A cradle assembly for housing and supporting a motor and a gearbox of an electric axle assembly. The cradle assembly has generally an “open air” design which provides a space for a motor and/or gearbox to be positioned within a pre-assembled cradle assembly and allows for easy access to the motor and gearbox for maintenance. The cradle assembly includes two end caps, a plurality of tube portions connecting the end caps and a plurality of motor mounts for supporting the motor and gearbox.

A suspension and drive mechanism for a steerable wheel of a vehicle, comprising a wheel support assembly supporting the wheel having a rolling axis and a wheel width defined by inner and outer wheel edges. Front and rear upper control arms coupled between a chassis and the wheel support assembly, and front and rear lower control arms between the chassis and the wheel support assembly. The front and rear upper control arms being coupled to the wheel support assembly above the rolling axis and inboard of the wheel inner edge, and front and rear lower control arms being coupled to the wheel support assembly below the rolling axis and inboard of the wheel inner edge. The control arms are angled so as to establish a virtual steering pivot axis for the wheel support assembly, the virtual steering pivot axis extending transverse of the rolling axis and located within the width of the wheel. The virtual steering pivot axis location varies according to a steering angle of the wheel support assembly as controlled by the steering arm. An electric drive unit arranged within the wheel for driving thereof, and at least one of the virtual pivots that lie on said virtual steering pivot axis lies within the volume occupied by the electric drive unit during at least one point in the steering travel of said wheel.

A suspension element includes a housing, a first joint, and a second joint. The housing is configured to couple a tractive element assembly to a vehicle. The housing has a first end configured to engage a portion of the vehicle and a second end configured to interface with the tractive element assembly. The first joint includes a first actuator and a first resilient member. The first actuator is configured to facilitate linear extension and retraction of the suspension element. The second joint includes a second actuator and a second resilient member. The second actuator is configured to facilitate rotational movement of the suspension element. The first resilient member and the second resilient member are configured to support a static load of the vehicle.

Vehicle platforms, and systems, subsystems, and components thereof are described. A self-contained vehicle platform or chassis incorporating substantially all of the functional systems, subsystems and components (e.g., mechanical, electrical, structural, etc.) necessary for an operative vehicle. Functional components may include at least energy storage/conversion, propulsion, suspension and wheels, steering, crash protection, and braking systems. Functional components are standardized such that vehicle platforms may be interconnected with a variety of vehicle body designs (also referred to in the art as “top hats”) with minimal or no modification to the functional linkages (e.g., mechanical, structural, electrical, etc.) therebetween. Configurations of functional components are incorporated within the vehicle platform such that there is minimal or no physical overlap between the functional components and the area defined by the vehicle body. Specific functional components of such vehicle platforms, and the relative placement of the various functional components, to allow for implementation of a self-contained vehicle platform are also provided.

Some embodiments may provide a method for a desired operating environment. A signal to place a vehicle in a designated mode corresponding to a desired operating environment may be received. The designated mode may include modifications to one or more default operating characteristics of the vehicle. The modifications may be while the vehicle is in parked mode and a vehicle access key associated with the vehicle is within proximity of the vehicle. In response to receiving the signal, characteristics of the vehicle to be modified in order to create the desired operating environment may be identified. The default operating characteristics may relate to lighting or displays controlled by the vehicle, sounds controlled by the vehicle, or a passive entry system of the vehicle. One or more settings of the vehicle to change the default operating characteristics of the vehicle while in the designated mode may be modified.

A suspension apparatus for a vehicle including a drive unit configured to provide driving power to a wheel, a first knuckle coupled to the drive unit and configured to transmit a steering force to the wheel, a second knuckle disposed to face the first knuckle and configured to support the first knuckle so that the first knuckle is rotatable, a suspension arm extending from a vehicle body and configured to absorb impact applied to the wheel, a bushing unit provided between the second knuckle and the suspension arm and configured to support the second knuckle so that the second knuckle is rotatable relative to the suspension arm and a rotation restriction unit provided on the bushing unit and configured to selectively restrict a rotation direction of the second knuckle.

The present disclosure includes a knuckle unit coupled to a strut, positioned inside a wheel, and moving in upward and downward directions along a pair of sliding pillars supported by a fixing frame, a stopper unit configured to selectively move in a downward direction on the sliding pillar and limit a range that the knuckle unit moves in the upward and downward directions, a power transmission unit connected to the sliding pillar and configured to transmit power for moving the stopper unit in the downward direction, a clutch unit connected to the power transmission unit and transmitting a rotational force to the power transmission unit as a control motor is driven, and a control unit electrically connected to the control motor and transmitting a power transmission signal to the control motor to control the stopper unit to selectively move in the upward and downward directions.

An electric vehicle includes an electric-vehicle battery tray including a frame member elongated along a vehicle-longitudinal axis. The electric vehicle includes a rocker rail elongated along the vehicle-longitudinal axis. The electric vehicle includes a subframe. The electric vehicle includes a bracket connecting the battery tray, the rocker rail, and the subframe.

A vehicle suspension system may include a first suspension assembly operably coupling a first wheel to a chassis of a vehicle, a second suspension assembly operably coupling a second wheel to the chassis where the first and second wheels form a pair of front wheels, a third suspension assembly operably coupling a third wheel to the chassis, a fourth suspension assembly operably coupling a fourth wheel to the chassis where the third and fourth wheels forming a first pair of rear wheels, and a payload extension kit that is attachable to the chassis non-permanently. The payload extension kit may include a fifth suspension assembly operably coupling a fifth wheel to a sub-frame extension of the payload extension kit, and a sixth suspension assembly operably coupling a sixth wheel to the sub-frame extension, where the fifth and sixth wheels form a second pair of rear wheels.

A suspension apparatus configured to support a wheel of a vehicle includes an in-wheel motor. The suspension apparatus includes a suspension member extending substantially in a front and rear direction of the vehicle and coupled to a carrier at a plurality of coupling portions spaced apart from each other in an up and down direction. The carrier holds the in-wheel motor. A reference point of an upper one of the plurality of coupling portions is located on an inner side of a reference point of a lower one of the plurality of coupling portions in a widthwise direction of the vehicle.