A vehicle that includes: a towing axle connected to a heat engine; a directional axle; and a complementary axle that is neither directional nor motor-driven. When the vehicle is hybridized according to the method of the invention, the wheels of the complementary axle are removed and replaced by in-wheel motors, each connected with an inverter specifically dedicated for supplying electrical power thereto from an electrical power battery. A control housing is also provided, that has built-in acceleration control devices connected to the accelerator pedal, and built-in deceleration control devices connected to the brake pedal, so as to control and monitor all the mechanisms needed for the driver to transparently accelerate and decelerate the vehicle.

Provided are systems and methods for enclosing an energy source of a material handling vehicle. The systems and methods include an enclosure having a front wall, a rear wall, and an interior compartment, an inlet channel integrally formed with the front wall and in fluid communication with the interior compartment, the air inlet channel defined by an inlet louver and an inlet flange, an outlet channel integrally formed with the rear wall and in fluid communication with the interior compartment, the air outlet channel defined by an outlet louver and an outlet flange, one or more energy source cells positioned within the interior compartment; and a cooling fan in fluid communication with the inlet channel and the interior compartment. The cooling fan operates to draw air through the inlet channel to the interior compartment such that air within the interior compartment is expelled out of the outlet channel.

A power supply system including: a battery; a plug receiver into which a plug of a device can be plugged in a passenger compartment of a vehicle in which an occupant of the vehicle can ride; a floor that partitions between the passenger compartment and a space under the floor of the passenger compartment, the battery being mounted in the space under the floor; and an electric wire that extends from the battery, through the floor, and to the plug receiver and that can supply electricity.

A cable structure includes a first cable, a second cable, a communicating portion, and a ventilation-tube connecting portion. The first cable includes a first power line, a first connector, a second connector, and a first tube. The first tube covers the first power line and has a first space. The second cable includes a second power line, a third connector, a fourth connector, and a second tube. The second tube covers the second power line and has a second space. The first space communicates with the second space via the communicating portion. The ventilation-tube connecting portion is provided at the first tube or the second tube. The ventilation-tube connecting portion is connected to a ventilation tube through which the first space and the second space are ventilated.

To provide a vehicle drive device capable of efficiently driving a vehicle by using in-wheel motors without falling into the vicious cycle between enhancement of driving via the motors and an increase in vehicle weight. The present invention is a vehicle drive device that uses in-wheel motors to drive a vehicle and includes in-wheel motors (20) that are provided in wheels (2b) of a vehicle (1) and drive wheels, in which the in-wheel motors generate the maximum output power in a high revolutions range equal to or more than a predetermined number of revolutions that is more than zero.

A battery attaching/detaching structure for a saddle-type vehicle including: a plurality of substantially rectangular parallelepiped batteries for supplying electric power to a power source of the saddle-type vehicle; a battery case in which the batteries are stored; battery-side terminals provided on lower surfaces of the batteries; and case-side terminals engaged with the battery-side terminals, comprises terminal holders that support the case-side terminals such that the case-side terminals are movable between a connected position where the case-side terminals are connected to the battery-side terminals and a retracted position where the case-side terminals are separated from the battery-side terminals. Between the case-side terminals and the terminal holders, springs for urging the case-side terminals in a direction of pressing the battery-side terminals are disposed. Such battery attaching/detaching structure is capable of limiting the movement of a stored battery and maintaining good electrical connection between a battery-side terminal and a case-side terminal.

A through the road (TTR) hybridization strategy is proposed to facilitate introduction of hybrid electric vehicle technology in a significant portion of current and expected trucking fleets. In some cases, the technologies can be retrofitted onto an existing vehicle (e.g., a trailer, a tractor-trailer configuration, etc.). In some cases, the technologies can be built into new vehicles. In some cases, one vehicle may be built or retrofitted to operate in tandem with another and provide the hybridization benefits contemplated herein. By supplementing motive forces delivered through a primary drivetrain and fuel-fed engine with supplemental torque delivered at one or more electrically-powered drive axles, improvements in overall fuel efficiency and performance may be delivered, typically without significant redesign of existing components and systems that have been proven in the trucking industry.

An onboard power supply apparatus includes: power storage modules each including power storage devices; a pair of brackets configured to come into contact with respective ends of the power storage modules vertically stacked so as to fix at least an upper power storage module to a vehicle; and an insertion portion that is disposed between at least one of the pair of brackets and an end of one of the power storage modules located between terminal portions of the vertically stacked power storage modules, a connecting member used for connecting the terminal portions of the vertically stacked power storage modules being inserted in the insertion portion.

The invention provides a powertrain for an electric vehicle, and an electric vehicle as such. The powertrain has an electric motor and a drivetrain for transmitting rotary power from the electric motor to at least one of the vehicle wheels. A mechanical rotary transmission is provided in association with a flywheel. The mechanical rotary transmission is controllable to transmit power in a direction from the vehicle wheels to the flywheel and further transmit power in the reverse direction. Power from both the electric motor and the flywheel is concurrently used to accelerate the vehicle. The vehicle kinetic energy is recovered and stored at the flywheel during vehicle deceleration. The motor vehicle has at least one battery unit to supply the electric motor. The battery unit is removable from the vehicle, without tools, and is portable so that it is carried away from the vehicle for charging.

A fixing device for fixing an object to a fixing surface in a vehicle, including at least one fixing element configured for fixing the object with a fixing portion that is provided for engagement in a fixing opening, the fixing portion can be introduced into the fixing opening along an adjustment axis. At least one adjustable locking element, separate from the fixing element, which by interaction with the fixing portion engaging in the fixing opening locks the fixing element on the fixing opening and blocks the fixing portion against removal from the fixing opening.