Electric vehicle with an electric powerpack arrangement
A straddle seat electric vehicle including an electric motor and an electric powerpack including a battery pack including a battery housing including a housing body, a cooling channel extending generally vertically through a center portion of the housing body, two covers selectively connected to the housing body; a plurality of cylindrical battery cells disposed in a two chambers defined by the housing laterally between the cooling channel and the first cover, each battery cell of the first plurality of battery cells extending generally orthogonally to the cooling channel and the first cover; one or more current collectors electrically connected to the first plurality of battery cells, the covers enclosing the current collectors and outer ends of the battery cells being electrically insulated from the at least one first current collector.
1 . A straddle seat electric vehicle comprising:
a frame;
a straddle seat supported by the frame;
at least one ground-engaging member operatively connected to the frame;
an electric motor being operatively connected to the at least one ground-engaging member for driving the at least one ground-engaging member;
an electric powerpack operatively connected to the electric motor, the powerpack comprising:
a battery pack comprising:
a battery housing including:
a housing body,
a cooling channel defined in the housing body, the cooling channel extending generally vertically through a center portion of the housing body,
a first cover selectively connected to the housing body, and
a second cover selectively connected to the housing body;
a first plurality of cylindrical battery cells disposed in a first chamber defined by the battery housing laterally between the cooling channel and the first cover, each battery cell of the first plurality of battery cells extending generally orthogonally to the cooling channel and the first cover;
at least one first current collector disposed laterally between the first cover and the first plurality of battery cells, the at least one first current collector being electrically connected to the first plurality of battery cells,
the first cover enclosing the at least one first current collector and outer ends of the battery cells of the first plurality of battery cells, the first cover being electrically insulated from the at least one first current collector;
a second plurality of cylindrical battery cells disposed in a second chamber defined by the battery housing laterally between the cooling channel and the second cover, each battery cell of the second plurality of battery cells extending generally orthogonally to the cooling channel and the second cover; and
at least one second current collector disposed laterally between the second cover and the second plurality of battery cells, the at least one second current collector being electrically connected to the second plurality of battery cells,
the second cover enclosing the at least one second current collector and outer ends of the battery cells of the second plurality of battery cells, the second cover being electrically insulated from the at least one second current collector.
2 . The vehicle of claim 1 , wherein:
the battery cells of the first plurality of battery cells are separated into a first plurality of battery modules;
the at least one first current collector includes a first plurality of current collectors connected in series;
each one of the first plurality of current collectors is electrically connected to a corresponding battery module of the first plurality of battery modules;
the battery cells of the second plurality of battery cells is separated into a second plurality of battery modules;
the at least one second current collector includes a second plurality of current collectors connected in series; and
each one of the second plurality of current collectors is electrically connected to a corresponding battery module of the second plurality of battery modules.
3 . The vehicle of claim 2 , wherein the second plurality of battery modules has a greater number of battery modules than the first plurality of battery modules.
4 . The vehicle of claim 3 , wherein:
the first plurality of battery modules includes three first battery modules disposed in the first chamber;
the first plurality of current collectors includes three first current collectors;
the second plurality of battery modules includes four second battery modules disposed in the second chamber; and
the second plurality of current collectors includes four second current collectors.
5 . The vehicle of claim 4 , wherein:
the three first current collectors are electrically connected to one another in series; and
the four second current collectors are electrically connected to one another in series.
6 . The vehicle of claim 2 , wherein:
the first plurality of current collectors is a first plurality of printed circuit boards (PCBs); and
the second plurality of current collectors is a second plurality of PCBs.
7 . The vehicle of claim 6 , wherein each PCB of the first and second pluralities of PCBs includes a module battery management system (BMS) for managing the corresponding battery module of the first and second pluralities of battery modules.
8 . The vehicle of claim 3 , wherein the battery pack further comprises at least one of:
a global BMS disposed in the first chamber, the global BMS being electrically connected to the at least one first current collector and the at least one second current collector; and
a DC-DC converter disposed in the first chamber, the DC-DC converter being electrically connected to at least one of the at least one first current collector and the at least one second current collector.
