of the axle 12a (the front side in Fig. 1 and the left side in Fig. 2(b)), a driven sprocket 12b is fixed. A drive chain 19 (see Fig. 1) is engaged with the driven sprocket 12b. Also, a drive sprocket 57e (see Fig. 1) fixed to the rotating shaft 57b (see Figs. 3 and 5) of the brushless motor 50 is also engaged with the drive chain 19. Furthermore, the drive sprocket 57e has a smaller diameter than the driven sprocket 12b, whereby the high-speed rotation of the rotating shaft 57b is increased in torque and transmitted from the driven sprocket 12b to the rear wheel 12.

[0020] Note that instead of the drive chain 19, a rubber endless belt incorporating a core wire can also be used. In this case, the generation of noise can be suppressed, and the load such as vibration applied to the brushless motor 50 can be reduced.

[0021] The electric vehicle 10 includes a cover member 20 that forms the exterior (design) of the electric vehicle 10. The cover member 20 is formed in a substantially box shape from a resin material such as hard plastic and covers the periphery of the vehicle body frame 14. Thereby, the exposure of a wire harness or the like (not shown) to the outside is eliminated, improving the overall appearance of the electric vehicle 10. And the cover member 20 includes a front cover portion 21, a floor cover portion 22, and a rear cover portion 23.

[0022] The front cover portion 21 extends in the vehicle height direction (the vertical direction in Fig. 1) of the electric vehicle 10 and covers the front portion 14a and the front inclined portion 14d of the vehicle body frame 14. Also, the portion on the handle portion 13 side of the front fork 15 is accommodated inside the front cover portion 21, and the portion on the handle portion 13 side of the front fork 15 is rotatable inside the front cover portion 21. Furthermore, a headlamp unit 21a is provided on the vehicle front side of the front cover portion 21.

[0023] The floor cover portion 22 extends in the horizontal direction (the longitudinal direction of the electric vehicle 10) with respect to the ground G and covers the floor portion 14c of the vehicle body frame 14. And inside the floor cover portion 22, a controller 70 that controls the rotational state of the brushless motor 50 is accommodated. Note that the feet of the driver (not shown) are placed on the floor cover portion 22.

[0024] The rear cover portion 23 extends in the vehicle height direction of the electric vehicle 10 and also extends in the horizontal direction with respect to the ground G. As a result, the volume of the rear cover portion 23 is larger than that of other portions. The opening portion (upper side in FIG. 1) of the rear cover portion 23 can be opened and closed by a seat 24 on which the driver sits. Here, by opening the seat 24, the battery 90 accommodated inside the rear cover portion 23 can be taken in and out. Here, the battery 90 supplies a drive current to the brushless motor 50 and is composed of a secondary battery (such as a lithium ion battery) capable of rapid charging and has a substantially rectangular parallelepiped shape.

[0025] Also, the rear cover portion 23 covers the rear portion 14b of the vehicle body frame 14 and the portion of the rear inclined portion 14e having the bracket 14f. And inside the rear cover portion 23, the brushless motor 50 fixed to the bracket 14f is accommodated, and the brushless motor 50 is disposed in the vicinity of the battery 90. Thereby, the center of gravity of the electric vehicle 10 is disposed at a substantially central portion of the electric vehicle 10, and the weight balance of the electric vehicle 10 is optimized. Further, a brake lamp unit 23a is provided on the vehicle rear side of the rear cover portion 23.

[0026] Here, as shown in FIG. 1, a part of the brushless motor 50 on the ground G side is exposed outside the rear cover portion 23. Thereby, in addition to the cooling effect of the brushless motor 50 by the traveling wind (Air) flowing through the air flow path 100 described later, the cooling performance is additionally improved. Note that the exposed portion of the brushless motor 50 is on the rear side of the electric vehicle 10. Thereby, the adhesion of mud or the like to the brushless motor 50 is suppressed.

[0027] As shown in FIGS. 3 to 5, the brushless motor 50 includes a housing 51 that forms the outer shell of the brushless motor 50. The housing 51 includes an aluminum housing body 52 formed in a substantially bottomed cylindrical shape and an aluminum lid 53 formed in a substantially disk shape. Here, the lid 53 closes the opening side of the housing body 52 via a gasket 54 that functions as a sealing member.

[0028] As shown in FIG. 5, a motor unit 55 is accommodated inside the housing 51. The motor unit 55 includes a stator 56 fixed inside the housing body 52 and a rotor 57 that rotates via a minute gap (air gap) on the radially inner side of the stator 56.

[0029] The stator 56 has a stator core 56a formed in a substantially cylindrical shape by laminating a plurality of steel plates (magnetic bodies). A plurality of teeth (not shown) are provided on the radially inner side of the stator core 56a, and coils 56c corresponding to the U-phase, V-phase, and W-phase are respectively wound around these teeth via an insulator 56b made of a non-magnetic material such as plastic.

[0030] In addition, an annular busbar unit 58 is provided on one axial side (the upper side in FIG. 5) of the stator 56. The base ends of the U-phase power supply terminal TU, V-phase power supply terminal TV, and W-phase power supply terminal TW are electrically connected to the busbar unit 58, respectively. The busbar unit 58 has a function of distributing drive current to the respective coils 56c corresponding to the U-phase, V-phase, and W-phase.

