Vehicles may be composed of a relatively few number of modules that are assembled together during a final assembly process. An example vehicle may include a body module, a first drive module coupled to a first end of the body module, and a second drive module coupled to a second end of the body module. One or both of the drive modules may include a pair of wheels, a battery, an electric drive motor, and/or a heating ventilation and air conditioning (HVAC) system. One or both of the drive modules may also include a crash structure to absorb impacts. If a component of a drive module fails or is damaged, the drive module can be quickly and easily replaced with a new drive module, minimizing vehicle down time.

An electrical vehicular system for powering a semi-trailer truck provides a tractor unit and semi-trailers detachably coupled together with a trailer hitch connector. The tractor unit has a scalable chassis equipped with interchangeable body components that easily attach and detach to change appearance and functionality of the tractor unit and semi-trailers. A rear hitch platform on the tractor unit couples to, and hauls the semi-trailers. The tractor and semi-trailers are electrically powered through an arrangement of solar cell assemblies that recharge batteries in the wheel hubs of the tractor and/or semi-trailers. The solar cell assemblies operate on the tractor roof, sidewalls, and trailer roof. The tractor unit has an interior tractor cabin that forms a customizable center driving position for increased visibility, a sleeping portion for sleeping, and a living portion for operating and entertaining. A computer and a software program control operation and charging of tractor unit.

A luggage compartment of an electric traction vehicle has a floor, an electric/electronic unit for recharging a battery pack, and a support structure provided with a frame that supports such electric/electronic unit in a fixed position; the support structure has an attachment portion which is arranged in front of the frame, is fixed to the floor and is joined to the frame by means of a deformable portion, adapted to bend about an axis which is horizontal and transverse to a travel direction of the vehicle; the floor is provided with a pushing element having a support surface, on which a lower surface of the frame rests at a point which is higher than the bending axis of the deformable portion.

A motor vehicle has a unit area which is arranged inside the motor vehicle body. The unit area has at least one air inlet and at least one air outlet. The unit area is divided into at least one cold area and at least one warm area which is isolated from the cold area by a separating wall. The warm area accommodates at least one unit emitting heat and the air emerging from the air outlet and entering into the air inlet flows through at least the warm area.

A zero emissions electrically powered haul truck is disclosed. The haul truck has a 40 metric ton hauling capacity and a form factor that allows the truck to travel through underground mines. The truck also includes a primary battery assembly that is externally mounted along the front and sides of the truck.

An electric vehicle includes a fuel cell unit and a power controller unit that are disposed next to each other in a front compartment. Each of the fuel cell unit and the power controller unit includes an upper casing having a lower strength and a lower casing having a strength greater than that of the upper casing. The fuel cell unit and the power controller unit are arranged so that a distance La between the lower casings along an alignment axis is shorter than a distance Lb between the upper casings along the alignment axis.

A motor vehicle having a crash energy-absorption device includes a body, an electric hybrid drive or electric drive with an electrical machine and a vehicle battery, and an axle support. A support of the axle support is provided between the body-in-white of the motor vehicle and the axle support and/or a crash cross-beam for the axle support is provided.

A method and system for swapping batteries in an electric vehicle is disclosed. The method includes dismounting a first battery assembly, moving to a second battery assembly and mounting the second battery assembly onto the vehicle. Mounting and dismounting are accomplished by an onboard mounting and dismounting system. The method can be used in a zero infrastructure environment such as an underground mine since mounting and dismounting are accomplished by components on the vehicle itself. An auxiliary battery pack powers the vehicle during between dismounting a battery pack and mounting another battery pack.

A fuel cell vehicle includes a fuel cell, a drive motor, and a drive unit. The drive motor is configured to be driven with electricity of the fuel cell. The drive unit is configured to transmit driving force from the drive motor. The fuel cell, the drive motor, and the drive unit are disposed in a front space of the vehicle. The fuel cell is mounted via a first frame coupled to a body. The drive motor and the drive unit are mounted via a second frame that is coupled to the body and that is different from the first frame.

This disclosure is directed to supercapacitor systems for supporting relatively high power transient electrical loads within vehicles. An exemplary supercapacitor system includes a mounting assembly and a supercapacitor housed within the mounting assembly. The mounting assembly may be employed to mount the supercapacitor system within a vehicle, such as within a cowl assembly or cargo space of the vehicle. The mounting assembly may include multiple panels. At least one of the multiple panels may be made of a thermally conductive polymer, and at least one other panel of the multiple panels may be made of a polymer that is reinforced by a structural foam.