Body structure of electric vehicles

Abstract

To inhibit deformation of a passenger compartment caused by an impact load applied from a vehicle anteroposterior direction in a vehicle body structure with no floor tunnel which expands upward largely from a floor panel.SOLUTION: A vehicle body structure A of an electric vehicle includes: a floor panel 41 forming a floor of an occupant space R1; and a center frame 80 which is disposed spaced apart from the floor panel 41 in an upward direction at a center part as seen in a vehicle width direction of the occupant space R1 and extends in an anteroposterior direction. A battery unit Y is disposed below the floor panel 41 and has battery frames 16 to 19 extending in the anteroposterior direction. In a plan view, the battery frames 16 to 19 and the center frame 80 have a physical relationship in which these components overlap with each other.SELECTED DRAWING: Figure 5

Description

Technical Field

[0001] This disclosure relates to the body structure of an electric vehicle.

Background Art

[0002] In the central portion in the vehicle left - right direction of the floor panel of a conventional automobile, a tunnel portion is formed to extend in the vehicle front - rear direction. Since the tunnel portion is a part that houses an exhaust pipe extending from the engine room at the front side of the vehicle to the rear, a propeller shaft that transmits the power of the engine at the front side of the vehicle to the rear wheels, etc., it bulges upward significantly more than the bottom of the seat cushion.

[0003] For example, as disclosed in Patent Document 1, on both left and right sides of the upper surface portion of the tunnel portion, left - hand and right - hand tunnel frames are provided to extend in the vehicle front - rear direction respectively. Each tunnel frame has a downward - opening cross - section, and flange portions are formed on both its left and right sides. By joining both flange portions to the upper surface portion of the tunnel portion, a closed - cross - section structure extending in the vehicle front - rear direction is formed by the tunnel portion and the tunnel frames.

Prior Art Documents

Patent Documents

[0004]

Patent Document 1

Summary of the Invention

Problems to be Solved by the Invention

[0005] By the way, assuming a collision in which an impact load is applied from the front of an automobile, there is a requirement to suppress the deformation of the passenger compartment when receiving the impact load as much as possible. However, in the floor panel of a floor - tunnel - less structure, there is no tunnel frame extending in the vehicle front - rear direction, so there is a risk that it will be difficult to suppress the deformation of the passenger compartment. The same applies when an impact load is applied from the rear of the automobile.

[0006] This disclosure is made in view of the above points, and its purpose is to suppress deformation of the passenger compartment due to impact loads from the longitudinal direction of the vehicle in a vehicle body structure that does not have a floor tunnel that bulges significantly upward from the floor panel. [Means for solving the problem]

[0007] To achieve the above objective, the first aspect of this disclosure may be based on a vehicle body structure for an electric vehicle equipped with a drive motor and a battery unit that supplies power to the drive motor. The vehicle body structure of the electric vehicle comprises a floor panel that constitutes the floor of the passenger compartment on which seats are provided, and a center frame that is disposed above and away from the floor panel in the center of the passenger compartment in the width direction of the vehicle and extends in the longitudinal direction of the vehicle. The battery unit is disposed below the floor panel and has a battery frame that extends in the longitudinal direction of the vehicle, and the positions of the battery frame and the center frame are set such that, in a plan view, the battery frame and the center frame overlap each other.

[0008] In this configuration, the center frame and battery frame, which extend in the longitudinal direction of the vehicle, are in a positional relationship that overlaps with each other in a plan view. Therefore, if, for example, an impact load is applied from the front of the vehicle, the impact load will be distributed and input to both the center frame and the battery frame. In this case, the center frame is located above the floor panel in the passenger compartment, while the battery frame is located below the floor panel. As a result, the impact load is distributed to multiple points separated vertically and absorbed by each, thus increasing the effect of suppressing deformation of the passenger compartment compared to when the impact load acts locally. The same applies when an impact load is applied from the rear of the vehicle.

[0009] The battery frame relating to the second aspect of this disclosure can be positioned in the center in the width direction of the vehicle.

[0010] A third aspect of this disclosure further comprises a front motor support frame that extends from the front of the battery unit toward the front of the vehicle and supports the drive motor in front of the battery unit toward the front of the vehicle.

[0011] A fourth aspect of this disclosure further comprises a rear motor support frame that extends from the rear of the battery unit toward the rear of the vehicle and supports the drive motor at the rear of the battery unit toward the rear of the vehicle.

[0012] For example, if an impact load is applied from the front of the vehicle, a force acts on the front motor support frame that moves the drive motor towards the rear of the vehicle. The impact load acting on the front motor support frame is input to and absorbed by the battery frame, further enhancing the effect of suppressing deformation of the passenger compartment. Similarly, if an impact load is applied from the rear of the vehicle, a force acts on the rear motor support frame that moves the drive motor towards the front of the vehicle. The impact load acting on the rear motor support frame is input to and absorbed by the battery frame, further enhancing the effect of suppressing deformation of the passenger compartment.

[0013] In a fifth aspect of this disclosure, the front of the battery unit is provided with a front member extending in the vehicle width direction, and the rear of the battery unit is provided with a rear member extending in the vehicle width direction, and the battery frame extends from the front member to the rear member.

[0014] In this configuration, impact loads from the front of the vehicle are transmitted to the rear member via the front member and battery frame, and impact loads from the rear of the vehicle are transmitted to the front member via the rear member and battery frame, so that the impact load is distributed and absorbed over a wide area.

[0015] In a sixth aspect of the present disclosure, a dash panel is further provided that extends upward from the front portion of the floor panel and partitions the front portion of the vehicle in the passenger compartment. The front side member is fixed to the lower portion of the dash panel, and the front portion of the center frame is connected to a portion of the dash panel that is spaced upward from the floor panel.

[0016] According to this configuration, when an impact load from the front of the vehicle acts on the dash panel, the impact load acting on the dash panel can be dispersed to the front portion of the center frame and the front side member.

Effect of the Invention

[0017] As described above, even in a vehicle body structure provided with a floor panel without a floor tunnel that bulges greatly upward from the floor panel, deformation of the passenger compartment due to an impact load in the vehicle front-rear direction can be suppressed.

Brief Description of the Drawings

[0018] [Figure 1] It is a side view of an automobile provided with a vehicle body structure according to an embodiment of the present invention. <I [Figure 2] It is a perspective view showing a state in which an automobile is divided into an upper structure and a lower structure. [Figure 3] It is a perspective view of a part of the vehicle body structure as viewed from above. [Figure 4] It is a plan view of a part of the vehicle body structure. [Figure 5] It is a cross-sectional view taken along line V-V in FIG. 4. [Figure 6] It is a cross-sectional view taken along line VI-VI in FIG. 4. [Figure 7] It is a cross-sectional view taken along line VII-VII in FIG. 4. [Figure 8] It is a perspective view showing an enlarged view of the floor panel on the passenger compartment side and its vicinity. [Figure 9] It is a cross-sectional view showing an enlarged view of the seat rail and its vicinity. [Figure 10] It is a plan view showing an enlarged view of a part of the seat rail and its vicinity. [Figure 11] It is a perspective view showing an enlarged mounting portion of the seat rail and its vicinity. [Figure 12] It is a cross-sectional view of the bent portion of the center frame and its vicinity. [Figure 13] It is a cross-sectional view near the front of the rear frame member constituting the center frame. [Figure 14] It is a perspective view of the connecting member. [Figure 15] It is a perspective view of the connecting member seen from another direction. [Figure 16] It is a side view of the connecting member. [Figure 17] It is a cross-sectional view of the air conditioner and its vicinity. [Figure 18] It is a perspective view showing the rear body structure when the inclination angle of the center frame is increased. [Figure 19] It is a cross-sectional view showing the case where the inclination angle of the center frame is increased. [[ID=2,7]] [Figure 20] It is a perspective view of the dashboard and its vicinity seen from the rear side of the vehicle. [Figure 21] It is a schematic diagram of the cooling path. [Figure 22] It is a view of the layout of the supply pipe and the discharge pipe of the cooling water seen from the rear. [Figure 23] It is a view of the layout of the supply pipe and the discharge pipe of the cooling water seen from the left side.

Mode for Carrying Out the Invention

[0019] Hereinafter, embodiments of the present invention will be described in detail based on the 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.

[0020] Figure 1 is a side view from the left of an automobile 1 equipped with a vehicle body structure A according to an embodiment of the present invention. In this description of the embodiment, the vehicle's front-rear direction will simply be referred to as the "front-rear direction," the front side of the vehicle as the "front side," and the rear side of the vehicle as the "rear." The vehicle's width direction is the left-right direction of the vehicle, and the left side of the vehicle will simply be referred to as the "left side," and the right side of the vehicle as the "right side."

[0021] (Overall structure of a car) Automobile 1 is a passenger car, and a passenger compartment R1 for passengers is provided in the middle of the front-to-rear direction of automobile 1. The passenger compartment R1 is provided with front seats (front seats) FS which constitute the front seats and rear seats (rear seats) RS which constitute the rear seats. The front seats FS include a driver's seat located on the right (or left) side of the passenger compartment R1 and a passenger seat located on the left (or right) side of the passenger compartment R1. The rear seats RS are also located on the right and left sides of the passenger compartment R1, respectively. Although not shown, a third row of seats may be located behind the rear seats RS. Furthermore, the rear seats RS are not mandatory and may be omitted.

[0022] The front door FD and rear door RD are located on the left and right sides of the passenger compartment R1, respectively. In the case of vehicle 1 without a rear seat RS, the rear door RD can be omitted.

[0023] A front space R2 is provided in front of the passenger compartment R1 of the automobile 1. The powertrain PT can be installed in this front space R2 as needed. When the powertrain PT is installed in the front space R2, the front space R2 can also be called, for example, the powertrain storage compartment, motor room, engine room, etc. A bonnet hood BF is provided above the front space R2.

[0024] Rearward from the passenger compartment R1 of vehicle 1, there is a luggage compartment R3 that can accommodate luggage and other items. The luggage compartment R3 can be opened and closed by a trunk lid TR. Rearward from the passenger compartment R1 of vehicle 1 and below the luggage compartment R3, there is a rear space R4. The powertrain PT that generates the power for vehicle 1 can be installed in this rear space R4 as needed. When the powertrain PT is installed in the rear space R4, the rear space R4 can also be called, for example, a powertrain storage compartment, motor room, engine room, etc.

[0025] The powertrain PT may be installed in both the front space R2 and the rear space R4, or in only one of them. If the powertrain PT is installed only in the front space R2, it will be a front-wheel drive vehicle, driving only the front wheels FT. If the powertrain PT is installed only in the rear space R4, it will be a rear-wheel drive vehicle, driving only the rear wheels RT. Furthermore, if the powertrain PT is installed in both the front space R2 and the rear space R4 and drives both the front wheels FT and the rear wheels RT, it will be a four-wheel drive vehicle.