[0031] The rotor 57 includes a rotor body 57a formed in a substantially cylindrical shape by laminating a plurality of steel plates (magnetic bodies). A rotating shaft 57b made of a round steel bar is fixed to the center of rotation of the rotor body 57a. That is, the rotating shaft 57b rotates together with the rotor body 57a. Further, a plurality of magnets 57c formed in a substantially plate shape are provided inside the rotor body 57a. Note that the plurality of magnets 57c are arranged such that N poles and S poles appear alternately in the circumferential direction of the rotor body 57a.

[0032] However, not limited to the so-called "IPM (Interior Permanent Magnet) structure" in which a plurality of magnets 57c are embedded inside the rotor body 57a as described above, a so-called "SPM (Surface Permanent Magnet) structure" in which a magnet (not shown) is attached to the surface of the rotor body 57a can also be adopted.

[0033] On one axial side of the rotating shaft 57b forming the rotor 57, a sensor magnet 57d formed in a substantially disc shape is fixed. The sensor magnet 57d is used to detect the rotation state of the rotor 57 (rotating shaft 57b). The sensor magnet 57d faces a rotation sensor 59a provided on a sensor substrate 59 in the axial direction of the rotor 57.

[0034] Also, one axial side of the rotating shaft 57b is rotatably supported by a first ball bearing BB1 mounted on a bearing holder 60. On the other hand, the other axial side (the lower side in FIG. 5) of the rotating shaft 57b is rotatably supported by a second ball bearing BB2 mounted on a housing body 52. A drive sprocket 57e with which a drive chain 19 meshes is fixed to a portion of the other axial side of the rotating shaft 57b protruding from the housing body 52 (see FIG. 1).

[0035] The housing body 52 includes a bottom wall portion 52a formed in a substantially disc shape. At the central portion of the bottom wall portion 52a, a bearing mounting portion 52b and a seal mounting portion 52c formed in a substantially cylindrical shape are integrally provided. The bearing mounting portion 52b and the seal mounting portion 52c are arranged coaxially. The bearing mounting portion 52b is provided inside the housing body 52, and the outer ring of the second ball bearing BB2 is mounted on the radially inner side of the bearing mounting portion 52b. On the other hand, the seal mounting portion 52c is provided outside the housing body 52, and a rubber lip seal LS is mounted on the radially inner side of the seal mounting portion 52c.

[0036] Note that the inner ring of the second ball bearing BB2 is mounted on the other axial side of the rotary shaft 57b, and the lip seal LS is in contact with the outer periphery of the rotary shaft 57b at a portion closer to the outside of the housing body 52 than the second ball bearing BB2. Thereby, the entry of rainwater, dust, etc. into the interior of the housing 51 is prevented.

[0037] Also, outside the housing body 52 and on the radially outer side of the bottom wall portion 52a, a total of four fixing legs 52d (see FIGS. 3 and 4) are provided. These fixing legs 52d are integrally provided at equal intervals (90-degree intervals) around the bottom wall portion 52a and are fixed to a bracket 14f (see FIG. 1) of a rear inclined portion 14e forming the vehicle body frame 14 via bolts (not shown).

[0038] Furthermore, the housing body 52 includes a cylindrical wall portion 52e formed in a substantially cylindrical shape. The other axial side of the cylindrical wall portion 52e is integrally provided on the radially outer side of the bottom wall portion 52a. And a stator core 56a is press-fitted into the radially inner side of the cylindrical wall portion 52e and firmly fixed by an adhesive or the like. Also, on the radially outer side of the cylindrical wall portion 52e, a plurality of cooling fins 52f for radiating the heat of the motor unit 55 generated by the drive of the brushless motor 50 to the outside of the housing body 52 are integrally provided.

[0039] Here, the plurality of cooling fins 52f are for increasing the surface area of the housing body 52, and the larger the number thereof, the more the cooling efficiency of the brushless motor 50 can be improved. Here, in the present embodiment, a total of five cooling fins 52f are provided and are annularly provided around the housing body 52. And these cooling fins 52f are arranged at equal intervals in the vehicle width direction (see FIG. 2) of the electric vehicle 10 with the brushless motor 50 fixed to the bracket 14f (see FIG. 1).

[0040] That is, the running air (Air) flowing through the air flow path 100 (see FIG. 1) can efficiently flow between adjacent cooling fins 52f at the radially outer portion of the cylindrical wall portion 52e. Therefore, the running air (Air) flowing through the air flow path 100 can uniformly contact the radially outer portion of the cylindrical wall portion 52e and can flow while efficiently taking away heat.

[0041] Furthermore, the housing body 52 includes a polygonal wall portion 52g. The polygonal wall portion 52g is integrally provided coaxially with the cylindrical wall portion 52e on one axial side (the upper side in FIG. 5) of the cylindrical wall portion 52e. As shown in FIG. 4, the polygonal wall portion 52g is formed in a substantially regular hexagon shape when the housing body 52 is viewed from one axial side.

[0042] The polygonal wall portion 52g includes a first side portion E1, a second side portion E2, a third side portion E3, a fourth side portion E4, a fifth side portion E5, and a sixth side portion E6. An opening 52h is provided in the polygonal wall portion 52g, and the stator 56 and the rotor 57 are assembled into the housing body 52 from the opening 52h. The opening 52h of the polygonal wall portion 52g is sealed by a lid 53 via a gasket 54.

