Disclosed is a vehicle assembly. The vehicle assembly may include various portions, such as body panels. The body panels may be interconnected with various support portions that may interconnect select body panel and/or frame portions.

A steering mechanism for a vehicle having a frame and a prime mover is disclosed. Two steered wheels, steered by a steering mechanism, are near the front of the vehicle and a single non-steered wheel is near the rear of the vehicle. The vehicle has a deck that houses rotatable cutting blades. Portions of the deck are positioned in front of and adjacent each side of the rear wheel. A first rotatable cutting blade is positioned adjacent a first side of the rear wheel and a second rotatable cutting blade is positioned adjacent the opposite side of the rear wheel. One or more additional cutting blades are positioned in front of the rear wheel.

A three wheeled vehicle is disclosed having a radiator positioned forward of an engine and coupled to the engine for cooling the engine. A front radiator shroud is positioned over the radiator on a front side and a rear radiator shroud is positioned over the radiator on a rear side. The rear radiator shroud has a rear baffle plate directing air downwardly and under the operator's compartment.

A magnetic crawler configured to navigate on and inspect a ferromagnetic cylindrical surface is provided. The crawler includes a chassis, a controller configured to control the crawler, a probe configured to inspect the cylindrical surface under the control of the controller, and only three articulated magnetic wheels configured to tangentially contact and magnetically adhere to the cylindrical surface. The wheels include two drive wheels respectively coupled to the chassis by two articulation joints and configured to drive the crawler in a desired direction on the cylindrical surface by actively rotating the two drive wheels independently about respective drive axes of rotation by respective drive motors under the control of the controller; and a rear wheel coupled to the chassis by a rear articulation joint and configured to passively rotate about a rear drive axis of rotation in response to the active rotations of the two drive wheels.

A rotorcraft-convertible motorcar includes a passenger cabin with at least one seat, a pair of front wheels, a central rear wheel, and two pairs of left and right supporting arms located on opposed sides of the passenger cabin, each supporting arm carrying a respective rotor assembly. The supporting arms are pivotally connected to the passenger cabin so that the rotorcraft-convertible car is convertible between an on-road configuration, where the supporting arms with the rotor assemblies are arranged inside a lateral overall size of the passenger cabin, and a flight configuration, where the supporting arms with the rotor assemblies are arranged at least partially outside the overall lateral size of the passenger cabin. The supporting arms and the rotor assemblies are configured so that in the on-road configuration the rotor assemblies are accommodated underneath the passenger cabin, on opposed sides of the central rear wheel.

A drive system for an all-terrain vehicle (ATV) comprises an electric motor, at least three wheel and tire assemblies, a primary battery, a control module and a throttle device. The primary battery may be located within at least two opposing frame rails of a chassis of the all-terrain vehicle.

A vehicle structural support is disclosed having first and second metallic members. A first metallic member has first and second sides, where the second side has a reduced thickness section. A second metallic member is coupled to a first side of the first metallic member. A third member is coupled to the first metallic member and positioned in the reduced thickness section. The second metallic member extends beyond the reduced thickness section to at least partially overlap the third member. The third member may be a fender for a vehicle.

A vehicle configured to operate in a normal steering mode and a differential steering mode is disclosed. The vehicle includes at least three wheels with the first and second wheels disposed on opposite sides of the vehicle. First and second motors, independently controllable by a motor control unit, drive the corresponding wheels. A steering shaft connects a steering mechanism for changing the angle of travel of at least one wheel to a steering wheel, when the vehicle operates in the normal steering mode. When the vehicle operates in a differential steering mode, a steering lock mechanism locks the at least one wheel in a fixed angle of travel, and a sensor senses the direction the steering wheel is turned. The motor controller causes the motor to rotate the first and second wheels at different rotational speeds to turn the vehicle the direction the steering wheel is turned.

A rear suspension for a three-wheeled reverse trike includes a front lever arm pivotably affixed to a frame pivotable about a front lever arm pivot axis. A slider is translatably attached to the front lever arm. A first pushrod is pivotably connected at a first end to the slider and pivotably connected at a second end to at least one of a front upper or lower control arms for the front wheels. A rear lever arm is pivotably affixed to the frame and pivotable about a rear lever arm pivot axis, the rear lever arm extending to a rear lever arm distal end. A rod pivotably connects the front and lever arms. A first pivotable end of the rear upper control arm is pivotably connected to the rear lever arm distal end, and a second pivotable end of the rear upper control arm is pivotably connected to a rear spindle.

An aerodynamic vehicle includes an aerodynamic heat exchanger formed as one or more body panels disposed along an outer surface of the vehicle having one or more fluidic chambers or micro-channels. The aerodynamic heat exchanger is adapted to provide effective and highly efficient heat transfer, and also to provide substantially reduced or negligible contribution to the aerodynamic drag. The aerodynamic heat exchanger may provide adequate heat rejection capacity throughout vehicle operating conditions that advantageously results in increased fuel economy and overall vehicle performance.