[0026] The powertrain PT includes at least a drive motor M (shown in Figure 2) for driving the drive wheels, and optionally includes a reduction gear, transmission, etc. Therefore, the automobile 1 is an electric vehicle. The drive motor M is arranged so that its center of rotation extends in the left-right direction. In addition to the drive motor M, the powertrain PT may also include, for example, a control unit. The powertrain PT may also include an internal combustion engine. A battery unit Y (also shown in Figure 1) for supplying power to the drive motor M is mounted on the underside of the automobile 1. For example, the power generated by the internal combustion engine may be used to charge the battery unit Y, or the power generated by the internal combustion engine may be used to drive at least one of the front wheels FT and the rear wheels RT.

[0027] The type of automobile 1 does not have to be a four-door car as shown as an example in Figure 1; for example, it may be an automobile without rear doors RD. Also, although not shown, the present invention can be applied to automobiles such as hatchback cars, in which the rear space R4 can be opened and closed with a tailgate.

[0028] As shown in Figure 2, the automobile 1 comprises a lower structure 2 and an upper structure 3, and the lower structure 2 and upper structure 3 constitute the vehicle body structure A. Figure 2 shows the upper structure 3 with the doors FD, RD, bonnet hood BF, fenders, windows, roof, center pillar, rear pillar, bumper, front and rear lighting devices, instrument panel, front and rear seats, etc., which are normally present in the upper structure 3, removed. Also, Figure 2 shows the lower structure 2 with the front wheels FT, rear wheels RT, suspension devices, etc., which are normally present in the lower structure 2, removed.

[0029] The lower structure 2 includes a battery unit Y. The battery unit Y has a front battery FB and a rear battery RB, and a frame-type frame 10 that surrounds the front battery FB and the rear battery RB. The lower structure 2 also includes a front support frame 20 that extends forward from the front of the frame-type frame 10, and a rear support frame 30 that extends rearward from the rear of the frame-type frame 10.

[0030] Although not shown in the diagram, in typical electric vehicles, the battery unit is often detachable from the vehicle body and located under the floor. However, in this embodiment, not only the battery FB and RB, but also the front support frame 20 and rear support frame 30 are integrated into the frame-shaped frame 10 surrounding the battery FB and RB, and the front support frame 20 and rear support frame 30 are also detachable from the superstructure 3 along with the battery FB and RB.

[0031] Specifically, the automobile 1 of this embodiment is configured to be separable into a lower structure 2 having batteries FB and RB, and an upper structure 3 forming the passenger compartment R1 and the cargo compartment R3. Separability means that the lower structure 2 is integrated with the upper structure 3 using fastening members such as bolts and nuts or screws, without using welding or adhesive. As a result, when the automobile 1 is delivered to the user and needs maintenance or repair, the lower structure 2 can be separated from the upper structure 3 as needed, thus improving maintainability.

[0032] Here, the ladder frame type body structure is known as an automobile body structure. In the case of a ladder frame type body structure, the ladder frame and the cabin can be divided into upper and lower parts, but since the ladder frame extends continuously in the front-to-rear direction, it mainly receives the collision load during frontal and rear-end collisions. In the case of a side collision, the ladder frame only receives the collision load secondarily, and the cabin is the main recipient of the collision load. Thus, in a ladder frame type body structure, the members that receive the collision load are usually divided into those that receive the frontal and rear-end collisions and those that receive the collision load during a side collision.

[0033] In contrast, in the case of the automobile 1 of this embodiment, the lower structure 2 and upper structure 3, which have a front support frame 20 and a rear support frame 30, are separable. However, in both frontal and rear collisions, as well as side collisions, the collision load is received by the lower structure 2 and upper structure 3, thereby distributing and absorbing the collision load between the two structures 2 and 3. This represents a significant difference in technical concept from conventional ladder frame type vehicle structures. The structures of the lower structure 2 and upper structure 3 will be described in order below.

[0034] (Lower structure) First, let's describe the lower structure 2. In addition to the battery FB, RB, frame-type frame 10, front support frame 20, and rear support frame 30, the lower structure 2 also includes the powertrain PT, front wheels FT, rear wheels RT, and front suspension devices SP1, SP2, and rear suspension devices SP3, SP4, which are shown by dashed lines in Figure 4. The types of the front suspension devices SP1, SP2 and rear suspension devices SP3, SP4 are not particularly limited, and it is also possible to change the vehicle body structure according to the types of the front suspension devices SP1, SP2 and rear suspension devices SP3, SP4.

[0035] As shown in Figure 2, the frame-type frame 10 that forms the skeleton of the battery unit Y is a component that surrounds and protects the front battery FB, the rear battery RB, harnesses, etc. This frame-type frame 10 is formed to be large, extending from near the left end to near the right end of the occupant-side floor panel 41, and from near the front end to near the rear end of the occupant-side floor panel 41, which will be described later. By providing the frame-type frame 10 over a wide area below the occupant-side floor panel 41 in this way, it becomes possible to mount large-capacity batteries FB and RB in the automobile 1. The batteries FB and RB may be, for example, lithium-ion batteries or all-solid-state batteries, or other secondary batteries. Also, the batteries FB and RB may be so-called battery cells, or battery packs containing multiple battery cells.

[0036] The frame-type frame 10 comprises a left-side member 11, a right-side member 12, a front-side member 13, and a rear-side member 14. The left-side member 11, the right-side member 12, the front-side member 13, and the rear-side member 14 are made of, for example, an extruded aluminum alloy, but may also be made of aluminum alloy sheet metal or press-formed steel sheet metal. In the following description, "extruded material" refers to an extruded aluminum alloy, and "press-formed material" refers to aluminum alloy sheet metal or press-formed steel sheet metal. Furthermore, each member may be made of, for example, a casting, die-cast, etc.

[0037] The cross-sectional shapes of the left lateral member 11, the right lateral member 12, the front lateral member 13, and the rear lateral member 14 in directions perpendicular to their respective longitudinal directions are all rectangular. Furthermore, the left lateral member 11, the right lateral member 12, the front lateral member 13, and the rear lateral member 14 are all positioned at the same height and extend approximately horizontally. When connecting the lower structure 2 to the upper structure 3, the front lateral member 13 is fastened and secured to the lower part of the dash panel 50 with fastening members, and the left lateral member 11 and the right lateral member 12 are fastened and secured to the left and right side sills 60 respectively with fastening members. The rear lateral member 14 is fastened and secured to the connecting panel 43, which will be described later, with fastening members.

[0038] The left-side member 11 is located at the left end of the lower structure 2 and extends in the front-rear direction. The right-side member 12 is located at the right end of the lower structure 2 and extends in the front-rear direction. The left-side member 11 and the right-side member 12 are each positioned on the inside of the left and right side sills 60 in the vehicle width direction, as will be described later. The front-side member 13 is located at the front of the battery unit Y and extends in the left-right direction from the front end of the left-side member 11 to the front end of the right-side member 12. The left end of the front-side member 13 is connected to the front end of the left-side member 11, and the right end of the front-side member 13 is connected to the front end of the right-side member 12. The rear-side member 14 is located at the rear of the battery unit Y and extends in the left-right direction from the rear end of the left-side member 11 to the rear end of the right-side member 12. The left end of the rear-side member 14 is connected to the rear end of the left-side member 11, and the right end of the rear-side member 14 is connected to the rear end of the right-side member 12.

[0039] A cover member 15, which serves as the bottom plate, is attached to the lower part of the frame-type frame 10. The frame-type frame 10 is closed from below by the cover member 15. The cover member 15 extends substantially horizontally and is fixed to the lower surfaces of the left side member 11, the right side member 12, the front side member 13, and the rear side member 14, as well as to the side sill 60 as described later. The upper part of the frame-type frame 10 may be closed with a cover (not shown) or with the occupant space side floor panel 41 as described later. Power from the batteries FB and RB housed within the frame-type frame 10 is supplied to the drive motor M via a drive control circuit (not shown). Furthermore, the batteries FB and RB can be charged via a charging socket (not shown).

[0040] Figure 5 shows a cross-section of the left-right central part of the vehicle body structure A. As shown in Figure 5, the first to third battery-side cross members 10A, 10B, and 10C are provided inside the frame-type frame 10 as reinforcing members extending in the left-right direction. The heights of the first to third battery-side cross members 10A, 10B, and 10C are all the same, and are the same as the heights of the front member 13 and the rear member 14. The first to third battery-side cross members 10A, 10B, and 10C may be made of extruded material or press-formed material. In this embodiment, three battery-side cross members 10A, 10B, and 10C are provided, but the number of battery-side cross members 10A, 10B, and 10C can be increased or decreased depending on the front-rear dimensions of the frame-type frame 10.

[0041] The first to third battery-side cross members 10A, 10B, and 10C are arranged with a gap between them in the front-to-back direction, with the first battery-side cross member 10A being the furthest forward and the third battery-side cross member 10C being the furthest back. The lower part of each battery-side cross member 10A, 10B, and 10C is fixed to the upper surface of the cover member 15. The left end of each battery-side cross member 10A, 10B, and 10C is fixed to the inner surface (right side) of the left-side member 11, and the right end of each battery-side cross member 10A, 10B, and 10C is fixed to the inner surface (left side) of the right-side member 12. In other words, the battery-side cross members 10A, 10B, and 10C are members that connect the left-side member 11 and the right-side member 12.

[0042] Inside the frame-type frame 10, a front central member 16 and first to third rear central members 17 to 19 are provided as reinforcing members extending in the front-rear direction. The front central member 16 and the first to third rear central members 17 to 19 can also be called a battery frame extending in the front-rear direction, and the battery unit Y has a structure that includes a battery frame consisting of the front central member 16, the first to third rear central members 17 to 19, etc. The battery frame may also include a left side member 11, a right side member 12, a front side member 13, and a rear side member 14.

[0043] The front central member 16 and the first to third rear central members 17 to 19 are positioned at approximately the same height and are located in the left-right center of the frame-type frame 10. The lower ends of the front central member 16 and the first to third rear central members 17 to 19 are attached to the upper surface of the cover member 15. The front central member 16 and the first to third rear central members 17 to 19 extend from the front member 13 to the rear member 14.

[0044] The front central member 16 is positioned between the front member 13 and the first battery-side cross member 10A. The front end of the front central member 16 is fixed to the left-right center of the front member 13, and the rear end of the front central member 16 is fixed to the left-right center of the first battery-side cross member 10A. Therefore, the front member 13 is a member that extends to connect the front ends of the left-side member 11 and the right-side member 12 with the front end of the front central member 16.