[0043] On the first side portion E1 forming the polygonal wall portion 52g, a driving connector 61 is mounted, and the driving connector 61 is provided on one axial side of the housing 51. The driving connector 61 has a connector block 61a made of a resin material such as plastic, and the connector block 61a is fixed to the first side portion E1 by a fixing screw or the like (not shown).

[0044] The connector block 61a is disposed outside the housing 51 and protrudes radially outward of the polygonal wall portion 52g. And inside the connector block 61a, the tip ends of the U-phase power supply terminal TU, the V-phase power supply terminal TV, and the W-phase power supply terminal TW are exposed. Note that the base ends of the U-phase power supply terminal TU, the V-phase power supply terminal TV, and the W-phase power supply terminal TW are electrically connected to a bus bar unit 58 housed inside the housing 51, respectively.

[0045] And as shown in FIG. 4, on the tip end side of the U-phase power supply terminal TU, the other end of the U-phase electric wire EU having one end electrically connected to the controller 70 is electrically connected. Also, on the tip end side of the V-phase power supply terminal TV, the other end of the V-phase electric wire EV having one end electrically connected to the controller 70 is electrically connected. Further, on the tip end side of the W-phase power supply terminal TW, the other end of the W-phase electric wire EW having one end electrically connected to the controller 70 is electrically connected. Thereby, a driving current is supplied to each coil 56c of the stator 56.

[0046] And the connector block 61a disposed outside the housing 51 faces a direction (the upper side in FIG. 4) intersecting the axial direction of the housing 51. That is, the connection directions of the other ends of the U-phase, V-phase, and W-phase electric wires EU, EV, and EW to the connector block 61a of the driving connector 61 are each a direction intersecting the axial direction of the housing 51.

[0047] Note that the connector block 61a forming the drive connector 61 is fixed to the first side portion E1 of the polygonal wall portion 52g via a rubber seal member SM (see FIG. 5). Thereby, rainwater, dust, etc. are prevented from entering the inside of the housing 51 from the portion of the connector block 61a.

[0048] As shown in FIG. 4, the polygonal wall portion 52g is integrally provided with a protruding portion 52k protruding radially outward of the housing 51. The protruding portion 52k protrudes radially outward of the housing 51 from the second side portion E2 provided adjacent to the first side portion E1. The protruding portion 52k is formed in a substantially triangular shape when the housing 51 is viewed from one axial side, and includes an opening 52m and a bottom wall 52n. Further, the protruding portion 52k has a first side wall 52p and a second side wall 52q standing up from the bottom wall 52n to one axial side of the housing 51.

[0049] Thus, the protruding portion 52k is formed by being surrounded by the bottom wall 52n, the first side wall 52p, the second side wall 52q, and the second side portion E2, and a connection space SP is formed inside thereof. The connection space SP is a portion into which the controller side connector portion 62a side in the longitudinal direction of the substrate wire harness 62 enters. The connection space SP has a function of guiding the controller side connector portion 62a to the substrate connector 63 when connecting the controller side connector portion 62a to the substrate connector 63 (improvement of assemblability).

[0050] The first side wall 52p forming the protruding portion 52k is disposed on a substantially extended line of the first side portion E1 forming the polygonal wall portion 52g. Further, the second side wall 52q forming the protruding portion 52k is disposed on a substantially extended line of the third side portion E3 forming the polygonal wall portion 52g. Thereby, the protruding portion 52k is suppressed from protruding largely radially outward of the housing 51 (realization of miniaturization). Also, the opening 52m of the protruding portion 52k is sealed by the lid 53 via the gasket 54.

[0051] Here, as shown in FIGS. 3 to 5, the lid 53 includes a main portion 53a that closes the opening 52h of the polygonal wall portion 52g, and a sub-portion 53b that closes the opening 52m of the protruding portion 52k. The main portion 53a and the sub-portion 53b are integrated. The main portion 53a is formed in a substantially disc shape, and the sub-portion 53b is formed in a substantially triangular plate shape.

[0052] And the lid 53 is firmly fixed to the housing body 52 by a total of seven fixing bolts BT that are dispersedly arranged in the circumferential direction thereof. When fixing the lid 53 to the housing body 52, a gasket 54 is sandwiched between the two.

[0053] A connector fixing portion 52r is integrally provided on the first side wall 52p that forms the protruding portion 52k so as to protrude outward in the radial direction of the housing 51. And a board connector 63 is mounted on the connector fixing portion 52r. Here, also in the board connector 63, it is provided on one axial side of the housing 51 in the same manner as the driving connector 61.

[0054] The board connector 63 is formed into a predetermined shape by a resin material such as plastic and includes a fixing plate portion 63a formed in a substantially flat plate shape. The fixing plate portion 63a is fixed to the connector fixing portion 52r by a pair of first screws S1. Note that a rubber seal member (not shown) is provided between the fixing plate portion 63a and the connector fixing portion 52r. Thereby, rainwater, dust, etc. are prevented from entering the inside of the housing 51 from the portion of the board connector 63.

[0055] Also, the board connector 63 includes an inner connection portion (not shown) formed in a substantially box shape and an outer connection portion 63b. The inner connection portion is provided on the connector fixing portion 52r side of the fixing plate portion 63a and is disposed inside the housing 51. On the other hand, the outer connection portion 63b is provided on the side opposite to the connector fixing portion 52r side of the fixing plate portion 63a and is disposed outside the housing 51.

