Motor-integrated suspension and automobile

Abstract

Provided is a unit in which a motor and a suspension are integrated, namely, a motor-integrated suspension. A motor-integrated suspension disclosed in the present description comprises: a motor that drives an axle; and a suspension member that is attached to a vehicle body. The suspension member also serves as at least a part of a housing that houses a stator and a rotor of the motor. Since the suspension member is integrated with the housing of the motor, the motor-integrated suspension disclosed in the present description can be configured with a smaller number of components than a conventional structure in which the suspension member and the motor are separately assembled.

Description

Motor-integrated suspension and automobile

[0001] (Cross-reference to related applications) This application is a related application of Japanese Patent Application No. 2024-024301 filed on February 21, 2024, and claims priority based on this Japanese patent application, the entire contents of which are incorporated herein by reference.

[0002] The technology disclosed in this specification relates to an automobile suspension that incorporates an electric motor that drives the axles, i.e., a motor-integrated suspension, and an automobile equipped with the motor-integrated suspension.

[0003] A structure has been proposed in which an electric motor that drives an axle is fixed onto a suspension member (for example, JP 2017-100676 A). Note that in this specification, the "electric motor" may be simply referred to as the "motor."

[0004] Conventionally, a completed motor is mounted on a completed suspension member. This specification improves on the conventional structure and provides a unit that combines a motor and a suspension, i.e., a motor-integrated suspension. This specification also provides a vehicle equipped with the aforementioned motor-integrated suspension.

[0005] One aspect of the motor-integrated suspension disclosed herein includes a motor and a suspension member. The motor drives an axle. The suspension member is attached to a vehicle body. The suspension member also serves as at least a portion of a housing that accommodates the stator and rotor of the motor. Because the motor-integrated suspension disclosed herein has the suspension member integrated with the motor housing, it can be configured with fewer parts than conventional structures in which the suspension member and motor are assembled separately.

[0006] In another aspect of the motor-integrated suspension disclosed in this specification, the suspension member is divided into a right sub-member and a left sub-member, each of which is attached to the vehicle body. The motor is located between the right sub-member and the left sub-member. With this structure, the motor serves as the suspension cross-member, eliminating the need for a conventional suspension cross-member and allowing for a smaller suspension and motor unit.

[0007] The automobile equipped with the above-mentioned motor-integrated suspension is also one of the technologies disclosed in this specification.

[0008] For ease of explanation, the "motor-integrated suspension" may be referred to simply as a "suspension" below. Details and further improvements of the technology disclosed in this specification will be described in the following "Description of Embodiments of the Invention."

[0009] 1. A top view of the suspension 100 of the first embodiment. A rear view of the suspension 100 of the first embodiment. A cross-sectional view of the suspension 100 taken along line III-III in FIG. 1. A view of the right sub-member 120R and the left sub-member 120L separated from the motor 110. A top view of the suspension 200 of the second embodiment. A cross-sectional view of the suspension 200 taken along line VI-VI in FIG. 5. A top view of the suspension 300 of the third embodiment. A cross-sectional view of the suspension 300 taken along line VIII-VIII in FIG. 7. A top view of the suspension 400 of the fourth embodiment. A rear view of the suspension 400. A cross-sectional view of the suspension 400 taken along line XI-XI in FIG. 9. A top view of the suspension 100 (some reference numerals are omitted). A side view of a suspension 500 of a modified example. A rear view of a suspension 600 of another modified example.

[0010] (First embodiment) A suspension 100 of a first embodiment will be described with reference to Figures 1 to 4. As mentioned above, "suspension 100" is an abbreviation for "motor-integrated suspension 100."

[0011] Fig. 1 shows a top view of the suspension 100, and Fig. 2 shows a rear view of the suspension 100. The suspension 100 is attached to rear side members 11R and 11L of an electric vehicle. The rear side members 11R and 11L are part of the vehicle body. In Fig. 1, the rear side members 11R and 11L are drawn with imaginary lines.