[0045] The first rear central member 17 is positioned between the first battery-side cross member 10A and the second battery-side cross member 10B, with the front end of the first rear central member 17 fixed to the left-right center of the first battery-side cross member 10A, and the rear end of the first rear central member 17 fixed to the left-right center of the second battery-side cross member 10B. The second rear central member 18 is positioned between the second battery-side cross member 10B and the third battery-side cross member 10C, with the front end of the second rear central member 18 fixed to the left-right center of the second battery-side cross member 10B, and the rear end of the second rear central member 18 fixed to the left-right center of the third battery-side cross member 10C. Furthermore, the third rear central member 19 is positioned between the third battery-side cross member 10C and the rear member 14, with the front end of the third rear central member 19 fixed to the left-right center of the third battery-side cross member 10C, and the rear end of the third rear central member 19 fixed to the left-right center of the rear member 14. Therefore, the first to third battery-side cross members 10A, 10B, and 10C, the front central member 16, and the first to third rear central members 17 to 19 are arranged in a grid pattern inside the frame-type frame 10 and connected to each other, thereby further enhancing the reinforcing effect of the frame-type frame 10, and consequently the reinforcing effect of the lower structure 2.

[0046] When a virtual straight line extending in the front-to-back direction is assumed in a plan view, the front central member 16 and the first to third rear central members 17 to 19 are positioned in the left-to-right direction so as to lie on that virtual straight line. In other words, the first to third rear central members 17 to 19 are positioned on the virtual extension of the front central member 16 to the rear. Note that the front central member 16 and the first to third rear central members 17 to 19 may be composed of a single continuous member in the front-to-back direction. In this case, a single member would extend from the front member 13 to the rear member 14.

[0047] As shown in Figure 2, a pair of front support frames 20 are provided on the left and right sides, extending in a substantially horizontal, linear manner below the upper structure 3. Each front support frame 20 can be made of, for example, an extruded material or a press-formed material. In this embodiment, since each front support frame 20 is made of an extruded material, the cross-sectional shape in the direction perpendicular to the front-rear direction is substantially the same from the front end to the rear end.

[0048] The left front support frame 20 is connected to a portion of the front member 13, which constitutes the front part of the frame-type frame 10, that is slightly to the left of the center in the left-right direction. This connection point is located to the right of the left-side member 11 of the frame-type frame 10. Similarly, the right front support frame 20 is connected to a portion of the front member 13, that is slightly to the right of the center in the left-right direction. This connection point is located to the left of the right-side member 12 of the frame-type frame 10. The heights of the left and right front support frames 20 are approximately the same.

[0049] The front powertrain PT is attached to the front support frame 20 via a mounting member (not shown). In this case, the front support frame 20 becomes a front motor support frame that supports the drive motor M in front of the battery unit Y. The lower structure 2 is provided with drive shafts S1 on both the left and right sides, which transmit the output of the powertrain PT (rotational force of the drive motor M) to the left and right front wheels FT, respectively.

[0050] Furthermore, the left and right suspension arms, which constitute part of the front suspension devices SP1 and SP2 shown by dashed lines in Figure 4, are supported so as to be able to swing vertically relative to the left and right front support frames 20. The front support frames 20 may be members that support the suspension arms without supporting the powertrain PT.

[0051] As shown in Figure 2, the rear support frames 30 are provided in pairs, one on each side, similar to the front support frames 20, and extend linearly and almost horizontally toward the rear. Each rear support frame 30 can be made of, for example, an extruded material or a press-formed material. In this embodiment, each rear support frame 30 is made of an extruded material.

[0052] The left rear support frame 30 is connected to a part of the rear member 14 that constitutes the rear of the frame-type frame 10, slightly to the left of the center in the left-right direction, and this connection point is located to the right of the left-side member 11 of the frame-type frame 10. Similarly, the right rear support frame 30 is connected to a part of the rear member 14 that is slightly to the right of the center in the left-right direction, and this connection point is located to the left of the right-side member 12 of the frame-type frame 10.

[0053] The rear powertrain PT is attached to the rear support frame 30 via a mounting member (not shown). In this case, the rear support frame 30 becomes a rear motor support frame that supports the drive motor M behind the battery unit Y. The lower structure 2 is provided with drive shafts S2 on both the left and right sides, which transmit the output of the powertrain PT (rotational force of the drive motor M) to the left and right rear wheels RT, respectively.

[0054] Furthermore, the left and right suspension arms, which constitute part of the rear suspension devices SP3 and SP4 shown by dashed lines in Figure 4, are supported so as to be able to swing vertically relative to the left and right rear support frames 30. The rear support frames 30 may be members that support the suspension arms without supporting the powertrain PT.

[0055] (superstructure) Next, the superstructure 3 will be described. The superstructure 3 comprises a floor component 40, a dash panel 50, and a pair of left and right side sills 60. The floor component 40 is a component positioned above the frame-type frame 10 and rear support frame 30 of the lower structure 2. This floor component 40 comprises an occupant space side floor panel (first floor panel) 41 that constitutes the floor of the occupant space R1 where the front seat FS and rear seat RS (shown in Figure 1) where occupants sit are provided, a cargo space side floor panel (second floor panel) 42 that constitutes the floor of the cargo space R3, and a connecting panel 43 that connects the rear of the occupant space side floor panel 41 and the front of the cargo space side floor panel 42. The connecting panel 43 constitutes a kick-up section.

[0056] The floor component 40 can be made of, for example, a member formed by press-forming a steel plate. The passenger compartment side floor panel 41, the cargo compartment side floor panel 42, and the connecting panel 43 may be integrally molded, or they may be molded separately and then connected. In this embodiment, the passenger compartment side floor panel 41, the cargo compartment side floor panel 42, and the connecting panel 43 are described separately, but the floor component 40 including these panels 41 to 43 may be called the floor panel. Alternatively, only the passenger compartment side floor panel 41 may be called the floor panel.

[0057] The passenger compartment floor panel 41 extends from the front to the rear of the passenger compartment R1, and from the left side to the right side of the passenger compartment R1. The passenger compartment floor panel 41 according to this embodiment has a floor tunnel-less structure, meaning it does not have a tunnel section. In other words, conventional automobile floor panels generally have a tunnel section in the center in the width direction that bulges upward and extends in the front-rear direction. This tunnel section is for passing, for example, an exhaust pipe that extends from the engine mounted in the engine compartment at the front of the vehicle towards the rear, or a propeller shaft that transmits the output of the engine mounted in the engine compartment at the front of the vehicle to the rear wheels. The diameter of the exhaust pipe and propeller shaft is often, for example, 10 cm or more, and in order to prevent interference between the exhaust pipe or propeller shaft and the floor panel, it is necessary to provide a gap of at least several centimeters between the exhaust pipe or propeller shaft and the floor panel. Furthermore, an insulator or the like may be provided on the inner surface of the tunnel section. Due to these factors, the bulge height of the tunnel section from the floor panel can be, for example, 15 cm or more, or even 20 cm or more. In terms of its position relative to the seat, the upper end of the tunnel section is higher than the lower end of the seat cushion on the seat rail or the vertical center of the seat cushion. A structure without such a large upward bulge of the tunnel section is called a tunnelless structure.

[0058] As described above, the passenger compartment floor panel 41 does not have a tunnel section that is 15 cm or more or 20 cm or more in height from the top surface of the passenger compartment floor panel 41. However, it may have a low bulge section that is 5 cm or less or 10 cm or less in height from the top surface of the passenger compartment floor panel 41. In the case of such a low bulge section, it is not possible to pass an exhaust pipe or propeller shaft through it, so it does not function as a tunnel section. Therefore, even if the passenger compartment floor panel 41 has a low bulge section that is 5 cm or less or 10 cm or less in height from the top surface, it is still a tunnelless floor panel. In addition, the passenger compartment floor panel 41 may be provided with ribs or the like that protrude upward and extend in the front-rear direction. Since the height of such ribs is only a few centimeters, even if ribs are provided, it is still a tunnelless floor panel.

[0059] In this embodiment, since the powertrain PT includes the drive motor M, there is no need to mount an internal combustion engine in the front space R2, and therefore, the exhaust pipe does not need to be routed to the rear of the vehicle. Furthermore, if the powertrain PT is mounted in the rear space R4, the rear wheels RT can also be driven by the powertrain PT, and the propeller shaft can be omitted. Therefore, the passenger compartment side floor panel 41 can have a tunnelless structure.

[0060] As shown in Figure 3, a recessed portion 41a is formed in the middle of the passenger compartment floor panel 41 in the front-rear direction, bulging downwards. The recessed portion 41a has a bottom surface 41b on which the feet of a rear passenger seated in the rear seat RS can be placed. The bottom surface 41b is formed to be approximately horizontal. The front portion of the recessed portion 41a is formed to gradually deepen towards the rear. The recessed portion 41a can be formed continuously from the left side to the right side of the passenger compartment floor panel 41.

[0061] The bottom surface 41b of the recessed portion 41a is at approximately the same height as the lower part of the side sill 60, which will be described later, thereby allowing the height of the bottom surface 41b to be sufficiently low. The front-to-back positional relationship between the recessed portion 41a and the seat cushion of the rear seat RS is set so that when a rear-seat passenger sitting in the rear seat RS lowers their feet straight down, their feet naturally rest on the bottom surface 41b. The front position of the recessed portion 41a is set so that when a rear-seat passenger sitting in the rear seat RS moves their feet diagonally forward, their feet rest on the bottom surface 41b. In other words, the position and front-to-back dimensions of the recessed portion 41a are set so that even if a rear-seat passenger moves their feet slightly forward or backward, their feet can still rest on the bottom surface 41b. This increases the legroom for rear-seat passengers and improves comfort. The depth of the recessed portion 41a can be, for example, 5 cm or more, or 10 cm or more.

[0062] A floor frame 41c extending in the front-to-back direction is provided at the left-to-right center of the recessed portion 41a. The lower part of the floor frame 41c is fixed to the bottom surface 41b of the recessed portion 41a. By providing the floor frame 41c, the portion of the passenger compartment side floor panel 41 in which the recessed portion 41a is formed can be reinforced.

[0063] Furthermore, a rear reinforcing member 47 extending in the longitudinal direction is provided behind the recessed portion 41a of the passenger compartment side floor panel 41. The rear reinforcing member 47 is joined to the upper surface of the passenger compartment side floor panel 41. This rear reinforcing member 47 may be provided as needed and may be omitted.