[0056] Here, the inner connector portion of the board connector 63 is connected to the controller-side connector portion 62a of the board wire harness 62 in the connection space SP inside the protruding portion 52k. On the other hand, the outer connector portion 63b of the board connector 63 is connected to the other end of the board electric wire SE whose one end is electrically connected to the controller 70 via a connector connection portion (not shown).

[0057] Then, as shown in FIGS. 3 and 5, the connector block 61a disposed outside the housing 51 and the outer connector portion 63b also disposed outside the housing 51 face in a direction intersecting the axial direction of the housing 51 and in the same direction (upward in FIG. 4). Further, the drive connector 61 and the board connector 63 are arranged in a side-by-side and close proximity in a direction intersecting the axial direction of the housing 51 when viewed from a direction intersecting the axial direction of the housing 51. Thereby, the U-phase, V-phase, and W-phase electric wires EU, EV, EW and the board electric wire SE can be easily connected to the drive connector 61 and the board connector 63, respectively.

[0058] Furthermore, the drive connector 61 and the board connector 63 are provided within the range of the axial dimension of the rotor 57, that is, within the range of the axial dimension of the rotation shaft 57b, when viewed from a direction intersecting the axial direction of the housing 51 (see FIG. 5). Thereby, the axial dimension of the brushless motor 50 is reduced, and miniaturization of the brushless motor 50 is achieved.

[0059] In this way, the drive connector 61 and the board connector 63 are provided at the same position in the axial direction of the housing 51 and are housed within the range of the axial dimension of the rotor 57 when viewed from a direction intersecting the axial direction of the housing 51. Thereby, while shortening the axial dimension (axial length) of the brushless motor 50, the routability of the respective electric wires EU, EV, EW, SE to the brushless motor 50 is improved.

[0060] As shown in FIGS. 4 and 5, on one axial side (the upper side in FIG. 5) of the housing body 52, a bearing holder 60 made of aluminum and formed in a substantially regular hexagonal plate shape is provided. The bearing holder 60 is disposed radially inside a polygonal wall portion 52g formed in a substantially regular hexagon and holds a first ball bearing BB1. The first ball bearing BB1 is mounted on a holding cylinder 60a formed at the central portion of the bearing holder 60. The holding cylinder 60a protrudes toward the other axial side (the lower side in FIG. 5) of the housing body 52 and enters radially inside the bus bar unit 58. Also by this, the axial dimension of the brushless motor 50 is reduced.

[0061] The bearing holder 60 is firmly fixed to one axial side of the housing body 52 by a total of six first fixing bolts B1. The total of six first fixing bolts B1 are dispersedly arranged so as to be located near the corner portions of the bearing holder 60 and are tightened from one axial side of the housing body 52. Thereby, the distortion of the bearing holder 60 is effectively suppressed and the positional accuracy of the first ball bearing BB1 is ensured. Thus, smooth rotation of the rotor 57 becomes possible. Further, even if the tightening becomes loose and the first fixing bolts B1 come off, they do not drop to the rotor 57 side, and damage to the rotating part is surely prevented.

[0062] Also, on the side of the bearing holder 60 opposite to the rotor 57 side and near the protruding portion 52k, a clip fixing portion 60b formed in a substantially plate shape is provided. The clip fixing portion 60b is disposed between adjacent first fixing bolts B1 and protrudes toward one axial side of the housing 51. And a clip member 62b provided on the substrate wire harness 62 is fixed to the clip fixing portion 60b.

[0063] Furthermore, on the side of the bearing holder 60 opposite to the rotor 57 side and at the central portion, an annular support plate 60c is provided to prevent the first ball bearing BB1 from falling off the holding cylinder 60a. The support plate 60c presses the outer ring of the first ball bearing BB1 at the radially inner portion thereof. Thus, smooth operation of the first ball bearing BB1 is ensured.

[0064] The support plate 60c is fixed to the bearing holder 60 by a total of four second fixing bolts B2 arranged at equal intervals (90-degree intervals) in the circumferential direction of the support plate 60c. Here, the second fixing bolts B2 are also provided inside the housing 51. However, even if the tightening becomes loose and they come off, they will not fall off to the rotor 57 side, and damage to the rotating part is surely prevented.

[0065] Also, on the side of the bearing holder 60 opposite to the rotor 57 side and around the first ball bearing BB1, a total of four support columns 60d are provided. These support columns 60d protrude at a predetermined height on one axial side of the housing 51, and a sensor substrate 59 is fixed to the tip portion thereof. That is, the total of four support columns 60d support the sensor substrate 59.

[0066] Specifically, each of the support columns 60d is arranged at equal intervals (90-degree intervals) around the first ball bearing BB1, and the sensor substrate 59 is fixed to a pair of support columns 60d arranged diagonally by a pair of second screws S2. Here, the second screws S2 are also provided inside the housing 51. However, even if the tightening becomes loose and they come off, they will not fall off to the rotor 57 side, and damage to the rotating part is surely prevented.

[0067] The sensor substrate 59 supported by a total of four support columns 60d is provided on one axial side of the housing 51 and is a printed circuit board (PCB) formed in a substantially square shape. A rotation sensor 59a composed of a magnetoresistive element is provided at the central portion of the sensor substrate 59. The rotation sensor 59a faces, with a minute gap therebetween, a sensor magnet 57d fixed to one axial side of the rotation shaft 57b in the axial direction of the housing 51 (see FIG. 5). Thereby, the rotation sensor 59a detects the rotation state (rotation direction, rotation speed, etc.) of the rotation shaft 57b.

