A modular vehicle system includes a cabin module, front end module, and rear end module. The cabin module includes a floor structure of the vehicle and has a front end and a rear end, and a plurality of panels extending upwardly from the floor structure. The front end module is configured to include the front wheels of the vehicle. The rear end module is configured to include rear wheels of the vehicle. The front end module is configured to securely attach to the front end of the cabin module, and the rear end module is configured to securely attach to the rear end of the cabin module. Various types of modules can be constructed and assembled to define various types of vehicles. The floor structure of the cabin module may include an electric vehicle battery, and different cabin modules may have different battery types enabling different vehicle ranges.

A universal axle-hub assembly is provided for an off-road vehicle. The universal axle-hub assembly comprises a wheel hub that receives a constant velocity (CV) axle snout into an opening extending through an axle support of the wheel hub. An outboard-most portion of the opening is a splined portion that engages with similar splines disposed on an outboard-most portion of the CV axle snout. An inboard-most portion of the opening is a smooth portion that receives a smooth portion of the CV axle snout. The axle support extends through an entirety of the width of a bearing that supports the wheel hub, such that the bearing supports the smooth portion of the CV axle snout and substantially eliminates shear forces acting on the splined portion of the CV axle snout. A bearing carrier supports the bearing and may be fastened onto a trailing arm or a spindle of the off-road vehicle.

A universal axle-hub assembly is provided for an off-road vehicle. The universal axle-hub assembly comprises a wheel hub that receives a constant velocity (CV) axle snout into an opening extending through an axle support of the wheel hub. An outboard-most portion of the opening is a splined portion that engages with similar splines disposed on an outboard-most portion of the CV axle snout. An inboard-most portion of the opening is a smooth portion that receives a smooth portion of the CV axle snout. The axle support extends through an entirety of the width of a bearing that supports the wheel hub, such that the bearing supports the smooth portion of the CV axle snout and substantially eliminates shear forces acting on the splined portion of the CV axle snout. A bearing carrier supports the bearing and may be fastened onto a trailing arm or a spindle of the off-road vehicle.

A vehicle corner module (VCM) is provided for regulating motion of a host vehicle which comprises a vehicle-onboard vehicle-controller. The VCM comprises a sub-frame mountable to a reference frame of the host vehicle; a wheel-hub assembly comprising a wheel-hub; VCM-sub-systems mediating between the sub-frame and the wheel-hub assembly, e.g., a drive subsystem, a steering subsystem, a suspension subsystem and/or a braking subsystem; and an VCM-onboard VCM-controller, comprising one or more processors and a computer-readable medium storing program instructions that, when executed by the one or more processors, cause the one or more processors to establish a communication link with a vehicle-controller, including electronically transferring information about the VCM from the VCM-controller to the vehicle-controller, and to perform, in response to an installation of the VCM on a vehicle, a post-installation validation-process that includes validating the VCM-subsystems and communicating a result of the validating to the vehicle-controller.

A vehicle corner module (VCM) is provided for regulating motion of a host vehicle which comprises a vehicle-onboard vehicle-controller. The VCM comprises a sub-frame mountable to a reference frame of the host vehicle; a wheel-hub assembly comprising a wheel-hub; VCM-sub-systems mediating between the sub-frame and the wheel-hub assembly, e.g., a drive subsystem, a steering subsystem, a suspension subsystem and/or a braking subsystem; and an VCM-onboard VCM-controller, comprising one or more processors and a computer-readable medium storing program instructions that, when executed by the one or more processors, cause the one or more processors to establish a communication link with a vehicle-controller, including electronically transferring information about the VCM from the VCM-controller to the vehicle-controller, and to perform, in response to an installation of the VCM on a vehicle, a post-installation validation-process that includes validating the VCM-subsystems and communicating a result of the validating to the vehicle-controller.

A vehicle assembly method includes assembling a chassis platform, mounting a floor pan to the platform, mounting a modular interior to the floor pan, assembling a body top-hat separate from the platform and the floor pan, and mounting the body top-hat to the platform and the floor pan after mounting the modular interior to the floor pan.

A vehicle assembly method includes assembling a chassis platform, mounting a floor pan to the platform, mounting a modular interior to the floor pan, assembling a body top-hat separate from the platform and the floor pan, and mounting the body top-hat to the platform and the floor pan after mounting the modular interior to the floor pan.

An over-the-road vehicle. The vehicle comprises a chassis, and an envelope supported on the chassis. The envelope comprises a first continuous sheet of material folded over to form a front wall, a back wall, an overhead panel, and at least a portion of a floor panel. The envelope also includes a second continuous sheet of material forming a left side panel, and a third continuous sheet of material forming a right side panel. The left side panel is thermoplastically welded onto the first sheet of material on a left side of the chassis. Similarly, the right side panel is thermoplastically welded onto the first sheet of material on a right side of the chassis. The floor panel is connected to the chassis. Each of the first, second, and third sheets of material is fabricated from at least one malleable fiberglass sheet and a thermoplastic core, which may be precision bent and cut to specifications. A method of fabricating an envelope is also provided herein.

An over-the-road vehicle. The vehicle comprises a chassis, and an envelope supported on the chassis. The envelope comprises a first continuous sheet of material folded over to form a front wall, a back wall, an overhead panel, and at least a portion of a floor panel. The envelope also includes a second continuous sheet of material forming a left side panel, and a third continuous sheet of material forming a right side panel. The left side panel is thermoplastically welded onto the first sheet of material on a left side of the chassis. Similarly, the right side panel is thermoplastically welded onto the first sheet of material on a right side of the chassis. The floor panel is connected to the chassis. Each of the first, second, and third sheets of material is fabricated from at least one malleable fiberglass sheet and a thermoplastic core, which may be precision bent and cut to specifications. A method of fabricating an envelope is also provided herein.

Processes for producing an electric vehicle include manufacture of a lower body skateboard platform including at least energy storage/conversion (batteries within a ladder frame), propulsion, suspension and wheels, steering, crash protection, and braking, and manufacture of a top hat upper portion including at least the vehicle cabin housing various interior components such as passenger seats, frame covers, and a roof headliner, together with steering and acceleration controls. The upper body portion and the lower body platform are manufactured separately in parallel and then merged, which allows for ease of manufacture and a more compact design.