Vertical Electric Propulsion Motor for EV Thermal and NVH Management
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Solution Overview
Problem
Current electric vehicle designs with horizontally positioned electric propulsion motors face inefficiencies in thermal management and torque transmission, leading to reduced driving range, increased noise, vibration, and harshness (NVH) due to blocked air cooling paths and perceptible forces on the suspension.
Innovation Solution
The electric propulsion motor is oriented vertically and movable, allowing for improved air cooling and decoupling of motor torques from the suspension system, reducing NVH and enhancing thermal management by rotating the motor axis to optimize cooling and motor efficiency.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Ease of manufacture
If the electric propulsion motor is positioned horizontally in the same plane as the drive wheels, then the motor can be easily mounted and integrated with the suspension system, but the air cooling path is blocked by suspension and chassis components, reducing thermal management efficiency
Solution Approach 1:
The motor axis is reoriented from horizontal to vertical, changing the spatial dimension of motor placement. This vertical orientation allows cooling air to flow directly along the motor axis from the front of the vehicle without being blocked by horizontal suspension and chassis components, thereby resolving the thermal management issue while maintaining integration capability
2Ease of manufacture
If the electric propulsion motor is positioned horizontally with the motor axis oriented longitudinally or transversely, then the motor can be integrated with the drive system, but the motor torque acts on the suspension system, creating perceptible forces and increasing NVH
Solution Approach 1:
The motor axis is reoriented from horizontal to vertical, changing the plane in which torque is applied. This vertical orientation applies motor torque in a vertical plane rather than the horizontal plane in which the suspension operates, effectively decoupling the motor torque from the suspension system and reducing NVH and perceptible forces
Data Source
AI summary
An electric vehicle comprises a vehicle chassis extending along a longitudinal axis and a rotatable vehicle drive axle disposed along a transverse axis and having opposed ends that are configured for attachment to a pair of opposed drive wheels. The electric vehicle also comprises a selectively movable electric propulsion motor comprising a rotatable motor shaft rotatable about a motor axis, the electric propulsion motor configured to be mounted within the vehicle chassis and operatively coupled to the rotatable vehicle drive axle and opposed drive wheels, the motor axis configured to be oriented in a substantially vertical direction.