[0068] Further, the sensor substrate 59 is provided with a board-side connection portion 59b to which a board-side connector portion 62c of the wire harness 62 for board is connected. As shown in FIG. 4, the board-side connection portion 59b of the sensor substrate 59 is directed toward the connection space SP of the protruding portion 52k for improving the connection workability.

[0069] Here, the wire harness 62 for board is provided between the sensor substrate 59 and the connector 63 for board and has a function of electrically connecting the controller 70 and the sensor substrate 59. Thereby, the detection signal of the rotation sensor 59a is sent to the controller 70 via the wire harness 62 for board and the electric wire SE for board.

[0070] As shown in FIGS. 6 and 7, the controller 70 is formed in a flat substantially box shape and includes an aluminum case body 71 and a stainless steel lid portion 72. The lid portion 72 is fixed to the case body 71 via a waterproof packing (not shown) by a total of nine fixing bolts BL. Therefore, entry of rainwater, dust, etc. into the inside of the case body 71 is prevented.

[0071] The case body 71 includes a bottom wall 71a, and a pair of short side walls 71b and a pair of long side walls 71c that stand up from the bottom wall 71a. As shown in FIG. 7, a plurality of large cooling fins 71d are provided outside the bottom wall 71a, and these large cooling fins 71d extend in the direction in which the short side walls 71b extend. That is, the longitudinal direction of the large cooling fins 71d and the longitudinal direction of the long side walls 71c are orthogonal to each other.

[0072] In addition, a plurality of small cooling fins 71e having a size smaller than that of the large cooling fins 71d are respectively provided outside the pair of short side walls 71b. Thereby, the cooling efficiency of the controller 70 is enhanced. Here, the controller 70 comprehensively controls the electric vehicle 10, generates heat more easily than the brushless motor 50, and needs to be sufficiently cooled.

[0073] Therefore, the large and small cooling fins 71d and 71e of the controller 70 are larger in number than the cooling fins 52f (see FIG. 3) of the brushless motor 50. Further, as shown in FIG. 1, the controller 70 is disposed upstream of the brushless motor 50 inside the air flow path 100. Thereby, the controller 70 can be sufficiently cooled by the cooler running air (Air) flowing through the air flow path 100.

[0074] The plurality of large cooling fins 71d (main cooling fins) of the controller 70 are arranged at equal intervals in the vehicle width direction (see FIG. 2) of the electric vehicle 10 in a state where the controller 70 is fixed to the floor portion 14c (see FIG. 1) of the vehicle body frame 14. That is, the running air (Air) flowing through the air flow path 100 can efficiently flow between the adjacent large cooling fins 71d in the portion outside the bottom wall 71a.

[0075] Therefore, the running air (Air) flowing through the air flow path 100 can efficiently take heat while evenly contacting the small cooling fins 71e while evenly contacting the portion outside the bottom wall 71a.

[0076] On the outer sides of a pair of short side walls 71b, a pair of bolt insertion portions 71f are respectively provided. Bolts (not shown) for fixing the controller 70 to the floor portion 14c are inserted into these four bolt insertion portions 71f in total. In addition, to fix the controller 70 to the floor portion 14c, the lid portion 72 side of the controller 70 is directed toward the floor portion 14c. Thereby, a large amount of running air (Air) can be distributed to the plurality of large cooling fins 71d, and the cooling efficiency is improved.

[0077] On one of the pair of long side walls 71c (the right side in FIGS. 6 and 7) of the pair of long side walls 71c, a power connector 73 made of a resin material such as plastic is fixed by a total of four third screws S3. The power connector 73 includes a connector block 73a, and the tip ends of the U-phase supply terminal SU, the V-phase supply terminal SV, and the W-phase supply terminal SW are exposed inside the connector block 73a.

[0078] One end sides of the U-phase electric wire EU, the V-phase electric wire EV, and the W-phase electric wire EW (see FIG. 4) are electrically connected to the U-phase supply terminal SU, the V-phase supply terminal SV, and the W-phase supply terminal SW, respectively. Here, the tip ends of the plus-side power terminal PT and the minus-side power terminal MT are also exposed inside the connector block 73a. And the plus-side power line L1 (see FIG. 4) from the battery 90 is electrically connected to the plus-side power terminal PT, and the minus-side power line L2 (see FIG. 4) from the battery 90 is electrically connected to the minus-side power terminal MT.

[0079] Furthermore, on one of the pair of long side walls 71c, a motor sensor connector 74 made of a resin material such as plastic is fixed by a total of two fourth screws S4. The motor sensor connector 74 is provided side by side with the power connector 73 on one of the pair of long side walls 71c. One end side of a wire for substrate SE (see FIG. 4) is connected to the motor sensor connector 74 via a connector connection part (not shown).

[0080] Here, the power connector 73 and the motor sensor connector 74 are directed toward the brushless motor 50 side (rear side of the vehicle) in a state where the controller 70 is fixed to the floor part 14c. Thereby, the routability of the respective electric wires EU, EV, EW, SE between the brushless motor 50 and the controller 70 is improved.