[0064] The cargo area floor panel 42 is positioned above the passenger area floor panel 41. Below the cargo area floor panel 42 is the rear space R4. In other words, the cargo area floor panel 42 is positioned to separate the cargo area R3 from the rear space R4. The front-to-rear dimensions of the cargo area floor panel 42 are set to be shorter than the front-to-rear dimensions of the passenger area floor panel 41.

[0065] Since the cargo area floor panel 42 is positioned higher than the passenger area floor panel 41, the connecting panel 43 extends vertically. The connecting panel 43 may be vertical, or it may be inclined so that it is positioned further back as it goes higher.

[0066] As shown in Figure 7, the dash panel 50 is a component that forms a partition between the front space R2 and the passenger space R1. It extends upward from the front of the passenger space floor panel 41, as well as in the left-right direction, and partitions the front of the passenger space R1.

[0067] As shown in Figure 4, the left and right side sills 60 are arranged to extend in the front-rear direction at both the left and right ends of the passenger compartment floor panel 41. The left end of the passenger compartment floor panel 41 is connected to the upper middle of the left side sill 60, with the upper part of the side sill 60 protruding upward from the connection point of the passenger compartment floor panel 41, and the lower part of the side sill 60 protruding downward from the connection point of the passenger compartment floor panel 41. A battery unit Y, including batteries FB and RB, is located below the passenger compartment floor panel 41, so in a side view of the vehicle, the lower part of the side sill 60 and the batteries FB and RB are arranged to overlap. Similarly, the right side sill 60 is connected to the right end of the passenger compartment floor panel 41.

[0068] As shown in Figure 3, the upper structure 3 is equipped with a pair of left and right hinge pillars 70. The right hinge pillar 70 extends upward from the front end of the right side sill 60. The left hinge pillar 70 also extends upward from the front end of the left side sill 60. The left and right front doors FD (shown in Figure 1) are rotatably attached to the left and right hinge pillars 70, respectively. The left edge of the dash panel 50 is connected to the right side of the left hinge pillar 70. The right edge of the dash panel 50 is connected to the left side of the right hinge pillar 70. Although not shown, a center pillar and rear pillars are also provided on the upper structure 3.

[0069] On the left side of the upper structure 3, in front of the dash panel 50, is a left front wheel suspension support member 51A that supports the left front wheel FT suspension device (front suspension device) SP1 (shown by a dashed line in Figure 4). On the right side of the upper structure 3, in front of the dash panel 50, is a right front wheel suspension support member 51B that supports the right front wheel FT suspension device (front suspension device) SP2 (shown by a dashed line in Figure 4). The type of suspension devices SP1 and SP2 is not particularly limited, but for example, they include a suspension arm that supports the front wheel FT so as to be able to swing up and down, a shock absorber, a spring, etc. The vehicle body side end of the suspension arm and the upper end of the shock absorber, etc., are attached to the front wheel suspension support members 51A and 51B. The front wheel suspension support members 51A and 51B can be made of, for example, die-cast aluminum, but are not limited to this, and may be constructed by combining steel plates, etc.

[0070] As shown in Figure 6, etc., three left-side fixing frames 52A are provided on the left side in front of the dash panel 50 for fixing the left front wheel suspension support member 51A. The three left-side fixing frames 52A are spaced apart from each other in the vertical direction, and the front parts of the three left-side fixing frames 52A are fixed to the front wheel suspension support member 51A. On the other hand, the rear parts of the uppermost and the middle left-side fixing frames 52A are fixed to the left hinge pillar 70 or the left side of the dash panel 50. The rear part of the lowermost left-side fixing frame 52A is fixed to the left side sill 60.

[0071] As partially shown in Figure 3, three right-side fixing frames 52B are provided on the right side, forward of the dash panel 50, for fixing the right front wheel suspension support member 51B. The three right-side fixing frames 52B are spaced apart from each other in the vertical direction, and the front parts of the three right-side fixing frames 52B are fixed to the front wheel suspension support member 51B. On the other hand, the rear parts of the uppermost and the middle right-side fixing frames 52B are fixed to the right hinge pillar 70 or the right side of the dash panel 50. The rear part of the lowermost right-side fixing frame 52B is fixed to the right side sill 60.

[0072] As shown in Figure 2, a left-side crash can 53A extending forward is fixed to the front of the left-side front wheel suspension support member 51A. Similarly, a right-side crash can 53B extending forward is fixed to the front of the right-side front wheel suspension support member 51B. Bumper reinforcements 140 extending in the left-right direction are attached to the front of the left-side crash can 53A and the front of the right-side crash can 53B.

[0073] As shown in Figure 4, the superstructure 3 includes a left front frame 54A and a right front frame 54B. Specifically, in front of the dash panel 50, there is a left front frame 54A that connects the front part of the center frame 80 (described later) to the left front wheel suspension support member 51A, and a right front frame 54B that connects the front part of the center frame 80 to the right front wheel suspension support member 51B. The left front frame 54A is inclined so that it is positioned further to the left as it moves forward. The right front frame 54B is inclined so that it is positioned further to the right as it moves forward. By connecting the left and right front wheel suspension support members 51A and 51B to the front part of the center frame 80, the rigidity of the front wheel suspension support members 51A and 51B can be increased, improving the vehicle's handling stability. At the same time, the rigidity of the front part of the vehicle, including the area around the dash panel 50, can also be increased.

[0074] The superstructure 3 includes a left rear side frame 112A that extends in the longitudinal direction to the left and behind the rear of the passenger compartment floor panel 41, and a right rear side frame 112B that extends in the longitudinal direction to the right and behind the rear of the passenger compartment floor panel 41. The front of the left rear side frame 112A is connected to the rear of the left side sill 60. The front of the right rear side frame 112B is connected to the rear of the right side sill 60. Furthermore, the longitudinal middle section of the left rear side frame 112A and the longitudinal middle section of the right rear side frame 112B are connected by a cargo compartment side cross member (connecting member) 105 that extends in the left-right direction.

[0075] On the left side of the superstructure 3, behind the connecting panel 43, is a left rear suspension support member 110A that supports the left rear wheel RT suspension device (rear suspension device) SP3 (shown by a dashed line in Figure 4). The rear suspension support member 110A is fixed to the left rear side frame 112A. On the right side of the superstructure 3, behind the connecting panel 43, is a right rear suspension support member 110B that supports the right rear wheel RT suspension device (rear suspension device) SP4 (shown by a dashed line in Figure 4). The rear suspension support member 110B is fixed to the right rear side frame 112B. The type of suspension devices SP3 and SP4 is not particularly limited, but for example, they may include a suspension arm that supports the rear wheel RT so that it can swing up and down, a shock absorber, a spring, etc.

[0076] The upper part of the spring and shock absorber of the left suspension device SP3 is connected to the upper part of the rear wheel suspension support member 110A. As shown in Figure 3, the upper part of the rear wheel suspension support member 110A is the left load input section 110a, to which the load from the spring and shock absorber is input. The upper part of the spring and shock absorber of the right suspension device SP4 is connected to the upper part of the rear wheel suspension support member 110B. The upper part of the rear wheel suspension support member 110B is the right load input section 110b, to which the load from the spring and shock absorber is input. The left load input section 110a and the right load input section 110b are also fixed to both the left and right sides of the cargo space side floor panel 42. Furthermore, the left load input section 110a and the right load input section 110b are connected by the cargo space side cross member 105. The cargo compartment side cross member 105 is joined to the upper surface of the cargo compartment side floor panel 42, and the cargo compartment side floor panel 42 and the cargo compartment side cross member 105 form a closed cross section structure that extends in the vehicle width direction.

[0077] Furthermore, as shown in Figure 2, a rear cross member 44E is provided below the left load input section 110a and the right load input section 110b. The rear cross member 44E is joined to the rear of the occupant compartment side floor panel 41.

[0078] The superstructure 3 can be divided into, for example, a front body structure and a rear body structure. As shown in Figure 4, the rear part of the superstructure 3 behind the passenger compartment floor panel 41 can be designated as the rear body structure. Behind the connecting panel 43 of the superstructure 3, there is a left rear frame 111A that connects the rear of the center frame 80 to the left rear wheel suspension support member 110A, and a right rear frame 111B that connects the rear of the center frame 80 to the right rear wheel suspension support member 110B. By connecting the left and right rear wheel suspension support members 110A and 110B to the rear of the center frame 80, the rigidity of the rear wheel suspension support members 110A and 110B can be increased, improving the vehicle's handling stability. At the same time, the rigidity of the rear of the vehicle, including the area around the connecting panel 43, can also be increased.

[0079] The left rear frame 111A and the right rear frame 111B are located below the cargo compartment floor panel 42. As shown in Figure 6, the rear of the left rear frame 111A is fixed to the upper part of the rear wheel suspension support member 110A, i.e., the left load input section 110a. In a side view, the left rear frame 111A is inclined so that it is positioned lower towards the front from the upper part of the rear wheel suspension support member 110A, and in a plan view, as shown in Figure 4, it is inclined so that it approaches the center in the vehicle width direction towards the front. The rear of the right rear frame 111B is fixed to the upper part of the rear wheel suspension support member 110B, i.e., the right load input section 110b. In a side view, the right rear frame 111B is inclined so that it is positioned lower towards the front from the upper part of the rear wheel suspension support member 110B, and in a plan view, as shown in Figure 4, it is inclined so that it approaches the center in the vehicle width direction towards the front. Therefore, the left rear frame 111A and the right rear frame 111B are positioned so that they are further outward in the vehicle width direction as they move towards the rear, and the distance between the left rear frame 111A and the right rear frame 111B narrows as they move towards the front.

[0080] Furthermore, the rear of the left rear frame 111A is also connected to the middle section of the left rear side frame 112A in the front-rear direction. As a result, the left rear frame 111A extends from the rear of the center frame 80 to the left rear side frame 112A, becoming a left-side connecting frame that connects the rear of the center frame 80 and the left rear side frame 112A. The left rear frame 111A is also a left-side rear connecting frame that connects the left load input section 110a and the rear cross member 44E. That is, the front of the left rear frame 111A is fixed to the left load input section 110a, and the rear of the left rear frame 111A is fixed to the rear cross member 44E.

[0081] Furthermore, the rear of the right rear frame 111B is also connected to the midpoint of the right rear side frame 112B in the longitudinal direction. As a result, the right rear frame 111B extends from the rear of the center frame 80 to the right rear side frame 112B, becoming a right-side connecting frame that connects the rear of the center frame 80 and the right rear side frame 112B. The right rear frame 111B is also a right-side connecting frame that connects the right load input section 110b and the rear cross member 44E. In other words, the front of the right rear frame 111B is fixed to the right load input section 110b, and the rear of the right rear frame 111B is fixed to the rear cross member 44E.