[0012] As is well known, an automobile suspension is a unit that supports the wheels. The suspension 100 of this embodiment supports the rear wheels 13 of an electric vehicle. The suspension 100 includes a suspension member 120, a motor 110, a shock absorber 12, an upper arm 131, a lower arm 132, and a knuckle 133. In FIG. 1 , only the lower end of the shock absorber 12 is shown.

[0013] The suspension 100 of the embodiment not only supports the rear wheel 13 but also includes a motor 110 that drives the rear wheel 13 (axle 140). The suspension 100 incorporates the motor 110 that drives the rear wheel 13 (axle 140). The suspension 100 can drive the axle 140 while supporting it.

[0014] The suspension member 120 is divided into a right sub-member 120R and a left sub-member 120L. The right sub-member 120R and the left sub-member 120L are aligned in the lateral direction of the vehicle body, with the right sub-member 120R fixed to the right rear side member 11R and the left sub-member 120L fixed to the left rear side member 11L. The motor 110 is disposed between the right sub-member 120R and the left sub-member 120L.

[0015] Figure 3 shows a cross section of the suspension 100 taken along line III-III in Figure 1. As previously mentioned, the motor 110 is disposed between the right sub-member 120R and the left sub-member 120L of the suspension member 120. The right sub-member 120R and the left sub-member 120L are fixed to the motor housing 115 of the motor 110 with bolts. However, the bolts that fix the right sub-member 120R and the left sub-member 120L are not shown in the figure.

[0016] FIG. 4 shows the right sub-member 120R and the left sub-member 120L separated from the motor 110. As is well known, the motor 110 includes a stator 112 and a rotor 113. The rotor 113 is fixed to the main shaft 111. A motor housing 115 accommodates the stator 112 and the rotor 113. However, as shown in FIG. 4, the motor housing 115 is cylindrical and has openings 115R and 115L at each end. The right sub-member 120R covers the opening 115R on the right side of the motor housing 115, and the left sub-member 120L covers the opening 115L on the left side of the motor housing 115. Attaching the sub-members 120R and 120L to the motor housing 115 closes an internal space 116 that accommodates the stator 112 and the rotor 113. That is, the sub-members 120R, 120L also serve as part of a housing that accommodates the stator 112 and rotor 113 of the motor 110. In other words, the sub-members 120R, 120L define part of the internal space 116 that accommodates the stator 112 and the rotor 113. In other words, the sub-members 120R, 120L face the stator 112. Lubricating oil (not shown) is stored in the internal space 116, and the sub-members 120R, 120L are exposed to the motor lubricating oil.

[0017] The main shaft 111 of the motor 110 is rotatably supported by a bearing 117, which is fixed to the motor housing 115. A through hole 125 through which the main shaft 111 passes is provided in the sub-members 120R and 120L, and the gap between the inner surface of the through hole 125 and the main shaft 111 is sealed with a seal 124. The main shaft 111 and the axle 140 are connected by a universal joint 141. The structure of the universal joint 141 is not shown in Figure 3.

[0018] The following describes other structures related to the suspension member 120. Since the suspension member 120 has a bilaterally symmetrical shape, the structure of the right side of the suspension member 120 will be described in detail.

[0019] As shown in Figure 1, the right sub-member 120R has, at its front end, a front arm 121 extending in a right-front direction, and at its rear end, a rear arm 122 extending in a right-rear direction. The right sub-member 120R is U-shaped. The respective tips of the front arm 121 and rear arm 122 are attached to the right rear side member 11R via mounts 123. The mounts 123 are provided to reduce vibration of the suspension 100. The left sub-member 120L has a structure similar to that of the right sub-member 120R.