[0081] Also, on the other long side wall 71c (left side in FIGS. 6 and 7) of the pair of long side walls 71c, an accessory connection connector 75 made of a resin material such as plastic is fixed by a total of two fifth screws S5. The accessory connection connector 75 is electrically connected to an accelerator sensor AS, a display unit 13d, etc. via a wire harness L3 (see FIG. 4). Note that only the accessory connection connector 75 is fixed to the other long side wall 71c, but a plurality of small cooling fins 71g having substantially the same size as the above-described small cooling fins 71e are provided in other parts of the other long side wall 71c.

[0082] Note that the accessory connection connector 75 is directed toward the accelerator sensor AS and the display unit 13d side (front side of the vehicle) in a state where the controller 70 is fixed to the floor part 14c. Thereby, the routability of the wire harness L3 between the accelerator sensor AS and the display unit 13d and the controller 70 is improved.

[0083] Inside the case body 71 of the controller 70, a control board 76 is housed. The control board 76 is made of a printed circuit board (PCB), similar to the sensor board 59 (see FIG. 5), and is formed in a substantially rectangular shape. Electronic components (not shown) such as a plurality of capacitors and switching elements are mounted on the control board 76.

[0084] Accordingly, in response to an input signal from the accelerator sensor AS or the like, a drive current from the battery 90 is supplied to the brushless motor 50 via the U-phase, V-phase, and W-phase wires EU, EV, and EW, and the brushless motor 50 is driven. Also, a signal indicating the rotational state of the brushless motor 50 is input to the controller 70 via the board wire SE and the motor sensor connector 74, whereby the controller 70 can control the brushless motor 50 in an optimal state.

[0085] In addition to the accelerator sensor AS and the display unit 13d, for example, an ignition switch, a brake switch, etc. (not shown) are electrically connected to the accessory connection connector 75.

[0086] As shown in FIGS. 1 and 8, inside the cover member 20, an air flow path 100 through which running air (Air) flows during the running of the electric vehicle 10 is provided. The air flow path 100 is formed surrounded by the cover member 20 and extends in the front-rear direction of the electric vehicle 10. Then, as shown in FIG. 2(a), a pair of running air inlets IN for introducing running air (Air) are provided on the upstream side (front side of the vehicle) of the air flow path 100. On the other hand, as shown in FIG. 2(b), a pair of running air outlets EX for discharging running air (Air) are provided on the downstream side (rear side of the vehicle) of the air flow path 100.

[0087] The air flow path 100 is divided into five sections from the front to the rear of the electric vehicle 10. Specifically, as shown in FIGS. 8 and 9, the air flow path 100 includes a pair of first flow paths 101, a pair of second flow paths 102, one third flow path 103, a pair of fourth flow paths 104, and a pair of fifth flow paths 105 starting from the front side of the electric vehicle 10. The dashed-dotted lines in FIGS. 8 and 9 indicate the boundary portions of the respective flow paths 101 to 105.

[0088] As shown in FIGS. 1, 2(a), and 9, the pair of first flow paths 101 are provided inside the front cover portion 21 and are arranged so as to straddle the front wheels 11 and the front forks 15 when viewed from above in the vehicle height direction. Further, the pair of first flow paths 101 are provided along the front portion 14a of the vehicle body frame 14.

[0089] Here, the pair of first flow paths 101 are arranged between the front portion 14a and the front fender 16 in the vehicle height direction of the electric vehicle 10. Thereby, the pair of running wind inlets IN are arranged on the side opposite to the ground G with respect to the front wheels 11, specifically, above the front wheels 11 or the front fender 16 and at a position away from the ground G, and the entry of muddy water or the like into the pair of first flow paths 101 (air flow path 100) is suppressed. In order to further suppress the entry of muddy water or the like, a coarse filter (to the extent that it does not prevent the inflow of running wind) may be attached to the pair of running wind inlets IN.

[0090] The upstream sides of the pair of second flow paths 102 are respectively connected to the downstream sides of the pair of first flow paths 101. The pair of second flow paths 102 are provided inside the front cover portion 21 and are provided along the front inclined portion 14d of the vehicle body frame 14. Thereby, the running wind (Air) flowing into the pair of first flow paths 101 flows toward one third flow path 103 provided closer to the ground G.

[0091] On the downstream side of the pair of second flow paths 102, the upstream side of one third flow path 103 is connected. One third flow path 103 is provided inside the floor cover portion 22 and is provided along the floor portion 14c of the vehicle body frame 14. And a controller 70 is disposed at a substantially central portion inside the third flow path 103. Here, the controller 70 is disposed above the third flow path 103 in the vehicle height direction, and a plurality of large cooling fins 71d of the controller 70 are directed downward in the vehicle height direction of the third flow path 103. Therefore, more running air (Air) flows through the portions of the plurality of large cooling fins 71d (improvement of cooling efficiency).

[0092] Furthermore, on the downstream side of one third flow path 103, the upstream sides of a pair of fourth flow paths 104 are connected. The pair of fourth flow paths 104 are provided inside the rear cover portion 23 and are provided along the rear inclined portion 14e of the vehicle body frame 14. And the vehicle front side of the brushless motor 50 is disposed inside one of the pair of fourth flow paths 104 (the lower side in FIG. 9). Note that the brushless motor 50 is disposed downstream of the controller 70 inside the air flow path 100 and is disposed at a position farther from the ground G than the controller 70 in the vehicle height direction of the electric vehicle 10.

[0093] In this way, by disposing the brushless motor 50 at a position farther from the ground G than the controller 70, while exposing a part of the ground G side of the brushless motor 50 to the outside of the rear cover portion 23, adhesion of mud or the like to the exposed portion is suppressed. In other words, by exposing a part of the brushless motor 50 provided on the downstream side of the controller 70 to the outside, sufficient cooling performance of the brushless motor 50 is ensured.

