In a vehicle drive system using a motor for cruising, the connection node of serially-connected first and second batteries is grounded. The operation of an inverter is controlled so that the motor drive voltage is higher than the output voltage of each of the first and second batteries. A battery unit is configured so that third and fourth batteries each in a form of a cartridge are removably loaded, and the loaded third battery is connected in parallel with the first battery and the loaded fourth battery is connected in parallel with the second battery.

A protection device for protection of a functional element of a motor vehicle against lateral shocks includes, in a single piece, a protection element and a shock absorber. A method of mounting a protection device in a motor vehicle with electric or hybrid drive including a power supply battery includes the following steps: supplying the power supply battery and at least one protection device. The at least one protection device is configured to protect a functional element of the motor vehicle against lateral shocks and includes, in a single piece, a protection element and a shock absorber, and the functional element comprises the power supply battery. The method also includes, on at least one of two left and right sides of the motor vehicle, fixing, removably, a first protection device to a corresponding lateral edge of the power supply battery and to an underframe of the motor vehicle, such that the protection element at least partly covers a bottom surface of the power supply battery, the shock absorber is arranged, in a longitudinal direction of the motor vehicle, between a front support element of a support of the power supply battery and a fixing of a rear end of the motor vehicle, and, in a transverse direction of the motor vehicle, against a lateral edge of the power supply battery.

An oscillation-type vehicle includes a front vehicle body that suspends a front wheel in a steerable manner, a rear vehicle body that suspends left and right drive wheels, and an oscillation mechanism that causes the front vehicle body and the rear vehicle body to oscillate relative to each other. The oscillation-type vehicle being capable of carrying out drive control of the left and right drive wheels such that the drive wheels behave differently from each other in response to oscillation of the oscillation-type vehicle, wherein the drive control of the left and right drive wheels is carried out using information on the oscillation and information on a speed of vehicle.

A holding structure forming at least part of a vehicle chassis for housing battery modules is disclosed herein. The holding structure has two side members, at least one of the side members defines one or more first apertures for receiving one or more battery modules of the battery modules. The holding structure may have at least one cross member that extends between the two side members. The holding structure has at least one mounting member projecting from the at least one cross member that is parallel to the two side members and that defines a plurality of second apertures that are each laterally displaced from a respective aperture of the plurality of first apertures. When received by a mounting member, the battery module extends through an aperture of the plurality of second apertures and the respective aperture of the plurality of first apertures.

To provide a vehicle drive device capable of efficiently driving a vehicle by using a motor without falling into the vicious cycle between enhancement of driving via the motor and an increase in vehicle weight. The present invention is a vehicle drive device (10) having a motor for driving the wheels of a vehicle and includes a front wheel motor (20) for driving front wheels (2b) of a vehicle (1) and a battery (18) and a capacitor (22) that supply electric power for driving the front wheel motor (20), in which the voltage of the battery (18) and the capacitor (22) connected in series is applied to the front wheel motor (20) and the capacitor (22) is disposed between the left and right front wheels (2b) of the vehicle (1).

Methods and systems are provided for protective cover. In one example, the protective cover may be configured to protect a fuel delivery module and may include a domed cap. The domed cap may resistant forces exerted on the protective cover and maintain clearance between the domed cap and enclosed electronic ports of the fuel delivery module.

The invention relates to a vehicle, comprising a rear end, a front end located forwardly of the rear end, a chassis extending between the rear end and the front end, a battery protection structure provided at the rear end of the vehicle, the battery protection structure comprising a frame portion defining an opening for housing a traction battery, the frame portion having a rear side and a front side, and a projecting portion which projects forwardly from the frame portion and which is connected to the chassis at the rear end of the vehicle, wherein the projecting portion is configured to remain in a fixed connection relative to the chassis under normal operating conditions and to move forwardly along the chassis when the rear side of the frame portion is subjected to a forwardly directed impact force which is greater than a threshold force.

A hybrid driving apparatus includes an internal combustion engine, a motive power transmission mechanism transmitting a driving force to main driving wheels, a main driving electric motor generating a driving force of the main driving wheels, an accumulator, sub-driving electric motors generating driving forces of sub-driving wheels, and a control apparatus executing an electric motor traveling mode and an internal combustion engine traveling mode. The sub-driving electric motor is provided to each of the sub-driving wheels, the control apparatus causes only the main driving electric motor to generate the driving force in the electric motor traveling mode and causes the main driving electric motor and the sub-driving electric motors to generate the driving forces in acceleration of the vehicle at a predetermined vehicle speed or higher, and although the engine generates the driving force, it does not cause the motors to generate driving forces in the traveling mode.

A lawn mower includes a pair of electric motors configured to drive respective driven wheels and a control assembly. The control assembly includes a controller configured to control operation of the pair of electric motors, a bracket, a pivot bar, and rotation assembly. The rotation assembly is configured to rotatably mount the pivot bar to the bracket such that the pivot bar is configured to rotate between a forward position, a neutral position, and a rear position about a first axis and between an operative position and a stopped position about a second axis. The control assembly also includes a magnet and a position sensor spaced apart from the magnet. The position sensor is configured to detect rotation of the pivot bar about the first axis. The lawn mower also includes a return-to-neutral assembly configured to bias the pivot bar toward the neutral position about the first axis.

A modular battery pack for mounting to a vehicle frame of a vehicle. The modular battery pack comprising a plurality of modules arranged adjacent to each other, wherein at least one module constitutes an electrical energy storage module. Each module comprises first and second opposite side walls arranged to face respective side walls of adjacent modules, and to provide structural integrity of the modular battery pack. Each side wall comprises a common set of interfaces for interfacing between adjacent modules. The modular battery pack also comprising at least one control unit having a side wall comprising the common set of interfaces, and also a vehicle interface for interfacing with the vehicle.