Open cabin electric wheeled vehicle

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-2020238837-A1
Application number	US-202016751195-A
Country	US
Kind code	A1
Filing date	Jan 23, 2020
Priority date	Jan 25, 2019
Publication date	Jul 30, 2020
Grant date	—

Abstract

An open cabin electric wheeled vehicle includes a large-capacity driving battery having a volume energy density higher than the volume energy density of a lead storage battery, the large-capacity driving battery being configured to supply electric power to a driving electric motor. The vehicle also includes a fuel-type electric power generation apparatus that generates electric power using a fuel. As seen from a leftward direction or a rightward direction, between the large-capacity driving battery and the fuel-type electric power generation apparatus, a recess overlaps with a passage region which allows people or baggage to pass through of an entrance and exit opening portion having no door, so that a bottom end of a front wall portion, a bottom end of a rear wall portion, and a bottom portion are located further downward than a top end of the large-capacity driving battery which has a volume energy density higher than the volume energy density of a lead storage battery, and a top end of the fuel-type electric power generation apparatus.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1 . An open cabin electric wheeled vehicle, comprising:
a vehicle body forming a cabin for accommodating people or baggage, the vehicle body including an entrance and exit opening portion and a recess, the entrance and exit opening portion being provided in one or both of a left side face and a right side face of the vehicle body and having a passage region which allows the people or the baggage to pass into and out from the vehicle body, the entrance and exit opening portion having no door, the recess having a bottom portion, a front wall portion and a rear wall portion, the bottom portion extending in a left-right direction, the front wall portion extending upward from a front end of the bottom portion, the rear wall portion extending upward from a back end of the bottom portion; one or more driving wheels rotatably fixed to the vehicle body; and a driving electric motor that generates a driving force for rotating the one or more driving wheels, the open cabin electric wheeled vehicle further comprising:
a large-capacity driving battery having a volume energy density higher than a volume energy density of a lead storage battery, the large-capacity driving battery being configured to supply electric power to the driving electric motor; and
a fuel-type electric power generation apparatus that generates electric power using a fuel,
wherein: as seen from a leftward direction or a rightward direction, between the large-capacity driving battery and the fuel-type electric power generation apparatus, the recess overlaps with the passage region, so that a bottom end of the front wall portion, a bottom end of the rear wall portion, and the bottom portion are located further downward than a top end of the large-capacity driving battery and a top end of the fuel-type electric power generation apparatus.

2 . The open cabin electric wheeled vehicle according to claim 1 , wherein:
the large-capacity driving battery stores electric power converted by the fuel-type electric power generation apparatus.

3 . The open cabin electric wheeled vehicle according to claim 1 , wherein:
neither a bottom end of the large-capacity driving battery nor a bottom end of the fuel-type electric power generation apparatus is located farther downward, in a height direction, than any of the bottom end of the front wall portion, the bottom end of the rear wall portion, and the bottom portion of the recess.

4 . The open cabin electric wheeled vehicle according to claim 1 , wherein:
the vehicle body includes a first chamber that includes the rear wall portion, and a second chamber that includes the front wall portion; the first chamber houses the fuel-type electric power generation apparatus; and the second chamber houses the large-capacity driving battery.

5 . The open cabin electric wheeled vehicle according to claim 4 , further comprising:
a front seat and a rear seat configured for the people to sit on; wherein:
the front seat is disposed above the second chamber, and
the rear seat is disposed above the first chamber.

6 . The open cabin electric wheeled vehicle according to claim 1 , wherein:
the large-capacity driving battery is a lithium-ion secondary battery, a nickel-cadmium storage battery, a nickel-hydride storage battery or an all-solid-state battery.

7 . The open cabin electric wheeled vehicle according to claim 1 , wherein:
the fuel-type electric power generation apparatus is a fuel cell stack that generates electric power using hydrogen.

8 . The open cabin electric wheeled vehicle according to claim 1 , wherein:
the bottom portion of the recess is a part of a floor of the vehicle body.

9 . The open cabin electric wheeled vehicle according to claim 1 , wherein:
the bottom portion of the recess is configured to accommodate feet of the people or the baggage.

Assignees

• Yamaha Motor Co Ltd

Inventors

• Miyaki Mutsuaki
• Sudou Dai

Classifications

• Y02T90/40

  Application of hydrogen technology to transportation, e.g. using fuel cells · CPC title

• H01M8/24

  Grouping of fuel cells, e.g. stacking of fuel cells · CPC title

• H01M2250/20

  Fuel cells in motive systems, e.g. vehicle, ship, plane · CPC title

• H01M10/345

  Gastight metal hydride accumulators · CPC title

• H01M10/30

  Nickel accumulators (H01M10/34 takes precedence) · CPC title