[0082] The left rear frame 111A is positioned to tilt upward toward the left load input section 110a. Therefore, the upward load from the rear suspension device SP3 is applied to the left rear frame 111A in a tensile direction, making it less likely for the left rear frame 111A to be deflected compared to when a compressive load is applied. Thus, vibrations and noise caused by the load input from the rear suspension device SP3 are suppressed. The same applies to the right rear frame 111B.

[0083] The left rear frame 111A is positioned in front of the left rear drive shaft S2. When viewed from the front-to-rear direction, the left rear drive shaft S2 is positioned so as to overlap with a portion of the left rear frame 111A. Specifically, the height of the middle section of the left rear drive shaft S2 in the left-to-right direction is approximately the same as the height of the section between the front and rear of the left rear frame 111A.

[0084] Furthermore, the right rear frame 111B is positioned in front of the right rear drive shaft S2. When viewed from the front-to-rear direction, the right rear drive shaft S2 is positioned so as to overlap with a portion of the right rear frame 111B. Specifically, the height of the middle section of the right rear drive shaft S2 in the left-to-right direction is approximately the same as the height of the section between the front and rear of the right rear frame 111B.

[0085] As shown in Figures 3 and 6, the occupant space side floor panel 41 has a front cross member 44A, an intermediate cross member 44B, a front cross member 44C for the recessed section, a rear cross member 44D for the recessed section, and a rear cross member 44E. The front cross member 44A, intermediate cross member 44B, front cross member 44C for the recessed section, rear cross member 44D for the recessed section, and rear cross member 44E extend in the left-right direction and are fixed to the upper surface of the occupant space side floor panel 41. Therefore, the front cross member 44A, intermediate cross member 44B, front cross member 44C for the recessed section, rear cross member 44D for the recessed section, and rear cross member 44E are arranged so as to intersect with the center frame 80, which will be described later, in a plan view within the occupant space R1.

[0086] The front cross member 44A is located at the front of the passenger compartment side floor panel 41. The front of the front cross member 44A is also joined to the lower part of the dash panel 50. The intermediate cross member 44B is located behind the front cross member 44A and in front of the recessed portion 41a, and the intermediate cross member 44B and the passenger compartment side floor panel 41 form a closed cross section. The rear cross member 44E is located at the rear of the passenger compartment side floor panel 41. The rear cross member 44E is also fixed to the connecting panel 43.

[0087] The front cross member 44C of the recess is positioned behind the intermediate cross member 44B and extends laterally along the front of the recess 41a. The rear cross member 44D of the recess is positioned behind the front cross member 44C of the recess and extends laterally along the rear of the recess 41a. The front cross member 44C of the recess and the occupant space side floor panel 41 form a closed section, and the rear cross member 44D of the recess and the occupant space side floor panel 41 also form a closed section. By providing the front cross member 44C of the recess and the rear cross member 44D of the protruding section, the portion in which the recess 41a is formed can be reinforced. The front part of the floor frame 41c provided inside the recess 41a is connected to the left-right center of the front cross member 44C of the recess, and the rear part of the floor frame 41c is connected to the left-right center of the rear cross member 44D of the recess.

[0088] As shown in Figure 8, the superstructure 3 includes a pair of left-side seat rails 90 that support the left front seat FS, and a pair of right-side seat rails 91 that support the right front seat FS. The left-side seat rails 90 are for adjusting the longitudinal position of the left front seat FS and are located on the left side of the passenger compartment floor panel 41 and extend in the longitudinal direction. The right-side seat rails 91 are for adjusting the longitudinal position of the right front seat FS and are located on the right side of the passenger compartment floor panel 41 and extend in the longitudinal direction.

[0089] The left seat rail 90 is positioned above the intermediate cross member 44B and the front cross member 44C of the recessed section, and is attached to both the intermediate cross member 44B and the front cross member 44C of the recessed section. In other words, as shown in Figure 9, the left seat rail 90 extends from the intermediate cross member 44B to the front cross member 44C of the recessed section, with the front part of the left seat rail 90 attached to the intermediate cross member 44B and the rear part of the left seat rail 90 attached to the front cross member 44C of the recessed section.

[0090] Similarly, the right-side seat rail 91 extends from the intermediate cross member 44B to the front cross member 44C of the recessed section, with the front of the right-side seat rail 91 attached to the intermediate cross member 44B and the rear of the right-side seat rail 91 attached to the front cross member 44C of the recessed section.

[0091] As shown in Figure 10, the intermediate cross member 44B has a front common bracket 45 to which the front of the left seat rail 90 and the front of the right seat rail 91 are attached, separated from each other in the left-right direction. Note that the center frame 80 is omitted in Figure 10. As shown in Figure 11, the front common bracket 45 has a long shape in the left-right direction and is fixed to the upper surface of the intermediate cross member 44B. The left-right center of the front common bracket 45 is located at the left-right center of the intermediate cross member 44B. The left-right center of the front common bracket 45 is provided with a central fixing portion 45a (shown only in Figures 10 and 11) into which the lower part of the second connecting member 102, which will be described later, is inserted. To the left of the central fixing portion 45a of the front common bracket 45 is a left fixing portion 45b (shown only in Figures 4 and 11) to which the front of the left seat rail 90 is fixed by fastening members such as bolts and screws (not shown). To the right of the central fixing portion 45a of the front common bracket 45, there is a right-side fixing portion 45c (shown only in Figures 4 and 11) to which the front of the right-side seat rail 91 is fixed by a fastening member (not shown). Note that the seat rail is omitted in Figures 3-5 and 11.

[0092] Furthermore, the front cross member 44C of the recessed section has a rear common bracket 46 to which the rear of the left seat rail 90 and the rear of the right seat rail 91 are attached, separated from each other in the left-right direction. As shown in Figure 11, the rear common bracket 46 has a long shape in the left-right direction and is fixed to the upper surface of the front cross member 44C of the recessed section. The left-right center of the rear common bracket 46 is located in the left-right center of the front cross member 44C of the recessed section. The left-right center of the rear common bracket 46 is provided with a central fixing portion 46a (shown only in Figures 10 and 11) into which the lower part of a connecting member, described later, is inserted and fixed. To the left of the central fixing portion 46a of the rear common bracket 46 is a left fixing portion 46b (shown only in Figures 4 and 11) to which the rear of the left seat rail 90 is fixed by a fastening member (not shown). To the right of the central fixing portion 46a of the rear common bracket 46, there is a right-side fixing portion 46c (shown only in Figures 4 and 11) to which the rear of the right-side seat rail 91 is fixed by a fastening member (not shown).

[0093] As shown in Figure 8, the upper structure 3 includes a center frame 80 that extends continuously from the dash panel 50 to the connecting panel 43. This center frame 80 is located in the center in the left-right direction, and the front center member 16 and the first to third rear center members 17 to 19 of the battery unit Y are also located in the center in the left-right direction. In other words, the arrangement positions of the front center member 16 and the first to third rear center members 17 to 19 and the center frame 80 are set such that, in a plan view, they overlap with each other.

[0094] Furthermore, the center frame 80 is positioned above the passenger compartment floor panel 41 in the left-right center of the passenger compartment R1 and extends in the front-rear direction. The distance between the lower surface of the center frame 80 and the upper surface of the passenger compartment floor panel 41 can be set to, for example, 10 cm or more, or 20 cm or more, at its furthest point. The left front seat FS and rear seat RS are positioned on the left side of the center frame 80, while the right front seat FS and rear seat RS are positioned on the right side of the center frame 80.

[0095] By positioning the center frame 80 above and away from the passenger compartment floor panel 41, it is possible to place, for example, parts or other items between the lower surface of the center frame 80 and the upper surface of the passenger compartment floor panel 41. Furthermore, the space between the lower surface of the center frame 80 and the upper surface of the passenger compartment floor panel 41 can be used as an item storage area. As shown in Figures 5 and 6, the center frame 80 according to this embodiment has a bent portion 80A that bends vertically in the middle of the front-rear direction. By providing the bent portion 80A to the center frame 80, for example, the rear portion of the center frame 80 can be made lower than the front portion of the center frame 80, thereby improving the comfort of rear-seat passengers. Also, the front portion of the center frame 80 can be made higher than the rear portion of the center frame 80, making it possible to place large parts, items, or multiple parts below the front portion of the center frame 80. The bent portion 80A is formed in a part of the center frame 80 that is closer to the front than the center in the front-rear direction. The position where the bent portion 80A is formed is not limited to the position shown in the figure, but may be, for example, the center of the center frame 80 in the front-rear direction, or a part further rearward than the center of the center frame 80 in the front-rear direction.

[0096] In other words, the center frame 80 has a front frame member 81 extending in the front-rear direction, a rear frame member 82 disposed behind the front frame member 81 and extending towards the rear, and a connecting member 83 connecting the rear part of the front frame member 81 and the front part of the rear frame member 82. The front frame member 81 and the rear frame member 82 are hollow, that is, cylindrical in shape extending in the front-rear direction, and can be made of, for example, extruded material. By making the front frame member 81 and the rear frame member 82 hollow, they become lightweight and highly rigid members. When the center frame 80 is used as a means of blowing air conditioning air, which will be described later, the rear part of the rear frame member 82 may be closed to prevent air conditioning air from leaking out.

[0097] The vertical cross-sections of the front frame member 81 and the rear frame member 82 along the vehicle width direction are rectangular. Therefore, the front frame member 81 and the rear frame member 82 have upper and lower wall portions extending in the left-right direction, and left and right side wall portions extending in the up-down direction. However, the cross-sectional shape of the front frame member 81 and the rear frame member 82 is not limited to a rectangular shape; it may be a polygon with pentagons or more, or it may be circular or elliptical.

[0098] The longitudinal dimension of the rear frame member 82 is set to be longer than the longitudinal dimension of the front frame member 81. Therefore, the connection portion between the front frame member 81 and the rear frame member 82 is located forward of the longitudinal center of the occupant space R1. Furthermore, the center frame 80 is not limited to a two-part structure consisting of the front frame member 81 and the rear frame member 82; it may be composed of a single member from front to rear, or it may have a three-part structure.

[0099] The front frame member 81 is inclined at a first angle of inclination with respect to the horizontal plane and extends in a straight line. On the other hand, the rear frame member 82 is inclined at a second angle of inclination, which is smaller than the first angle of inclination with respect to the horizontal plane, and extends in a straight line. In other words, because the rear frame member 82 is inclined at a different angle of inclination than the front frame member 81, a bent portion 80A is formed at the connection point between the front frame member 81 and the rear frame member 82, bending downwards. In this embodiment, the rear frame member 82 is arranged to slope downwards toward the rear. Note that the front frame member 81 and the rear frame member 82 may have the same angle of inclination. In this case, the bent portion 80A will not be formed.