[0020] The main shaft 111 of the motor 110 is connected to the axle 140 of the rear wheel 13 via a universal joint 141. Another universal joint 141 is located midway along the axle 140. One universal joint 141 is not shown in FIG. 1 . The axle 140 is rotatably supported by a knuckle 133, which is supported by an upper arm 131 and a lower arm 132. The upper arm 131 is attached to the upper part of the right sub-member 120R, and the lower arm 132 is attached to the lower part of the right sub-member 120R. The upper arm 131 and the lower arm 132 are attached so as to be able to swing relative to the right sub-member 120R. Therefore, the knuckle 133 can swing up and down while being supported by the upper arm 131 and the lower arm 132. A shock absorber 12 is attached to the upper part of the knuckle 133. The lower end of the shock absorber 12 may be connected to the upper arm 131 or the lower arm 132 .

[0021] The advantages of the suspension 100 will now be described. As described above, the suspension member 120 also serves as at least a part of the housing that accommodates the stator 112 and rotor 113 of the motor 110. In other words, the suspension member 120 is integrated with the housing of the motor 110. Because the suspension 100 is integrated with the housing of the motor 110, it has the advantage of being able to be configured with fewer parts than a conventional structure in which the suspension member 120 and the motor 110 are each independent.

[0022] The motor housing 115, which houses the stator 112 and rotor 113 of the motor 110, has a cylindrical shape with openings on both sides. The right opening 115R of the motor housing 115 is closed by a right sub-member 120R, and the left opening 115L is closed by a left sub-member 120L. The right sub-member 120R and the left sub-member 120L form the left and right ends of the housing of the motor 110. The motor housing 115 contributes to improving the strength of the suspension 100. Furthermore, the above-described structure contributes to making the overall shape of the suspension incorporating the motor 110 simpler and more compact than conventional structures. Other structural features and advantages of the suspension 100 will be described later.

[0023] Second Embodiment A suspension 200 of a second embodiment will be described with reference to Figures 5 and 6. Figure 5 shows a top view of the suspension 200. Figure 6 is a cross-sectional view of the suspension 200 taken along line VI-VI in Figure 5. Similar to the suspension 100, the suspension 200 supports the rear wheels 13 (axles 140) of the electric vehicle and includes a motor 210 that drives the rear wheels 13 (axles 140).

[0024] The suspension member 220 is divided into a right sub-member 220R and a left sub-member 220L. The right sub-member 220R is fixed to the right rear side member 11R via a mount 123, and the left sub-member 220L is fixed to the left rear side member 11L via a mount 123.

[0025] The motor 210 is disposed between the right sub-member 220R and the left sub-member 220L. A recess 220Ra is provided on the left side of the right sub-member 220R, and a recess 220La is provided on the right side of the left sub-member 220L. When the right sub-member 220R and the left sub-member 220L are coupled together, the recesses 220Ra and 220La form a single internal space 116. The stator 112 and rotor 113 of the motor 210 are housed in this internal space 116. In other words, the motor 210 does not have its own housing; the right sub-member 220R and the left sub-member 220L form the motor housing. In other words, the motor 210 is completely incorporated inside the suspension member 220.

[0026] Bearings 117 are disposed in each of the recesses 220Ra and 220La, and the main shaft 111 is supported by the bearings 117. A through hole 125 through which the main shaft 111 passes is provided in each of the recesses 220Ra and 220La, and a seal 124 seals the gap between the inner surface of the through hole 125 and the main shaft 111.

[0027] In the suspension 200, the suspension members 220 (right sub-member 220R and left sub-member 220L) house the stator 112 and rotor 113 of the motor 210. The suspension 200 has the advantage of requiring fewer parts because an independent motor housing is not required. Other structures of the suspension 200 are the same as those of the suspension 100.

[0028] (Third Embodiment) A suspension 300 of a third embodiment will be described with reference to Figures 7 and 8. Figure 7 shows a top view of the suspension 300. Figure 8 is a cross-sectional view of the suspension 300 taken along line VIII-VIII in Figure 7. Figures 7 and 8 depict only the suspension 300, omitting the rear side members to which the suspension 300 is fixed and the rear wheels. Also, Figures 7 and 8 depict only the suspension member 320 and the motor 310, omitting other parts of the suspension 300, such as the knuckle, upper arm, lower arm, and shock absorber.

