An electric-vehicle-body structure includes a floor panel constituting a floor of an occupant space, a center frame disposed to be higher than and away from the floor panel at a vehicle-width-direction central portion of the occupant space, extending in a front-rear direction, and including a bend portion at an intermediate portion, and a connecting member connecting the bend portion to the floor panel.

A vehicle-body structure may include a floor panel, a center frame disposed to be higher than and away from the floor panel, and an air-conditioning device. The air-conditioning device may include an air distribution portion that is positioned higher than a front portion of the center frame and distributes generated air-conditioned air to each portion of an occupant space, and under-feet ducts that guide air-conditioned air to a lower side. The under-feet ducts each may extend downward from the upper side of the center frame through a vehicle-width-direction outer side of the center frame.

To increase the stiffness of a floor panel while maintaining a large foot space for a rear-seat passenger. A vehicle-body structure includes a floor panel constituting a floor provided with front-row and rear-row seats, and a center frame disposed to be higher than and away from the floor panel at a vehicle-width-direction central portion and extending in a vehicle front-rear direction. A recessed portion having a bottom surface on which the feet of a passenger sitting on the rear-row seat can be placed is formed at the floor panel. The floor panel includes a cross member extending in a vehicle width direction at a rear portion of the recessed portion. A rear portion of the center frame is connected to the cross member.

An example apparatus disclosed herein includes a first frame subassembly and a second frame subassembly, each of the first and second frame subassemblies defining a wheel axle of a vehicle, the first frame subassembly including a first bridge portion oriented generally upward relative to the wheel axle, the second frame subassembly including a second bridge portion oriented generally downward relative to the wheel axle, and a central frame couplable to the first frame subassembly via the first bridge portion and couplable to the second frame subassembly via the second bridge portion, the central frame configured for a first ride height when coupled to the first frame subassembly and configured for a second ride height when coupled to the second frame subassembly, the first ride height greater than the second ride height.

Vehicle chassis with interchangeable performance packages and related methods. are disclosed herein. An example vehicle chassis disclosed herein includes a frame including a first chassis portion including a cavity, a battery platform coupled to first chassis portion, and a first subframe couplable within the cavity, the first subframe including a first motor and a first suspension assembly, and a second subframe couplable within the cavity, the second subframe including a second motor and a second suspension assembly, the second motor having a greater power than the first motor, the second suspension assembly having a greater stiffness than the first suspension assembly.

A method of controlling stability of a vehicle and a stability control system for the vehicle. A driver command is determined based on driver input data. At least one output command is sent to one or more vehicle systems to control stability of the vehicle based on the driver command. A controller sends the output command based on a control hierarchy that provides an order in which the controller controls body motion of the vehicle, wheel slip of the vehicle, and standard stability of the vehicle to control stability of the vehicle. The order dictates that the controller controls the body motion of the vehicle and the wheel slip of the vehicle before the controller controls the standard stability of the vehicle. A state of one or more of the vehicle systems is controlled based on the sent output command as dictated via the control hierarchy.

Methods, apparatus, systems and articles of manufacture are disclosed for electric motorized wheel assemblies. An example wheel assembly for use with an electric vehicle disclosed herein includes an electric motor, a suspension assembly, and a frame mounting interface to attach the wheel assembly to a frame of the electric vehicle.

Various disclosed embodiments include illustrative inverter modules that are integratably mountable with a drive unit of a vehicle, illustrative drive units with an inverter module integratably mounted therewith, and illustrative vehicles with at least one drive unit with an inverter module integratably mounted therewith. Given by way of non-limiting example, an illustrative module for a drive unit of a vehicle includes a housing having an open face defined therein. Inverter circuitry is disposed in the housing.

An installation arrangement is provided for a vehicle having a front motor for driving a front wheel, a rear motor for driving a rear wheel, a high-voltage battery that stores electrical power for the motors, and a low-voltage battery that stores electrical power for various units. The installation arrangement is configured such that an intersection of a longitudinal center line and a lateral center line of the vehicle overlaps the high-voltage battery as seen in a plan view. In the front section of the vehicle, the front motor is arranged on one side of the longitudinal center line, and the internal combustion engine is arranged on the other side of the longitudinal center line. In the rear section of the vehicle, the low-voltage battery is arranged on one side of the longitudinal center line, and the rear motor is arranged on the other side of the longitudinal center line.

A wheel end disconnect assembly includes a housing, a shift ring, a shift fork and an actuator. The shift ring is supported for axial translation relative to the housing between a connected position in which the shift ring couples an input member to a wheel hub for rotation therewith and a disconnected position in which the input member and the wheel hub are rotatable relative to each other. The shift fork includes a first arm portion, a second arm portion, and an input portion extending from a junction of the first and second arm portions. The shift fork is pivotably coupled to the housing at the junction of the first and second arm portions. The actuator is configured to move the input portion to pivot the first and second arm portions such that the first and second arm portions translate the shift ring between the connected and disconnected positions.