[0100] As shown in Figures 12 and 13, a first partition wall 82a is provided inside the rear frame member 82 to divide the internal space into an upper passage and a lower passage, extending in the vehicle width direction and in the front-rear direction. Furthermore, a second partition wall 82b is provided inside the rear frame member 82 to divide the internal space into a left passage on the left side in the vehicle width direction and a right passage on the right side in the vehicle width direction, extending in the vertical direction and in the front-rear direction. The first partition wall 82a and the second partition wall 82b are integrally molded. The first partition wall 82a and the second partition wall 82b form four passages inside the rear frame member 82: the upper left passage T11, the upper right passage T12, the lower left passage T13, and the lower right passage T14. The first partition wall 82a and the second partition wall 82b function as ribs provided inside the center frame 80. Furthermore, the first partition wall section 82a and the second partition wall section 82b may be provided as needed, and one or both may be omitted. In addition, three or more partition wall sections may be provided.

[0101] Furthermore, a first partition wall 81a is provided inside the front frame member 81, similar to the interior of the rear frame member 82, extending in the vehicle width direction and the front-rear direction. This first partition wall 81a divides the interior space of the front frame member 81 into an upper passage and a lower passage. A second partition wall 81b is also provided inside the front frame member 81, dividing it into a left passage on the left side in the vehicle width direction and a right passage on the right side in the vehicle width direction. The first partition wall 81a and the second partition wall 81b form a left upper passage T11, a right upper passage T12, a left lower passage T13, and a right lower passage T14 inside the front frame member 81, similar to the rear frame member 82.

[0102] As shown in Figures 14 to 16, the connecting member 83 is cylindrical in shape and connects the rear part of the front frame member 81 and the front part of the rear frame member 82 so that they can communicate with each other. The rear part of the front frame member 81 and the front part of the rear frame member 82 are connected when inserted into the connecting member 83. Specifically, the connecting member 83 has an upper wall portion 83a and a lower wall portion 83b that extend in the left-right direction, and a left wall portion 83c and a right wall portion 83d that extend in the up-down direction. The upper wall portion 83a extends from the top of the left wall portion 83c to the top of the right wall portion 83d, and the lower wall portion 83b extends from the bottom of the left wall portion 83c to the bottom of the right wall portion 83d. The front-rear dimension of the lower wall portion 83b of the connecting member 83 is set to be longer than the front-rear dimension of the upper wall portion 83a. To accommodate the difference in dimensions between the upper wall section 83a and the lower wall section 83b in the front-to-back direction, the dimensions of the left wall section 83c and the right wall section 83d in the front-to-back direction become longer as they move downwards.

[0103] Inside the connecting member 83, there is a first connecting wall portion 83e that extends horizontally from the vertically intermediate portion of the left wall portion 83c to the vertically intermediate portion of the right wall portion 83d, and a second connecting wall portion 83f that extends horizontally from the horizontally intermediate portion of the upper wall portion 83a to the horizontally intermediate portion of the lower wall portion 83b. The first connecting wall portion 83e and the second connecting wall portion 83f are integrally molded with the upper wall portion 83a, the lower wall portion 83b, the left wall portion 83c, and the right wall portion 83d.

[0104] A front notch 83g is formed on the front side of the second connecting wall 83f into which the rear part of the front frame member 81 is inserted. A rear notch 83h is also formed on the rear side of the second connecting wall 83f into which the front part of the rear frame member 82 is inserted. When the front frame member 81 and the rear frame member 82 are connected by the connecting member 83, the upper left passage T11, upper right passage T12, lower left passage T13, and lower right passage T14 of the front frame member 81 communicate with the upper left passage T11, upper right passage T12, lower left passage T13, and lower right passage T14 of the rear frame member 82, respectively.

[0105] The connecting member 83 can be omitted, while a bent portion 80A can be provided. In this case, the bent portion 80A of the center frame 80 can be formed by bending the center frame 80. For example, bending may be performed simultaneously with the extrusion of the center frame 80, or bending may be performed after the extrusion.

[0106] As shown in Figure 17, the superstructure 3 is equipped with an air conditioning unit 120 that generates conditioned air to be supplied to the occupant space R1. This air conditioning unit 120 is positioned in front of the front part of the front frame member 81 and in front of the center frame 80. Details of the air conditioning unit 120 will be described later.

[0107] Furthermore, as shown in Figure 20, the center frame 80 has a left frame component 84A and a right frame component 84B that constitute the front part of the center frame 80, so that the front part of the center frame 80 is branched in the left-right direction. The left frame component 84A and the right frame component 84B are spaced apart from each other in the left-right direction. The rear part of the left frame component 84A is fixed to the left side of the middle part in the front-rear direction of the front frame member 81. In a plan view, the left frame component 84A is inclined so that it is located further to the left as it moves forward from the part fixed to the front frame member 81. The front part of the left frame component 84A is connected to the part of the dash panel 50 that is located above the passenger compartment side floor panel 41. The rear part of the left front frame component 84A is connected to the front part of the left front frame component 84A. Specifically, as shown in Figure 20, the rear part of the left front frame 54A has a left connection part 54a. The left-side connecting portion 54a is a member for connecting the left-side front frame 54A to the front of the left-side frame component 84A, and is fixed to the dash panel 50. The front of the left-side front frame 54A extends to the left-side front wheel suspension support member 51A and is fixed to the left-side front wheel suspension support member 51A.

[0108] Furthermore, the rear portion of the right frame component 84B is fixed to the right side of the front frame member 81 in the middle portion in the front-rear direction. In a plan view, the right frame component 84B is inclined so that it is positioned to the right as it moves forward from the portion fixed to the front frame member 81. The front portion of the right frame component 84B is connected to the portion of the dash panel 50 that is located above the passenger compartment side floor panel 41. The rear portion of the right front frame 54B (shown in Figure 4) is connected to the front portion of the right frame component 84B. Specifically, the rear portion of the right front frame 54B has a right connection portion 54b, as shown in Figure 20. The right connection portion 54b is a member for connecting the right front frame 54B to the front portion of the right frame component 84B and is fixed to the dash panel 50. The front portion of the right front frame 54B extends to the right front wheel suspension support member 51B and is fixed to the right front wheel suspension support member 51B.

[0109] The superstructure 3 includes a plurality of connecting members 101 to 103. The connecting members 101 to 103 extend upward from the occupant space side floor panel 41, their upper parts are fixed to the center frame 80, and they are members for connecting the center frame 80 to the occupant space side floor panel 41. The connecting members 101 to 103 include a first connecting member 101, a second connecting member 102, and a third connecting member 103, which are made of, for example, extruded material. The number of connecting members 101 to 103 is not limited to a plurality, and there may be one.

[0110] Of the first to third connecting members 101 to 103, the first connecting member 101 is positioned furthest forward in the occupant space R1, and this first connecting member 101 is located rearward from the dash panel 50. The lower part of the first connecting member 101 is fixed to a portion of the occupant space side floor panel 41 that is rearward from the dash panel 50, and the upper part of the first connecting member 101 is fixed to a portion of the center frame 80 that is rearward from the dash panel 50. As a result, the center frame 80, the first connecting member 101, the occupant space side floor panel 41, and the dash panel 50 form a closed cross-sectional structure in side view. In other words, the connection of the center frame 80, the first connecting member 101, the occupant space side floor panel 41, and the dash panel 50 forms a ring structure.

[0111] Furthermore, as shown in Figure 3, the second connecting member 102 is positioned rearward from the first connecting member 101. The lower parts of the first connecting member 101 and the lower parts of the second connecting member 102 are fixed to the occupant space side floor panel 41 at points separated from each other in the front-rear direction. The upper parts of the first connecting member 101 and the upper parts of the second connecting member 102 are fixed to the center frame 80 at points separated from each other in the front-rear direction. Thus, the center frame 80, the first connecting member 101, the occupant space side floor panel 41, and the second connecting member 102 form a closed cross-sectional structure in side view. The third connecting member 103 is positioned rearward from the second connecting member 102.

[0112] As shown in Figure 20, the first connecting member 101 has a left-side member (left-side connecting member) 101A and a right-side member (right-side connecting member) 101B. The lower parts of the left-side member 101A and the right-side member 101B are fixed to the front cross member 44A, but they may also be directly fixed to the main body portion of the occupant space side floor panel 41. The left-side member 101A extends upward from the front cross member 44A, and is inclined in a front view so that it is positioned to the left as it goes upward. The upper part of the left-side member 101A is fixed to the front part of the left-side frame component 84A of the center frame 80. The upper part of the left-side member 101A may also be fixed to the left-side connection part 54a. In this case, the left-side member 101A connects the left-side connection part 54a and the occupant space side floor panel 41.

[0113] Furthermore, the right-side member 101B extends inclined in a front view, rising upward from the front cross member 44A, and becoming more to the right as it goes higher. The upper part of the right-side member 101B is fixed to the front of the right-side frame component 84B of the center frame 80. The upper part of the right-side member 101B may also be fixed to the right-side connection part 54b. In this case, the right-side member 101B connects the right-side connection part 54b to the occupant space side floor panel 41. Also, since the front of the left-side frame component 84A and the front of the right-side frame component 84B are separated in the left-right direction, most of the left-side member 101A and the right-side member 101B, excluding their lower parts, are separated in the left-right direction, and the distance between the left-side member 101A and the right-side member 101B in the left-right direction widens as it goes higher.

[0114] Although not shown in the diagram, the first connecting member 101 may connect the rear of the left front frame 54A to the passenger compartment side floor panel 41. In this case, the upper part of the left member 101A of the first connecting member 101 will be fixed to the rear of the left front frame 54A, and the lower part of the left member 101A will be fixed to the passenger compartment side floor panel 41. Alternatively, the first connecting member 101 may connect the rear of the right front frame 54B to the passenger compartment side floor panel 41. In this case, the upper part of the right member 101B of the first connecting member 101 will be fixed to the rear of the right front frame 54B, and the lower part of the right member 101B will be fixed to the passenger compartment side floor panel 41.

[0115] The left-right dimension of the second connecting member 102 is set to be longer than its front-rear dimension, but less than or equal to the left-right dimension of the center frame 80. As a result, both the left and right sides of the second connecting member 102 do not protrude from the center frame 80 in the left-right direction. In addition, the cross-section of the second connecting member 102 is set to be larger than the cross-section of the left member 101A or the right member 101B.