[0029] Similar to the suspension 100, the suspension 300 supports the rear wheels 13 (axles 140) of the electric vehicle and includes a motor 310 that drives the rear wheels 13 (axles 140).

[0030] Suspension 300 includes a suspension member 320 and a motor 310. Unlike suspensions 100 and 200, suspension member 320 is not divided into left and right halves. Front arms 121 are provided on the left and right sides of the front of suspension member 320, and rear arms 122 are provided on the left and right sides of the rear. Mounts 123 are attached to the ends of each of front arms 121 and rear arms 122, and suspension 300 is fixed to a rear side member (not shown) via the mounts 123.

[0031] The motor 310 is attached to the underside of the suspension member 320 (see FIG. 8). In the drawing, the bolts that attach the motor 310 to the suspension member 320 are not shown.

[0032] The motor 310 includes a stator 112, a rotor 113, a main shaft 111, and a motor housing 315. The stator 112, the rotor 113, and a portion of the main shaft 111 are housed in the motor housing 315. The motor housing 315 has a through-hole through which the main shaft 111 passes, and a bearing 117 and a seal 124 are disposed in the through-hole. The bearing 117 supports the rotation of the main shaft 111. The seal 124 seals the gap between the inner surface of the through-hole and the main shaft 111.

[0033] The motor housing 315 is open at the top, and the opening 315a is closed by the suspension member 320. That is, the suspension member 320 constitutes a part of the housing that accommodates the stator 112 and the rotor 113. In other words, the suspension member 320 faces the stator 112. When the suspension member 320 closes the opening 315a of the motor housing 315, the internal space 116 that accommodates the stator 112 and the rotor 113 is closed.

[0034] The suspension member 320 also serves as part of the housing that houses the motor's stator 112 and rotor 113. This structure provides the suspension 300 with the advantage of having fewer parts than a conventional structure in which the suspension and the motor are independent of each other.

[0035] 9-11 show a suspension 400 according to a fourth embodiment. Fig. 9 is a top view of the suspension 400, and Fig. 10 is a rear view of the suspension 400. Fig. 11 is a cross-sectional view of the suspension 400 taken along line XI-XI in Fig. 9.

[0036] Like the suspension 100, the suspension 400 supports the axle 140 and includes a motor 410 that drives the axle 140. The suspension 400 is fixed to rear side members 11R and 11L of the electric vehicle.

[0037] The suspension 400 includes a suspension member 420 and a motor 410. The suspension member 420 is divided into a right sub-member 420R and a left sub-member 420L. The motor 410 is disposed between the right sub-member 420R and the left sub-member 420L.

[0038] In the suspension 100 of the first embodiment, the right sub-member 120R and the left sub-member 120L also serve as part of the motor housing, but in the suspension 400 of the fourth embodiment, the right sub-member 420R and the left sub-member 420L do not also serve as the motor housing. The right sub-member 420R and the left sub-member 420L are attached to the outside of the motor housing 415. Note that in the figures, the bolts that attach the sub-members to the motor housing are not shown.

[0039] The motor 410 includes a stator 112, a rotor 113, a main shaft 111, and a motor housing 415 that accommodates these components. As described above, the right sub-member 420R and the left sub-member 420L are attached to the outer surface of the motor housing 415. The right sub-member 420R is attached to the right outer surface of the motor housing 415, and the left sub-member 420L is attached to the left outer surface of the motor housing 415.

[0040] 11 , motor housing 415 completely accommodates stator 112 and rotor 113. Through holes through which main shaft 111 passes are provided on both sides of motor housing 415, and bearings 117 that support the rotation of main shaft 111 are disposed in these through holes. A seal 124 that seals the periphery of main shaft 111 is also disposed in the through hole.