[0094] In addition, a flow straightening plate (flow straightening member) 106 made of a resin material such as plastic is provided between the third flow path 103 and one of the fourth flow paths 104. The flow straightening plate 106 is formed in a substantially V shape when the electric vehicle 10 is viewed from the side, and has a function of directing the traveling wind (Air) flowing through the third flow path 103 toward the brushless motor 50 provided in one of the fourth flow paths 104. That is, the flow straightening plate 106 is disposed between the controller 70 and the brushless motor 50 inside the air flow path 100.

[0095] As a result, the traveling wind (Air) that has passed through the portion of the controller 70 disposed downward in the vehicle height direction can be smoothly flowed toward the brushless motor 50 disposed upward in the vehicle height direction. Here, the flow straightening plate 106 is not limited to a substantially V shape, and may be formed in a substantially semi-circular shape (substantially arc shape). Further, it can also be provided integrally with the cover member 20 (see FIG. 1).

[0096] Furthermore, the lower side in the vehicle height direction of the battery 90 is disposed in the other fourth flow path 104 (the upper side in FIG. 9) of the pair of fourth flow paths 104. And a part of the lower side of the battery 90 is exposed inside the other fourth flow path 104. As a result, the battery 90 can also be cooled by the traveling wind (Air) flowing from the third flow path 103 to the other fourth flow path 104. Note that, as shown by the dashed arrow in FIG. 9, another flow straightening plate similar to the flow straightening plate 106 may be provided between the third flow path 103 and the other fourth flow path 104.

[0097] In addition, the upstream sides of the pair of fifth flow paths 105 are connected to the downstream sides of the pair of fourth flow paths 104. The pair of fifth flow paths 105 are provided inside the rear cover portion 23 and are provided along the rear portion 14b of the vehicle body frame 14. And the rear side of the vehicle of the brushless motor 50 is disposed inside one of the pair of fifth flow paths 105 (the lower side in FIG. 9). As a result, the traveling wind (Air) that has passed through the portion of the brushless motor 50 flows through one of the fifth flow paths 105.

[0098] On the other hand, in the other fifth flow path 105 (upper side in FIG. 9), the running air (Air) that has passed through the battery 90 circulates. Therefore, the running air (Air) that has passed through the controller 70, the brushless motor 50, and the battery 90 is discharged to the outside of the air flow path 100 from the pair of running air discharge ports EX on the downstream side of the pair of fifth flow paths 105.

[0099] As a result, as shown by the arrow Air in FIGS. 8 and 9, the running air (Air) circulates inside the air flow path 100, and the controller 70, the brushless motor 50, and the battery 90 are efficiently cooled (air-cooled). Note that the first flow path 101 and the second flow path 102, and the fourth flow path 104 and the fifth flow path 105 are not limited to being provided in pairs of two each, and may be provided one by one each according to the design, structure, etc. of the electric vehicle 10.

[0100] As described in detail above, according to the present embodiment, the cover member 20 is provided with an air flow path 100 that extends in the front-rear direction of the electric vehicle 10 and through which the running air (Air) circulates when the electric vehicle 10 is running, and the controller 70 and the brushless motor 50 are provided inside the air flow path 100. Therefore, it is possible to effectively suppress the controller 70 and the brushless motor 50 from being contaminated with mud or the like. As a result, a decrease in the cooling efficiency of the controller 70 and the brushless motor 50 can be suppressed, and thus it is possible to obtain stable running performance over a long period of time in the air-cooled brushless motor 50 and the controller 70.

[0101] Also, according to the present embodiment, since the controller 70 is provided on the upstream side of the air flow path 100 and the brushless motor 50 is provided on the downstream side of the air flow path 100, the controller 70, which is more likely to generate heat than the brushless motor 50 and needs to be sufficiently cooled, can be preferentially and quickly cooled.

[0102] Furthermore, according to the present embodiment, since the air flow path 100 is provided with a rectifying plate 106 that directs the running wind (Air) passing through the controller 70 portion toward the brushless motor 50, the running wind (Air) flowing through the air flow path 100 can be smoothly flowed toward the brushless motor 50. Therefore, the cooling efficiency of the brushless motor 50 can be improved.

[0103] Also, according to the present embodiment, since the running wind inlet IN is provided on the upstream side of the air flow path 100 and the running wind inlet IN is disposed on the side opposite to the ground G with respect to the front wheel 11, it is possible to suppress the entry of mud water or the like into the air flow path 100. Therefore, it is possible to prevent the controller 70 and the brushless motor 50 from being contaminated and the cooling efficiency from decreasing.

[0104] Furthermore, according to the present embodiment, since the battery 90 that supplies the drive current to the brushless motor 50 is provided and a part of the battery 90 is exposed to the air flow path 100, the battery 90 can also be cooled. Therefore, it is possible to suppress the shortening of the life due to overheating of the battery 90.

[0105] The present invention is not limited to the above embodiment, and it goes without saying that various modifications can be made without departing from the gist thereof. In the above embodiment, the brushless motor 50 is applied to the electric vehicle 10, but the present invention is not limited to this, and an electric motor with brushes can also be applied to the electric vehicle 10.