[0116] The lower part of the second connecting member 102 is fixed between the left seat rail 90 and the right seat rail 91 on the front common bracket 45 of the intermediate cross member 44B. Specifically, the lower part of the second connecting member 102 is fixed in a state where it is inserted into the central fixing part 45a provided in the left-right center of the front common bracket 45. In other words, the common bracket 45 to which the left seat rail 90 and the right seat rail 91 are attached is a member with high strength, and since its dimension in the vehicle width direction is somewhat long, a large fixing range to the main body of the cross member 44B is secured, and the fixing strength is also increased. By fixing the lower part of the second connecting member 102 to the common bracket 45, which has high strength and high fixing strength, the connection strength of the center frame 80 by the second connecting member 102 can be further increased. The lower part of the second connecting member 102 may be directly fixed to the main body of the passenger compartment side floor panel 41, or it may be directly fixed to the intermediate cross member 44B.

[0117] The upper part of the second connecting member 102 is fixed to the bent portion 80A of the center frame 80. Specifically, the upper part of the second connecting member 102 is fixed to the lower wall portion 83b of the connecting member 83. Therefore, the second connecting member 102 extends from the bent portion 80A of the center frame 80 toward the occupant space side floor panel 41. Since the front-rear dimension of the lower wall portion 83b of the connecting member 83 is longer than the front-rear dimension of the upper wall portion 83a, a large contact area with the second connecting member 102 can be secured. If the connecting member 83 is omitted, the upper part of the second connecting member 102 can be fixed directly to the center frame 80.

[0118] The third connecting member 103 has a cross section that is elongated in the left-right direction, similar to the second connecting member 102. The lower part of the third connecting member 103 is fixed to the front cross member 44C of the recess. The upper part of the third connecting member 103 is fixed to the lower wall portion of the rear frame member 82 of the center frame 80. As also shown in Figure 8, the third connecting member 103 is also fixed to the front portion of the floor frame 41c.

[0119] As shown in Figure 4, the rear of the center frame 80 is connected to the connecting panel 43 and the rear cross member 44E. Specifically, a rear connecting member 104 is fixed to the rear of the center frame 80, and the left-right central portion of the rear cross member 44E is fixed to the lower part of this rear connecting member 104. The rear connecting member 104 connects the rear of the center frame 80 to the rear cross member 44E.

[0120] The rear side of the rear connecting member 104 is fixed to the connecting panel 43. Therefore, the rear of the center frame 80 is also connected to the connecting panel 43 via the rear connecting member 104. The lower part of the rear connecting member 104 is also fixed to the rear of the passenger compartment side floor panel 41. In other words, the dash panel 50 and the connecting panel 43 are connected by the center frame 80. At this time, since the center frame 80 is separated upward from the passenger compartment side floor panel 41, the passenger compartment side floor panel 41, the dash panel 50, the connecting panel 43 and the center frame 80 are integrated to form a closed cross-sectional structure in side view. As a result, the torsional rigidity of the vehicle body can be sufficiently improved even while having a passenger compartment side floor panel 41 with a floor tunnel-less structure.

[0121] Furthermore, the front of the left rear frame 111A and the front of the right rear frame 111B are fixed to the lower part of the rear connecting member 104. As a result, the rear of the center frame 80 and the left rear wheel suspension support member 110A are connected by the left rear frame 111A, and the rear of the center frame 80 and the right rear wheel suspension support member 110B are connected by the right rear frame 111B. Therefore, the rigidity of the rear wheel suspension support members 110A and 110B can be increased, improving the handling stability of the vehicle. At the same time, the rigidity of the rear of the vehicle, including the connecting panel 43 and its surroundings, can also be increased.

[0122] Figures 18 and 19 show the case where the inclination angle of the center frame 80 is large. In this example, the rear of the center frame 80 is connected to the rear of the floor frame 41c. This center frame 80 has a straight shape without bends, but bends may be formed. The rear of the center frame 80 is positioned below the front of the seat cushion of the rear seat RS. This makes it less likely for the rear of the center frame 80 to interfere with the occupants of the rear seat RS, thus avoiding a deterioration in the comfort of the rear passengers. This rear of the center frame 80 is also fixed to the passenger compartment side floor panel 41.

[0123] Furthermore, in the example shown in Figure 19, the rear of the center frame 80 is also connected to the front of the rear reinforcing member 47. In this example, a rear cross member 44D of the recessed portion 41a is provided at the rear of the recessed portion 41a, so the recessed portion 41a and its vicinity are reinforced by the rear cross member 44D of the recessed portion 41a. The recessed portion 41a and its vicinity are also reinforced by the floor frame 41c. And since the center frame 80, which is located above the passenger compartment side floor panel 41, is connected to the floor frame 41c, the torsional rigidity of the vehicle body can be sufficiently improved.

[0124] As shown in Figure 5, the drive motor M of the rear powertrain PT is supported by the rear support frame 30 via a mounting member (not shown) and is positioned further rearward than the rear of the center frame 80. The height of the rear drive motor M can be arbitrarily set by the mounting height to the rear support frame 30. In this embodiment, the height of the rear drive motor M is set such that at least a portion of its height from top to bottom is the same as the height of the rear of the center frame 80. Furthermore, the height of the rotation center of the rear drive motor M, i.e., the height of the vertical center of the drive motor M, is set lower than the rear of the center frame 80. With the rear powertrain PT positioned in this way, for example, if an impact load acting from the rear of the vehicle is input to the drive motor M and the drive motor M attempts to move forward, a load acting forward on the rear of the center frame 80 will be applied to the rear of the center frame 80. At this time, the rear of the center frame 80 is connected to the rear cross member 44E and connecting panel 43, etc., and integrated with the passenger compartment side floor panel 41, so the forward movement of the drive motor M is prevented by the center frame 80. The forward movement of the drive motor M is also prevented by the passenger compartment side floor panel 41 and the rear cross member 44E.

[0125] Next, the layout of the front powertrain PT will be described based on Figure 17. The front powertrain PT is supported on the front support frame 20 via mounting members (not shown). The height of the front drive motor M can be arbitrarily set by the mounting height to the front support frame 20. The front powertrain PT is located in front of the first connecting member 101. At least a part of the air conditioning unit 120 is located between the first connecting member 101 and the powertrain PT.

[0126] The air conditioning system 120 includes a cooler (heat exchanger) 121 through which the conditioned air passes, and an air conditioning casing 122 that houses the cooler 121. The cooler 121 is a cooling heat exchanger consisting of an evaporator or the like for cooling the conditioned air. However, it is not limited to this, and instead of the cooler 121, a heating heat exchanger consisting of a heater core or condenser for heating the conditioned air may be used, and the cooler may be arranged in another part. In this embodiment, the cooler 121 is arranged in front of the dash panel 50. Although not shown, a compressor for compressing the refrigerant and an expansion valve for reducing the pressure of the refrigerant also constitute part of the air conditioning system 120.

[0127] The vertical center of the cooler 121 is positioned above the rotation center of the front drive motor M. That is, for example, if the automobile 1 collides from the front and a rearward impact load is applied to the powertrain PT, the powertrain PT will begin to move backward depending on the magnitude of the impact load. Because the front powertrain PT is positioned as described above, a center frame 80 extending in the front-rear direction is positioned behind the powertrain PT, connected to the occupant-side floor panel 41 by connecting members 101-103. Therefore, the center frame 80 and connecting members 101-103 suppress the backward movement of the powertrain PT. In addition, since the occupant-side floor panel 41 is also located behind the powertrain PT, the backward movement of the powertrain PT may also be suppressed by the occupant-side floor panel 41.

[0128] Next, a specific example of the configuration of the air conditioning unit 120 will be described. Inside the air conditioning casing 122 of the air conditioning unit 120, in addition to the cooler 121, there is a heater (not shown), an air mix damper 122a for changing the mixing ratio of the cold air that has passed through the cooler 121 and the warm air that has passed through the heater to generate conditioned air at a desired temperature, and a blow-direction switching damper 122b for distributing the generated conditioned air at the desired temperature to various parts of the passenger compartment. The operation of the blow-direction switching damper 122b allows the conditioned air to be supplied to the inner surface of the front windshield glass FG (shown in Figure 1), to the upper body of the occupant, or to the vicinity of the occupant's feet. The operation of the blow-direction switching damper 122b is well known.

[0129] The front portion of the air conditioning casing 122 houses the cooler 121 and the air mix damper 122a, and is positioned in front of the dash panel 50. On the other hand, the rear portion of the air conditioning casing 122 houses the air outlet direction switching damper 122b, and is positioned in the occupant space R1, passing through the dash panel 50. As a result, the cooler 121 and the air mix damper 122a are closer to the powertrain PT than the air outlet direction switching damper 122b. The front portion of the air conditioning casing 122 may also be positioned behind the dash panel 50.

[0130] The rear portion of the air conditioning casing 122 has a discharge section 122c that forms a duct shape from which the conditioned air generated inside the air conditioning casing 122 is blown out. The air conditioning casing 122 also has a guide duct 122d that connects the discharge section 122c to the inside of the center frame 80 and introduces the conditioned air blown out from the discharge section 122c into the inside of the center frame 80. The guide duct 122d is located above the control device 130, which will be described later, and extends in the front-rear direction. The front part of the guide duct 122d is connected to the discharge section 122c, while the rear part of the guide duct 122d is connected to the front part of the front frame member 81 of the center frame 80. As a result, the conditioned air generated by the air conditioning device 120 is introduced into the inside of the center frame 80 via the guide duct 122d. The guide duct 122d may be a component that constitutes part of the center frame 80.

[0131] Since the center frame 80 extends in the front-to-back direction, the conditioned air can be directed to any desired location in the front-to-back direction within the occupant space R1. In this case, since the air guide duct 122d is positioned above the control device 130 and has a predetermined width in the left-to-right direction, direct sunlight is also blocked by the air guide duct 122d, making it even more difficult for it to reach the control device 130. Furthermore, by utilizing the center frame 80 as an air conditioning duct, it is not necessary to install a separate air conditioning duct, and the occupant space R1 can be made wider compared to the case where a separate air conditioning duct is installed.

[0132] As shown in Figure 20, an upper air blower 80b is provided in the upper wall portion of the center frame 80, away from the air duct 122d, for blowing conditioned air upwards from the upper left passage T11 and the upper right passage T12. The upper air blowers 80b are located on the upper wall portion of the center frame 80, behind the backrest of the front seat FS, and are provided on both the left and right sides. The left upper air blower (left air blower) 80b is cylindrical and communicates with the upper left passage T11, and the right upper air blower (right air blower) 80b is cylindrical and communicates with the upper right passage T12. The downstream end of the upper air blower 80b is open upwards so as to face the occupant seated in the rear seat RS.

