A transverse link has an inboard side and an outboard side. A steering knuckle has an upper end, a wheel supporting section and a lower end. The lower end is pivotally coupled to the outboard side of the transverse link. A strut has an upper end and a lower end. An upper knuckle breakaway structure attaches the upper end of the steering knuckle to the lower end of the strut. The upper knuckle breakaway structure has a frangible part that releases the upper end of the steering knuckle from the lower end of the strut upon application of a prescribed rearward directed force. A transverse link breakaway structure couples the inboard side of the transverse link to a lower suspension support structure such that upon application of the prescribed rearward directed force the inboard side of the transverse link is released from the lower suspension support structure.

A vehicle includes a control arm having a first branch portion extended from a second branch portion, the first branch portion and the second branch portion being fixed with a frame of the vehicle, and a third branch portion extended from the second branch portion, and coupled with a wheel. The vehicle also includes a first joint fixing the first branch portion to the frame, and a second joint located behind the first joint along the frame in a vehicle longitudinal direction, and fixing the second branch portion to the frame with a first bracket extending along the frame, outward from the second branch portion in a vehicle lateral direction. The first bracket is fixed to the frame at a first bracket weakened portion, and configured such that the second branch portion separates the first bracket weakened portion from the frame while the first joint remains fixed to the frame.

A rear suspension structure includes a hub carrier having a wheel support portion by which a rear wheel is rotatably supported, the hub carrier includes a front arm portion that extends in a vehicle inner direction and toward the vehicle front side beyond an axle of the rear wheel and a rear arm portion that extends toward the vehicle rear side, the rear arm portion is coupled to a lateral beam extending in a vehicle width direction, on the vehicle rear side of the axle, a vehicle rear side end portion of a trailing arm extending in a vehicle front-rear direction is coupled to the lateral beam, and the front arm portion is coupled to a front arm attachment portion provided in the trailing arm.

A vehicle includes a control arm having a first branch portion extended from a second branch portion, the first branch portion and the second branch portion being fixed with a frame of the vehicle, and a third branch portion extended from the second branch portion, and coupled with a wheel. The vehicle also includes a first joint fixing the first branch portion to the frame, and a second joint located behind the first joint along the frame in a vehicle longitudinal direction, and fixing the second branch portion to the frame with a first bracket extending along the frame, outward from the second branch portion in a vehicle lateral direction. The first bracket is fixed to the frame at a first bracket weakened portion, and configured such that the second branch portion separates the first bracket weakened portion from the frame while the first joint remains fixed to the frame.

A vehicle suspension unit includes a frame module and two wheel supports each connected to the frame module by upper and lower oscillating arms, each arm having a first end portion swivelly connected to the respective wheel support by a first swivel joint and a second end portion swivelly connected to the frame module by a second swivel joint. A suspension spring arrangement includes a single leaf spring, constituting a separate element with respect to the upper and lower arms and arranged transversely relative to a vehicle longitudinal direction, in a symmetrical position relative to a vehicle vertical median plane. The leaf spring has a central portion connected to the frame module and end portions connected to the upper arms. In one version, the central portion is connected to the frame module by a device for adjustment of a position in height of said central portion relative to the frame module.

An electric vehicle includes a suspension and powertrain unit having a vehicle frame module, an electric motor unit carried by the frame module centrally between two wheels and a suspension including, for each wheel, an upper oscillating arm and a lower oscillating arm carrying a respective wheel support. Each wheel support rotatably supports a respective wheel hub connected to the electric motor unit by a respective drive shaft. Brake discs are mounted on two output shafts of the electric motor unit, at a distance from the respective wheels, and are connected by drive shafts to the hubs of the two wheels. Thanks to the absence of brake discs adjacent to the wheel hubs, swivel joints connecting each wheel support to the respective upper and lower arms can be arranged so as to define a steering axis passing through a respective wheel center and thereby having a substantially zero kingpin offset.

An electric vehicle includes a frame module carrying an electric motor unit and a suspension including, for each wheel, upper and lower oscillating arms connected to a wheel support by swivel joints which define a steering axis of the wheel. The suspension includes two shock absorber devices arranged in horizontal positions and along directions transversal with respect to a vehicle longitudinal direction, which is carried by the frame module centrally on the vehicle. Each shock absorber cylinder is operatively connected to a respective oscillating arm by an oscillating linkage member. Brake discs are arranged at remote positions with respect to the wheels, on two output shafts at two opposite sides of the motor unit, which, in one example, includes two electric motors and two respective gear reducer units from which project the output shafts carrying the brake discs; the latter connected to wheel hubs by respective drive shafts.

A wheel suspension (1) for a motor vehicle, having a wheel carrier (3) which is mounted so that the wheel carrier (3) can pivot relative to a wheel-guiding control arm (4). The wheel-guiding control arm (4) includes a longitudinal control arm section (4a) with a forward body-side bearing (11) and a transverse control arm section (4b) with a rear body-side bearing (12). The rear body-side bearing (12) is designed as a ball joint.

An electric vehicle includes a modular support structure having a central frame module and front and rear frame modules in the form of a lattice framework, having two upper longitudinal beams and two lower longitudinal beams connected to each other by uprights and cross-members. The front frame module carries a front suspension with wheel supports carried by upper and lower oscillating arms, and a front electric motor unit including two electric motors, having respective motor axes coincident with each other and arranged along a transverse direction with respect to a vehicle longitudinal direction. The motors are positioned spaced apart from each other, and are symmetrical with respect to a vehicle median line. Two gear reducing units are arranged centrally between the two electric motors, with housings having lateral walls from which output shafts project, which are connected by drive shafts to wheel hubs rotatably mounted on the wheel supports.

A hybrid arm according to an embodiment of the present disclosure may include: a first body made of a metal material and formed with a plurality of end portions; a second body formed so as to fill an inner side of the first body by being insert-injection-molded to the first body; and a ball joint formed integrally at a first end portion among the plurality of end portions of the first body. The ball joint may include: a reinforcement member coupled to the first end portion; a bearing member formed with a space therein; a ball stud including a ball rotatably inserted into the space of the bearing member and a rod extending upward of the ball; and a housing interposed between the reinforcement member and the bearing member and formed integrally with the second body.