[0106] Also, in the above embodiment, the electric vehicle 10 is shown as an electric scooter having one front wheel 11 and one rear wheel 12, but the present invention is not limited to this, and it can also be applied to other small mobility such as a small electric vehicle (regardless of three wheels or four wheels) or an electric wheelchair.

[0107] In addition, the materials, shapes, dimensions, numbers, installation locations, etc. of the respective components in the above embodiment are arbitrary as long as the present invention can be achieved, and are not limited to the above embodiment.

Explanation of Reference Numerals

[0108] 10: Electric vehicle, 11: Front wheel, 12: Rear wheel, 12a: Axle, 12b: Driven sprocket, 13: Handlebar section, 13a: Grip, 13b: Brake lever, 13c: Rearview mirror, 13d: Display section, 14: Vehicle body frame (frame), 14a: Front section, 14b: Rear section, 14c: Floor section, 14d: Front inclined section, 14e: Rear inclined section, 14f: Bracket, 15: Front fork, 15a: Front suspension, 16: Front fender, 17: Rear suspension, 18: Rear fender, 19: Drive chain, 20: Cover member, 21: Front cover section, 21a: Headlamp unit, 22: Floor cover section, 23: Rear cover section, 23a: Brake lamp unit, 24: Seat, 50: Brushless motor (electric motor), 51: Housing, 52: Housing body, 52a: Bottom wall section, 52b: Bearing mounting section, 52c: Seal mounting section, 52d: Fixed leg, 52e: Cylindrical wall section, 52f: Cooling fins, 52g: Polygonal wall section, 52h: Opening, 52k: Protrusion, 52m: Opening, 52n: Bottom wall, 52p: First side wall, 52q: Second side wall, 52r: Connector fixing section, 53: Cover, 53a: Main section, 53b: Sub-section, 54: Gasket, 55: Motor unit, 56: Stator, 56a: Stator core, 56b: Insulator, 56c: Coil, 57: Rotor, 57a: Rotor body, 57b: Rotation shaft, 57c, Magnet, 57d: Sensor magnet, 57e: Drive sprocket, 58: Busbar unit, 59: Sensor board, 59a: Rotation sensor, 59b: Board side connection section, 60: Bearing holder, 60a: Holding cylinder, 60b: Clip fixing section, 60c: Support plate, 60d: Support pillar, 61: Drive connector, 61a: Connector block, 62: Wire harness for board, 62a: Controller side connector section, 62b: Clip member, 62c: Board side connector section, 63: Connector for board, 63a: Fixed plate section, 63b: Outer connection section, 70: Controller, 71: Case body, 71a: Bottom wall, 71b: Short side wall, 71c: Long side wall, 71d: Large cooling fins, 71e: Small cooling fins, 71f: Bolt insertion section, 71g: Small cooling fins, 72: Cover section, 73: Power connector, 73a: Connector block, 74: Motor sensor connector, 75: Connector for connecting accessories, 76: Control board, 90: Battery, 100: Air flow path,101: First flow path, 102: Second flow path, 103: Third flow path, 104: Fourth flow path, 105: Fifth flow path, 106: Rectifying plate (rectifying member), AS: Accelerator sensor, B1: First fixing bolt, B2: Second fixing bolt, BB1: First ball bearing, BB2: Second ball bearing, BL: Fixing bolt, BT: Fixing bolt, E1: First side part, E2: Second side part, E3: Third side part, E4: Fourth side part, E5: Fifth side part, E6: Sixth side part, EU: U-phase wire, EV: V-phase wire, EW: W-phase wire, EX: Traveling wind discharge port, G: Ground, IN: Traveling wind inlet, L1: Positive power supply line, L2: Negative power supply line, L3: Wire harness, LS: Lip seal, MT: Negative power supply terminal, PT: Positive power supply terminal, S1: First screw, S2: Second screw, S3: Third screw, S4: Fourth screw, S5: Fifth screw, SE: Substrate wire, SM: Seal member, SP: Connection space, SU: U-phase supply terminal, SV: V-phase supply terminal, SW: W-phase supply terminal, TU: U-phase power supply terminal, TV: V-phase power supply terminal, TW: W-phase power supply terminal,

Claims

1. A front wheel and a rear wheel, a frame that supports the front wheel and the rear wheel, a cover member that covers the frame, an electric motor that drives the rear wheel, a controller that controls the electric motor, a battery that supplies drive current to the electric motor, An electric vehicle comprising: The cover member includes a front cover portion that covers the front portion of the frame, an air flow path that extends in the front-rear direction of the electric vehicle and through which running air flows when the electric vehicle is running, and has inside the air flow path, the controller and the electric motor are provided, and a part of the battery is exposed, a running air inlet is provided on the vehicle front side of the air flow path, the running air inlet is disposed on the side opposite to the ground with respect to the front wheel and on the front cover portion, on the vehicle rear side of the air flow path, a pair of flow paths divided in the vehicle width direction of the electric vehicle are provided, the electric motor is disposed inside one of the pair of flow paths, and a part of the battery is disposed inside the other of the pair of flow paths. Characterized by Electric vehicle.

2. In the electric vehicle according to Claim 1, the controller is provided on the upstream side of the air flow path, and the electric motor is provided on the downstream side of the air flow path. Characterized by Electric vehicle.

3. In the electric vehicle according to Claim 2, a rectifying member that directs the running air that has passed through the portion of the controller to the electric motor is provided in the air flow path. Characterized by Electric vehicle.

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