[0133] As shown in Figure 5, a lower air blower 80c is provided in the lower wall portion of the center frame 80, away from the air guide duct 122d, to blow the conditioned air from the left lower passage T13 and the right lower passage T14 downwards. The lower air blowers 80c are located behind the seat cushion portion of the front seat FS and are provided on both the left and right sides of the lower wall portion of the center frame 80. The left lower air blower 80c is cylindrical and communicates with the left lower passage T13, and the right lower air blower 80c is cylindrical and communicates with the right lower passage T14. The lower air blowers 80c are composed of rear footwell ducts that extend downward toward the recess 41a, and after extending downward from the center frame 80, they bend outward in the vehicle width direction. The rear footwell ducts can also be called rear heat ducts.

[0134] Furthermore, since the center frame 80 has a large cross-section that can improve the torsional rigidity of the vehicle body, even if the amount of air conditioning air circulating inside is increased, the airflow noise can be kept low. In particular, since the center frame 80 extends in a nearly straight shape, the internal passages also have a similar nearly straight shape, which also helps to keep the airflow noise low. Moreover, if no insulation material is provided in the center frame 80, the heat from the air conditioning air circulating inside the center frame 80 is transferred to the walls of the center frame 80 and radiated from the outer surface of the walls into the occupant space R1. This makes it possible to provide comfortable air conditioning using radiant heat. Insulation material may be provided in the center frame 80.

[0135] (Control device layout) The vehicle body structure A includes a control device 130 (shown in Figures 9, 17, 23, etc.) that controls the control units installed in the automobile 1. Examples of control units include the powertrain PT, brake system, electronically controlled suspension system, lighting system, navigation system, head-up display system, audio system, in-car monitor, television, etc. The control device 130 that controls these control units includes a high-performance CPU, memory, etc., and is therefore large, as well as susceptible to high heat and shock. The control device 130 is also equipped with a water jacket through which cooling water flows as a measure against heat generation. In addition, in-car entertainment functions (video playback function, music playback function), etc. may be installed, in which case the control device 130 will also become larger.

[0136] In this embodiment, the control device 130 is positioned below the front of the center frame 80 in the passenger compartment R1. As described above, the height of the front of the center frame 80 is higher than that of the rear of the center frame 80, so even a large control device 130 can be positioned there. As shown by dashed lines in Figure 17, an instrument panel IP on which instruments are mounted is positioned above the front of the center frame 80. The instrument panel IP extends from left to right in the passenger compartment R1. The front of the instrument panel IP reaches the bottom of the front windshield glass FG (shown in Figure 1).

[0137] The left-side member 101A and the right-side member 101B, which constitute the first connecting member 101, are positioned in front of the control device 130. The second connecting member 102 is positioned behind the control device 130. As a result, the control device 130 is positioned between the first connecting member 101 and the second connecting member 102, and gaps are provided between the first connecting member 101 and the control device 130, and between the second connecting member 102 and the control device 130.

[0138] Since the control device 130 is positioned below the center frame 80 within the occupant space R1, direct sunlight from the outside is blocked by the center frame 80 and is less likely to reach the control device 130. Therefore, the control device 130 can be positioned in a thermally advantageous location. Furthermore, since the instrument panel IP is positioned above the control device 130, direct sunlight is also blocked by the instrument panel IP, making it even less likely to reach the control device 130. In addition, since the control device 130 is covered by the instrument panel IP, it becomes less visible from the outside, which is also preferable from a security standpoint.

[0139] Furthermore, an air duct 122d is installed above the control device 130. The heat from the conditioned air is transferred to the wall of the air duct 122d and radiated from the outer surface of the wall towards the control device 130 as radiant heat. At this time, conditioned air, whose temperature is adjusted to ensure comfort in the occupant space R1, flows through the air duct 122d, so the radiant heat from the air duct 122d acts to suppress the temperature rise of the control device 130. In addition, the air duct 122d can also block direct sunlight.

[0140] Furthermore, assuming, for example, that an impact load is applied from the front, since the center frame 80 extends in the longitudinal direction, at least a portion of the impact load is absorbed by the center frame 80, and deformation of the vehicle body in its vicinity is suppressed. In other words, the control device 130 located below the center frame 80 is protected from impact loads from the front. The same applies to impact loads from the rear. In particular, since the left-side member 101A and the right-side member 101B can firmly connect at least two points of the center frame 80 to the passenger compartment-side floor panel 41, the protective performance of the control device 130 can be enhanced.

[0141] Furthermore, considering the case where an impact load is applied from the side of the vehicle, since the control device 130 is positioned to correspond to the center in the width direction of the vehicle, the impact load from the side is less likely to be directly transmitted to the control device 130, thus protecting the control device 130 from impact loads from the side. In addition, since the control device 130 is positioned between the first connecting member 101 and the second connecting member 102, the impact load in the longitudinal direction is less likely to act on the control device 130, further improving its protective performance.

[0142] (Cooling path) Next, the cooling path will be described. Figure 21 is a diagram showing the schematic structure of the cooling path provided by the automobile 1. The cooler 121 can be, for example, a cooling heat exchanger of the air conditioning system 120, but is not limited to this, and may be a dedicated cooler provided separately from the air conditioning system 120. The cooler 121 has passages for cooling water as a heat exchange medium, and the cooling water flowing through these passages is cooled by heat exchange with the low-temperature refrigerant inside the cooler 121. The vehicle body structure A includes a supply pipe 131 for supplying the cooling water cooled by the cooler 121 to a water jacket (not shown) of the control device 130, and a discharge pipe 132 for discharging the cooling water supplied to the control device 130. A pump P for sending cooling water to the control device 130 is provided in the supply pipe 131. The cooling water discharged from the discharge pipe 132 passes through the cooler 121 and is cooled before being drawn into the pump P. By circulating the cooling water in this way, the control device 130 is cooled. The cooling water used to cool the control device 130 is then used to cool the batteries FB and RB, then to cool the traction motor M, and finally returned to the cooler 121. Alternatively, a refrigerant may be used instead of cooling water.

[0143] As shown in Figure 17, the cooler 121 is positioned behind the front powertrain PT and close to the dash panel 50. This allows the cooler 121 to be positioned closer to the control device 130 than the front powertrain PT. Consequently, the length of the supply piping 131 can be shortened and the piping route can be simplified, reducing pressure loss when supplying cooling water to the control device 130. Furthermore, the loss of cooling energy between the cooler 121 and the control device 130 is reduced, allowing the control device 130 to be cooled efficiently.

[0144] Furthermore, as shown in Figure 22, the supply pipe 131 and the discharge pipe 132 extend through the dash panel 50 and are arranged between the left member 101A and the right member 101B. By arranging the supply pipe 131 and the discharge pipe 132 between the left member 101A and the right member 101B, it becomes less likely for the occupants' feet or other body parts to come into contact with the supply pipe 131 and the discharge pipe 132, thereby suppressing damage to the supply pipe 131 and the discharge pipe 132. The supply pipe 131 and the discharge pipe 132 extend in the front-rear direction below the air conditioning unit 120.

[0145] (Effects of the embodiment) As explained above, in this embodiment, since the center frame 80 extending in the front-rear direction and the members 16-19 of the battery unit Y are in an overlapping positional relationship in a plan view, for example, if an impact load is applied from the front of the vehicle, the impact load will be distributed and input to the center frame 80 and the members 16-19 of the battery unit Y. At this time, the center frame 80 is located above the passenger compartment floor panel 41 in the passenger compartment, while the members 16-19 of the battery unit Y are located below the passenger compartment floor panel 41. Therefore, the impact load is distributed to multiple locations separated vertically and absorbed by each, thus increasing the effect of suppressing deformation of the passenger compartment compared to when the impact load acts locally. The same applies when an impact load is applied from the rear of the vehicle.

[0146] The embodiments described above are merely illustrative in all respects and should not be interpreted restrictively. Furthermore, any modifications or changes that fall within the equivalent scope of the claims are all within the scope of the present invention. [Industrial applicability]

[0147] As described above, the present invention can be used, for example, as a vehicle body structure for an electric vehicle. [Explanation of Symbols]

[0148] 1. Automobile 16-19 Battery unit members (battery frame) 41. Floor panel on the passenger compartment side 43 Connection Panel 44A Front crossmember 50 Dash Panel 80 Center Frame 101 First connecting member 102 Second connecting member A. Body structure R1 Passenger compartment R3 cargo space Y Battery Unit

Claims

1. In a vehicle body structure for an electric vehicle equipped with a driving motor and a battery unit that supplies power to the driving motor, A floor panel that constitutes the floor of the passenger compartment where the passengers sit, A center frame having a front frame member that extends in the vehicle's longitudinal direction, is positioned above the floor panel in the center of the passenger compartment in the vehicle's width direction, The battery unit comprises a front motor support frame that extends from the front of the battery unit toward the front of the vehicle and supports the drive motor at the front of the battery unit toward the vehicle, The battery unit is located below the floor panel and has a battery frame that extends in the longitudinal direction of the vehicle. The arrangement positions of the battery frame and the center frame are set such that, in a plan view, the battery frame and the front frame member of the center frame overlap each other. The center frame has a left frame component and a right frame component that constitute a portion in front of the front frame member of the center frame, The aforementioned left-side frame component is inclined in a plan view such that it is positioned further to the left as it moves towards the front. The aforementioned right-side frame component is inclined in a plan view such that it is positioned to the right as it moves towards the front. The aforementioned front motor support frames are provided in pairs, with the left front motor support frame positioned slightly to the left with respect to the center in the vehicle width direction, and the right front motor support frame positioned slightly to the right with respect to the center in the vehicle width direction. The left and right front motor support frames are part of the vehicle body structure of an electric vehicle, extending linearly from the front of the battery frame to the front of the vehicle in a side view, at the same height as the battery frame.

2. In the vehicle body structure of the electric vehicle according to claim 1, The aforementioned battery frame is a vehicle body structure of an electric vehicle located in the center in the width direction of the vehicle.

3. In the vehicle body structure of the electric vehicle according to claim 1 or 2, A vehicle body structure for an electric vehicle, further comprising a rear motor support frame that extends from the rear of the battery unit to the rear of the vehicle and supports the drive motor at the rear of the battery unit.

4. In the vehicle body structure of an electric vehicle according to any one of claims 1 to 3, The front of the battery unit is provided with a front member that extends in the vehicle width direction. The rear of the battery unit is provided with a rear member that extends in the vehicle width direction. The battery frame is a vehicle body structure of an electric vehicle that extends from the front member to the rear member.

5. In the vehicle body structure of the electric vehicle according to claim 4, The floor panel further comprises a dashboard panel that extends upward from the front and partitions the front of the passenger compartment. The aforementioned front member is fixed to the lower part of the dash panel, The front part of the center frame is connected to the portion of the dash panel that is located above the floor panel, in the vehicle body structure of an electric vehicle.

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