[0041] Each of the right sub-member 420R and the left sub-member 420L has a front arm 121 at its front end and a rear arm 122 at its rear end. The right sub-member 420R (left sub-member 420L) is fixed to the rear side member 11R (11L) via mounts 123 provided at the tips of the front arm 121 and the rear arm 122.

[0042] In the suspension 400, the upper arm 131 and the trailing arm 401 support the knuckle 133. The upper arm 131 is swingably supported on the upper part of the suspension member 420. Although not shown in the figure, the front end of the trailing arm 401 is swingably supported on the vehicle body.

[0043] Some features of the example suspensions 100, 200, 300, and 400 are summarized below.

[0044] The suspension members 120, 220, 320 also serve as at least a portion of the housing that accommodates the stator and rotor of the motor. In other words, the suspension members 120, 220, 320 face the stator 112 of the motor. This structural feature allows the suspensions 100-300 to have fewer parts than conventional structures in which the suspension and motor are independent of each other.

[0045] The suspension member 120 is divided into a right sub-member 120R and a left sub-member 120L, each of which is attached to the vehicle body (rear side member). The motor 110 is disposed between the right sub-member 120R and the left sub-member 120L. The motor housing 115 has openings at both ends in the axial direction of the axle. The right sub-member 120R covers the opening 115R on the right side of the motor housing 115, and the left sub-member 120L covers the opening 115L on the left side of the motor housing 115. This structure simplifies the assembly process for a unit that combines a suspension and a motor (a motor-integrated suspension). The motor housing 115 also contributes to increasing the rigidity of the suspension member 120.

[0046] The motor 210 of the suspension 200 does not have its own housing. The right sub-member 220R of the suspension member 220 has a recess 220Ra, and the left sub-member 220L has a recess 220La. When the right sub-member 220R and the left sub-member 220L are joined, the recesses 220Ra and 220La are joined, completing the internal space 116 that houses the stator 112 and the rotor 113. In other words, the right sub-member 220R and the left sub-member 220L also serve as the motor housing. Because the motor in the suspension 200 does not have an independent housing, the number of parts can be reduced compared to conventional structures.

[0047] The features of the suspension 300 will now be described. The suspension member 320 is not divided into left and right halves, but also serves as part of the housing that houses the stator 112 and rotor 113 of the motor. The motor housing 315 has an opening at the top, and the suspension member 320 closes the opening 315a. The suspension member 320 faces the stator 112. This structure also allows for fewer parts than conventional structures.

[0048] The suspension member 420 of the suspension 400 is divided into a right sub-member 420R and a left sub-member 420L, with the motor 410 positioned between them. This structure ensures space in front of and behind the motor 410. Another device can be placed in the space thus ensured. The suspension 100 has the same advantage. Note that the suspension member 420 does not also serve as the motor housing. The right sub-member 420R and the left sub-member 420L are each fixed to the outer surface of the motor housing 415.

[0049] The structural features common to the suspensions 100-400 of the multiple embodiments will be described below. The knuckle 133 rotatably supports the axle 140. At least one of the upper arm 131 and the lower arm 132 that support the knuckle 133 is attached to the suspension member 120 (220-420).

[0050] In the suspension 100-400 of the embodiment, the motor main shaft 111 and the rear wheel axle 140 are arranged coaxially. A gear set may be arranged between the motor main shaft 111 and the axle 140. The main shaft 111 and the axle 140 do not have to be arranged coaxially.

[0051] The dimensional features of the suspension of the embodiment will be described using the suspension 100 as an example. Figure 12 again shows a top view of the suspension 100. In Figure 12, the reference numerals of some components have been omitted.