9 . The vehicle of claim 1 , wherein:
the electric powerpack further comprises a plurality of electrical components;
at least one of the plurality of electrical components being electrically connected to the first and second pluralities of cylindrical battery cells and disposed on an exterior of the battery housing; and
at least one other of the plurality of electrical components being electrically connected to the first and second pluralities of cylindrical battery cells and disposed on an interior of the battery housing.
10 . The vehicle of claim 1 , wherein the electric powerpack further comprises at least one of:
a charger electrically connected to the first and second pluralities of cylindrical battery cells; and
an inverter electrically connected to the first and second pluralities of cylindrical battery cells.
11 . The vehicle of claim 10 , wherein the electric powerpack comprises both the charger and the inverter.
12 . The vehicle of claim 11 , wherein the charger and the inverter are mounted to the battery housing.
13 . The vehicle of claim 1 , wherein:
the housing body includes:
a first lateral portion, and
a second lateral portion connected to the first lateral portion;
the first cover being selectively connected to the first lateral portion;
the second cover being selectively connected to the second lateral portion;
an inner face of the first lateral portion including a first channel form;
an inner face of the second lateral portion including a second channel form;
the cooling channel is defined by a space created between the inner face of the first lateral portion and the inner face of the second lateral portion; and
the center portion of the housing body being formed by an inner part of the first lateral portion and an inner part of the second lateral portion.
14 . The vehicle of claim 1 , wherein the battery pack further comprises:
at least one first dielectric layer disposed between inner ends of the first plurality of battery cells and the center portion the housing body; and
at least one second dielectric layer disposed between inner ends of the second plurality of battery cells and the center portion the housing body.
15 . The vehicle of claim 1 , wherein, when in operation, coolant flowing through the cooling channel absorbs heat from inner ends of the first plurality of battery cells and inner ends of the second plurality of battery cells.
16 . The vehicle of claim 1 , wherein:
inner ends of the first plurality of battery cells are in thermal communication with the cooling channel through the housing body; and
inner ends of the second plurality of battery cells are in thermal communication with the cooling channel through the housing body.
17 . The vehicle of claim 1 , further comprising a liquid cooling system including:
a fluid pump;
a coolant reservoir; and
a cooling circuit formed at least in part by the cooling channel of the battery housing, the cooling channel being fluidly connected to the fluid pump and the coolant reservoir.
18 . The vehicle of claim 1 , wherein:
the at least one ground-engaging member includes:
a front wheel disposed at least in part forward of the powerpack, and
a rear wheel disposed at least in part rearward of the powerpack; and
the vehicle is an electric motorcycle.
19 . The vehicle of claim 1 , wherein:
the vehicle is an electric snowmobile; and
the at least one ground-engaging member includes two skis.
20 . A straddle seat electric vehicle comprising:
a frame;
a straddle seat supported by the frame;
at least one ground-engaging member operatively connected to the frame;
an electric motor being operatively connected to the at least one ground-engaging member for driving the at least one ground-engaging member;
an electric powerpack operatively connected to the electric motor, the powerpack comprising:
a battery pack comprising:
a battery housing including:
a housing body,
a cooling channel defined in the housing body, the cooling channel extending generally vertically through a center portion of the housing body,
a first cover selectively connected to the housing body, and
a second cover selectively connected to the housing body;
a first plurality of battery modules disposed in a first chamber defined by the housing laterally between the cooling channel and the first cover, each module of the first plurality of battery modules including a plurality of battery cells;
a plurality of first current collectors disposed laterally between the first cover and the first plurality of battery modules, each battery module of the first plurality of battery modules being operatively connected to a corresponding one of the first plurality of current collectors,
the plurality of battery cells of each battery module of the first plurality of battery modules being connected together in series by the corresponding one of the first plurality of current collectors;
a second plurality of battery modules disposed in a second chamber defined by the housing laterally between the cooling channel and the second cover, each module of the second plurality of battery modules including a plurality of battery cells; and
a plurality of second current collectors disposed laterally between the second cover and the second plurality of battery modules, each battery module of the second plurality of battery modules being operatively connected to a corresponding one of the second plurality of current collectors,
the plurality of battery cells of each battery module of the second plurality of battery modules being connected together in series by the corresponding one of the second plurality of current collectors.