A utility vehicle with ergonomic, safety, and maintenance features is disclosed. A vehicle is also disclosed with improved cooling, suspension and drive systems. These features enhance the utility of the vehicle.

A vehicle control system to be mounted in a hybrid electric vehicle includes an engine, a center differential that includes a front-wheel-side output portion and a rear-wheel-side output portion and distributes torque outputted from the engine to a front wheel and a rear wheel, a limited slip differential mechanism that limits a differential between the front-wheel-side output portion and the rear-wheel-side output portion, and a motor disposed in a drive-power transferring system that transfers drive power from the rear-wheel-side output portion to the rear wheel. The vehicle control system includes a processor. When the hybrid electric vehicle is switched from a first traveling mode to a second traveling mode, the processor stops the engine while causing the limited slip differential mechanism to limit the differential between the front-wheel-side output portion and the rear-wheel-side output portion.

Proposed is a disconnector apparatus including: a support ring provided in a differential casing and configured to support a pinion gear mounted therein; a clutch ring configured to be coupled to or decoupled from the support ring in the differential casing; an actuator including an armature provided at an outer side of the differential casing opposite to the clutch ring, the actuator being configured to couple the clutch ring and the support ring by pulling, with an electromagnetic force, the armature connected to the clutch ring by an application rod; and an elastic member coupled to a portion of the application rod in the differential casing and having one end in contact with the differential casing and the other end in contact with the clutch ring to elastically support the clutch ring.

The invention includes first and second motors, first and second differential mechanisms, and first to eighth decoupling mechanisms. The first and second motors transmit power to left and right wheels. First differential mechanisms distribute the power from the first and second motors. The first and second mechanisms are interposed between the first differential mechanism and the left front wheel and between the differential mechanism and the left rear wheel. The third and fourth decoupling mechanisms are interposed between the first motor and the first decoupling mechanism and between the first motor and the second decoupling mechanism. The fifth and sixth decoupling mechanisms are interposed between the second differential mechanism and the right front wheel and the right rear wheel, respectively. The seventh and eighth decoupling mechanisms are interposed between the second motor and the fifth decoupling mechanism and between the second motor and the sixth decoupling mechanism.

A drive unit for an electric vehicle has at least one electric machine, a multi-speed transmission, and a distributor device. The rotor of each electric machine is connected to an associated input shaft of the multi-speed transmission. The multi-speed transmission is connected on the output side to the distributor device with different transmission ratios being selectable in the multi-speed transmission. In addition, a drive power introduced into the distributor device can be distributed to at least two outputs of the distributor device. In order to provide a compact drive unit for an electric vehicle with permanent all-wheel drive or selectable all-wheel drive, the distributor device can be used to provide a longitudinal distribution of the introduced drive power in that the outputs of the distributor device are each provided for coupling to a respective drive axle of the electric vehicle.

A drive unit for an electric vehicle has at least one electric machine, a multi-speed transmission, and a distributor device. The rotor of each electric machine is connected to an associated input shaft of the multi-speed transmission. The multi-speed transmission is connected on the output side to the distributor device with different transmission ratios being selectable in the multi-speed transmission. In addition, a drive power introduced into the distributor device can be distributed to at least two outputs of the distributor device. In order to provide a compact drive unit for an electric vehicle with permanent all-wheel drive or selectable all-wheel drive, the distributor device can be used to provide a longitudinal distribution of the introduced drive power in that the outputs of the distributor device are each provided for coupling to a respective drive axle of the electric vehicle.

A gearbox includes: an input shaft; a first output shaft; a second output shaft; a first planetary gearset; and a second planetary gearset connected to the first planetary gearset. The input shaft, the first and second output shafts, and the first and second planetary gearsets are configured such that a torque introduced via the input shaft is converted and distributed in a defined ratio to the first and second output shafts, so as to prevent formation of a sum torque. The first planetary gearset is configured as a minus planetary gearset, and the second planetary gearset is configured as a plus planetary gearset.

A power divider unit including an input shaft, a drive gear disposed around the input shaft, an inter-axle differential assembly coupled to the input shaft, an output side gear coupled to the input shaft, and a locking system for the power divider unit. The locking system is configured to passively lock the inter-axle differential assembly. The locking system includes a ramped first clutch member in selective engagement with the drive gear, a mating second clutch member configured to engage the first clutch member, a clutch pinion, and a slip clutch assembly. The second clutch member and the first clutch member rotate at different speeds, the clutch pinion rotates and causes the slip clutch assembly and second clutch member to rotate at a speed of the input shaft, causing the first clutch member to mate with the first clutch member.

A power transmission device for a commercial vehicle having an electric axle, may include a first differential ring gear fixedly mounted on a first rear-wheel driveshaft; a second differential ring gear mounted on a second rear-wheel driveshaft; a propeller shaft, with a first differential drive gear engaged with the first differential ring gear being connected to a front-end portion of the propeller shaft and a second differential drive gear engaged with the second differential ring gear being connected to a rear end portion thereof; a reducer connected to the first differential ring gear or the propeller shaft; and a motor, an output shaft of the motor being connected to an input gear of the reducer.

An axle assembly having an input shaft, an output shaft, and an interaxle differential unit. The interaxle differential unit includes a first side gear, a second side gear, a spider, at least one pinion gear, and a case. The case encircles the first side gear and the spider and has an integral drive gear.