[0052] A front arm 121 extending in a right-front direction is provided at the front end of the right sub-member 120R, and a rear arm 122 extending in a right-rear direction is provided at the rear end. A front arm 121 extending in a left-front direction is provided at the front end of the left sub-member 120L, and a rear arm 122 extending in a left-rear direction is provided at the rear end. The front arm 121 and the rear arm 122 are provided with mounts 123 at their tips, and the suspension 100 is fixed to the vehicle body (rear side member) via the mounts 123.

[0053] The right sub-member 120R and the left sub-member 120L are both longer in the front-rear direction than the length of the motor. Also, the right sub-member 120R and the left sub-member 120L are both longer in the left-right direction than the length of the motor. Even more preferably, the right sub-member 120R and the left sub-member 120L are longer than the left-right length of the drive unit including the motor and gear. These features make it difficult for motor vibrations to be transmitted to the vehicle body.

[0054] As shown in Figure 12, a space Sa is provided between the line La connecting the right front end PfR and the left front end PfL of the suspension member 120 and the center of the front end of the suspension 100. A space Sb is provided between the line Lb connecting the right rear end PrR and the left rear end PrL of the suspension member 120 and the center of the rear end of the suspension 100. A space Sc is provided between the line Lc connecting the right front end PfR and the right rear end PrR of the suspension member 120 and the center of the right side of the suspension 100. A space Sd is provided between the line Ld connecting the left front end PfL and the left rear end PrL of the suspension member 120 and the center of the left side of the suspension 100. Another device can be placed in these spaces Sa-Sd. The suspensions 200-400 also have similar advantages.

[0055] 13 shows a side view of a modified suspension 500. The suspension includes an inverter 150F in front of the motor 110. Alternatively, the suspension may include an inverter 150R in rear of the motor 110. The inverter 150F (150R) is a device that supplies alternating current to the motor 110. Any of the suspensions 100-400 of the embodiments may include an inverter in front of or behind the motor.

[0056] FIG. 14 shows a rear view of a suspension 600 according to another modified example. The suspension 600 includes a suspension member 620. The suspension member 620 is divided into a right sub-member 620R and a left sub-member 620L. The motor 110 is disposed between the right sub-member 620R and the left sub-member 620L. A plurality of ribs 621 are provided on the rear surface of each of the right sub-member 620R and the left sub-member 620L. The plurality of ribs 621 are arranged in a lattice pattern. The plurality of ribs 621 contribute to heat dissipation from the motor 110. The plurality of ribs 621 also contribute to increasing the strength of the suspension 600.

[0057] The suspension 600 may have multiple ribs on the front surface of each of the right sub-member 620R and the left sub-member 620L. The right sub-member 620R and the left sub-member 620L may each have multiple ribs on both the front and rear surfaces. All of the suspensions 100-400 of the embodiments may have ribs on at least one of the front and rear surfaces of the suspension member. When the motor-integrated suspension of the embodiment is applied to a suspension in which the lower arms are attached to the front (e.g., a trailing wishbone type), it is preferable that each of the right sub-member 620R and the left sub-member 620L have multiple ribs on the front surface. When the motor-integrated suspension of the embodiment is applied to a suspension in which the lower arms are attached to the rear (e.g., a multi-link type), it is preferable that each of the right sub-member 620R and the left sub-member 620L have multiple ribs on the rear surface.

[0058] The suspensions 100-600 of the embodiments are all motor-integrated suspensions in which a suspension member and a motor are integrated. The motor-integrated suspensions disclosed in this specification are applicable to electric vehicles. The motor-integrated suspensions disclosed in this specification may also be applied to hybrid vehicles and fuel cell vehicles as auxiliary drive devices. The motor-integrated suspensions disclosed in this specification may also be applied to the rear wheels or front wheels of an automobile.

[0059] There are several types of suspensions (independent suspensions such as strut type, double wishbone type, and multi-link type), and the technology disclosed in this specification can be applied to any of these types of suspensions.

