A low floor electric bus includes a frame extending longitudinally from a front end to a rear end, the frame having two sidepieces and a plurality of crossmembers extending between and coupled to the sidepieces, wherein the frame has a central section positioned at a lower height relative to the front and/or rear sections. The bus further includes a battery pack mounted to the central section of the frame; a powertrain having an electric motor and a driveshaft, wherein the electric motor is mounted to the rear section of the frame behind a rear axle coupled to the frame and the driveshaft extends from the electric motor to the rear axle; and a cradle coupled to the front section of the frame. A mixed-material cabin is also provided. The cabin includes a passenger cabin with a floor, sidewalls, and ceiling having steel, ceramic, and composite components.

A low floor electric bus includes a frame extending longitudinally from a front end to a rear end, the frame having two sidepieces and a plurality of crossmembers extending between and coupled to the sidepieces, wherein the frame has a central section positioned at a lower height relative to the front and/or rear sections. The bus further includes a battery pack mounted to the central section of the frame; a powertrain having an electric motor and a driveshaft, wherein the electric motor is mounted to the rear section of the frame behind a rear axle coupled to the frame and the driveshaft extends from the electric motor to the rear axle; and a cradle coupled to the front section of the frame. A mixed-material cabin is also provided. The cabin includes a passenger cabin with a floor, sidewalls, and ceiling having steel, ceramic, and composite components.

Underbodies for motor vehicles are provided herein. An example underbody is configured to form a hybrid uni-body with an upper body of an electric motor vehicle and the like. The underbody provides a configurable platform for use in multiple motor vehicle product lines, accommodating vehicles of various sizes having various upper bodies.

Crush cans for motor vehicles are provided herein. An example crush can includes a first open end, a second open end, and a longitudinal axis running from the first open end to the second open end. The crush can further includes a top wall, a bottom wall, a first side wall and a second side wall. The top wall and the bottom wall taper from the second open end towards the first open end. The crush can uniformly collapses when under compressive forces along the longitudinal axis.

A vehicle-body structure improves mounting rigidity of a battery protection frame and rigidity of the battery protection frame itself by including a battery protection frame which has a hollow cross-section, a vehicle-body-side frame which extends along the battery protection frame and is coupled with the battery protection frame, and a fixation member which is inserted through a hole portion of the battery protection frame and is capable of fixing the battery protection frame to a vehicle body component as another component than the vehicle-body-side frame in an internal portion of the battery protection frame.

A structural assembly for an electric vehicle includes a vehicle frame, a battery structure, a pair of mounting structures, and a plurality of fasteners. The vehicle frame includes opposed longitudinal rails. The battery structure is disposed between the opposed longitudinal rails and includes a battery housing configured to house power storage units. Each mounting structure is secured to a respective side of the battery housing and supports a corresponding longitudinal rail. The plurality of fasteners extend through a corresponding mounting structure of the pair of mounting structures and a corresponding longitudinal rail of the opposed longitudinal rails to secure the vehicle frame and the battery structure to each other. An outer periphery of the corresponding mounting structure is substantially flush with an outer periphery of the corresponding longitudinal rail.

A frame member has paired side beam portions and an inner frame portion. The inner frame portion includes: plural first oblique beam portions, each first oblique beam portion extending forward to an outer side in a vehicle width direction from an inner side in the vehicle width direction; and plural second oblique beam portions, each second oblique beam portion extending rearward to the outer side in the vehicle width direction from the inner side in the vehicle width direction. The frame member has plural triangular structure portions, each triangular structure being formed by the respective side beam portion and an adjacent pair of the first oblique beam portion and the second oblique beam portion in a front-rear direction, and which continue in the front-rear direction on both sides in the vehicle width direction.

In vehicle lower structure includes paired side sills on both sides in a vehicle width direction of the floor section and extending in a front-rear direction, and a frame member. The frame member includes plural first portions, and plural second portions. The plural first portions are spaced apart from each other in a front-rear direction and each extend in a vehicle width direction. Each of the plural second portions is connected to an end portion of a respective first portion, extends outward in the vehicle width direction, and are arranged in the front-rear direction. The plural second portions have a total length in the front-rear direction of end portions on each of outer sides in the vehicle width direction is longer than a total length in the front-rear direction of the plural first portions.