A detent mechanism 70 is provided for fixing a shift drum 58 in position at a rotation operation position where shift gears 36, 37 become engageable. The detent mechanism 70 includes a positioning rotation portion 71 formed in the shift drum 58, a positioning arm 72 engageable with a positioning action portion 74 formed in the positioning rotation portion 71 for fixing the shift drum 58 at a rotation position corresponding to a rotation operation position of the shift drum 58, and a positioning spring 73 for urging the positioning arm 72 for its engagement with the positioning action portion 74. The positioning arm 72, as being rotatably supported to a speed changing operation shaft 61 for rotating the shift drum 58, is extended from a speed changing operation shaft 61.

A recreational off-highway vehicle includes side-by-side passenger and driver seats held within a chassis that is approximately 50 inches wide. The seats sit low in the chassis and are covered by a roll cage. Grab handles are positioned on the sides of the passenger seat. Select large round tubing protects the vehicle, while rectangular tubing frames the portions of the vehicle beneath body panels. The vehicle is powered by an engine rearward of the seats that is connected to a transaxle. The engine and transaxle are isolation mounted together with a portion of the air intake assembly. The vehicle is suited for rough terrain travel.

A transaxle system for a golf car, wherein the system comprises a transaxle and a mating interface. The transaxle comprises a plurality of mounting flanges fixedly mountable to at least one axle tube of the golf car, wherein the at least one axle tube houses at least one wheel axle, and the transaxle is operably couplable to the at least one wheel axle. The transaxle additionally comprising a transaxle mounting collar that is fixedly mounted to or integrally formed with a housing of the transaxle. The mating interface is mountable to the transaxle mounting collar, and is structured and operable to have an integrated internal combustion engine-transmission unit of the golf car mounted thereto.

A drive package includes a remote located CVT and a motor where the CVT is positioned rearward (or forward) of the motor. An auxiliary drive mechanism couples a drive shaft of the CVT to a crankshaft of the motor. The auxiliary drive mechanism is a belt or chain. The drive shaft is substantially parallel to, and longitudinally offset from, the crankshaft. Thus, the width of the drive package is reduced as compared to ATVs having a CVT located adjacent the motor.

A vehicle may include a CVT unit or a power source which requires ambient air. An air inlet for an air intake system coupled to the CVT unit or the power source which requires ambient air may be provided in a side of a cargo carrying portion of the vehicle. The vehicle may include a rear radius arm suspension.

A vehicle is operable in three modes of operation. The vehicle includes a first electromagnetic device, a second electromagnetic device electrically coupled to the first electromagnetic device, and an engine coupled to the first electromagnetic device and configured to drive the first electromagnetic device to provide electrical energy. In each of the three modes of operation, whenever the engine drives the first electromagnetic device to provide the electrical energy, the first electromagnetic device operates without providing the electrical energy to an energy storage device.

A transmission unit for a hybrid motor vehicle, has a planetary gearing. The planetary gearing is fitted with a first planetary wheel set and a second planetary wheel set. The transmission unit also includes an electric machine, which is coupled with a component part of the planetary gearing, and a plurality of switching devices, each of which forming a brake or a clutch, and each being movable between an activated position and a deactivated position. The switching devices are operatively installed for switching various transmission ratios between an input, which can be coupled with an internal combustion engine, and an output, and/or between the electric machine and the output. No more than four switching devices are present for implementing at least two different transmission ratios in a drive state of the internal combustion engine, at least one transmission ratio in a drive state of the electric machine, and at least one transmission ratio in a recuperation state of the electric machine, as a result of their activated and deactivated positions.

A vehicle transaxle comprising a plurality of mounting flanges fixedly mountable to an axle tube of the vehicle absent any additional structure for mounting the transaxle to the vehicle. The axle tube houses a wheel axle to which the transaxle is operably couplable. The transaxle additionally comprises a transaxle mounting collar that is fixedly mounted to or integrally formed with a housing of the transaxle. The mounting collar is structured and operable to have a prime mover of the vehicle mounted thereto and to support the weight/mass of the prime mover such that the prime mover is mountable to the vehicle via only the mounting collar absent any additional structure for mounting the prime mover to the vehicle such that the prime mover can be cantilevered from (e.g., suspended from) the transaxle, e.g., the prime mover is ‘free floating’.

A side-by-side vehicle is disclosed. The vehicle may include a rear, independent trailing arm suspension system and a drive train. The drive train may include an output from a power train coupled to a jack shaft to drive the vehicle. The jack shaft may be positioned entirely below the power train. A brake and sprocket may be positioned along the jack shaft. Additionally, the power train may be adjustably mounted to a frame of the vehicle.

A vehicle may include a CVT unit or a power source which requires ambient air. An air inlet for an air intake system coupled to the CVT unit or the power source which requires ambient air may be provided in a side of a cargo carrying portion of the vehicle. The vehicle may include a rear radius arm suspension.