[0060] Although specific examples of the present invention have been described in detail above, these are merely examples and do not limit the scope of the claims. The technology described in the claims includes various modifications and variations of the specific examples exemplified above. The technical elements described in this specification or drawings exhibit technical utility alone or in various combinations, and are not limited to the combinations described in the claims at the time of filing. Furthermore, the technology exemplified in this specification or drawings can achieve multiple objectives simultaneously, and achieving one of these objectives alone is technically useful.

Claims

1. A motor-integrated suspension comprising: a motor that drives an axle; and a suspension member that is attached to a vehicle body, wherein the suspension member also serves as at least a part of a housing that accommodates a stator and a rotor of the motor.

2. The motor-integrated suspension according to claim 1, wherein said suspension member faces a stator of said motor.

3. A motor-integrated suspension as set forth in claim 1, wherein the suspension member is divided into a right sub-member and a left sub-member, each of which is attached to the vehicle body; the motor comprises a motor housing that houses a stator and a rotor and is open at both ends in the axial direction of the motor, the right sub-member closing one of the openings and the left sub-member closing the other opening.

4. The motor-integrated suspension according to claim 3, wherein the right sub-member and the left sub-member are longer than the motor housing in the longitudinal direction of the vehicle body.

5. The motor-integrated suspension according to claim 3, wherein a plurality of ribs are provided on the front or rear surface of each of the right sub-member and the left sub-member.

6. The motor-integrated suspension according to claim 1, further comprising: an inverter for supplying power to the motor, the inverter being disposed in front of or behind the motor.

7. The motor-integrated suspension according to claim 1, wherein the main shaft of the motor and the axle are arranged coaxially.

8. The motor-integrated suspension according to claim 1, wherein a space is secured between a line segment connecting the right front end and left front end of the suspension member and the center of the front end of the motor-integrated suspension.

9. The motor-integrated suspension according to claim 1, wherein a space is secured between a line segment connecting the right rear end and left rear end of the suspension member and the center of the rear end of the motor-integrated suspension.

10. A motor-integrated suspension as set forth in claim 1, wherein a space is secured between a line segment connecting the right front end and right rear end of the suspension member and the center of the right side of the suspension member, and a space is secured between a line segment connecting the left front end and left rear end of the suspension member and the center of the left side of the suspension member.

11. The motor-integrated suspension according to claim 1, wherein at least one of an upper arm and a lower arm supporting a knuckle that rotatably supports the axle is attached to the suspension member.

12. A vehicle comprising the motor-integrated suspension according to claim 1, front wheels, and rear wheels, wherein the motor drives the rear wheels.

13. A motor-integrated suspension comprising: a motor that drives an axle; and a suspension member that is divided into a right sub-member and a left sub-member, each of which is attached to the vehicle body, wherein the motor is disposed between the right sub-member and the left sub-member.

14. The motor-integrated suspension according to claim 13, wherein the right sub-member and the left sub-member are longer than the housing of the motor in the longitudinal direction of the vehicle body.

15. The motor-integrated suspension according to claim 13, wherein a plurality of ribs are provided on the front or rear surface of each of the right sub-member and the left sub-member.

16. The motor-integrated suspension according to claim 13, further comprising: an inverter for supplying power to the motor, the inverter being disposed in front of or behind the motor.

17. The motor-integrated suspension according to claim 13, wherein a space is secured between a line segment connecting the right front end and left front end of the suspension member and the center of the front end of the motor-integrated suspension.

18. The motor-integrated suspension according to claim 13, wherein a space is secured between a line segment connecting the right rear end and left rear end of the suspension member and the center of the rear end of the motor-integrated suspension.

19. A motor-integrated suspension as set forth in claim 13, wherein a space is secured between a line segment connecting the right front end and right rear end of the suspension member and the center of the right side of the suspension member, and a space is secured between a line segment connecting the left front end and left rear end of the suspension member and the center of the left side of the suspension member.

20. The motor-integrated suspension according to claim 13, wherein at least one of an upper arm and a lower arm supporting a knuckle that rotatably supports the axle is attached to the suspension member.

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