Segmented, undercarriage mounted EV battery pack
View Patent ↗An undercarriage-mounted battery pack is provided that includes a foot well cavity that is aligned with the foot well corresponding to one or more of the vehicle's seats, e.g., the rear vehicle seats. A portion of the battery pack is located in front of the foot well cavity while a second portion is located behind the foot well cavity, where the two portions are coupled together using conduits. The bottom surface of the battery pack may be shaped in order to minimize drag and enhance the flow of air under the vehicle. The battery pack may include cross-members, either interposed between battery subassemblies or incorporated into the subassembly enclosures, to increase side impact resistance and provide further protection to the batteries within the pack as well as the vehicle's occupants.
1. An electric vehicle, comprising:
at least a first vehicle seat and a second vehicle seat, wherein said first and second vehicle seats are located within a passenger cabin of said electric vehicle, wherein said first vehicle seat corresponds to a front seat within said passenger cabin and wherein said second vehicle seat corresponds to a rear seat within said passenger cabin, wherein a first foot well corresponds to said first vehicle seat and a second foot well corresponds to said second vehicle seat, and wherein said second foot well is located between said first vehicle seat and said second vehicle seat;
a battery pack mounted under said electric vehicle, wherein said battery pack is contained within a single battery pack enclosure, wherein said single battery pack enclosure extends from under said first vehicle seat to under said second vehicle seat, said single battery pack enclosure configured to house a plurality of batteries, wherein said plurality of batteries are divided within said single battery pack enclosure into a plurality of battery pack segments; and
a foot well cavity formed within said single battery pack enclosure, wherein said foot well cavity is devoid of battery pack segments, wherein said foot well cavity is aligned with said second foot well, wherein a first battery pack segment of said plurality of battery pack segments is located in front of said foot well cavity within said single battery pack enclosure and a second battery pack segment of said plurality of battery pack segments is located behind said foot well cavity within said single battery pack enclosure, and wherein said plurality of batteries within said first battery pack segment are electrically connected to said plurality of batteries within said second battery pack via a plurality of electrical interconnects enclosed within said single battery pack enclosure.
2. The electric vehicle of claim 1 , wherein said single battery pack enclosure substantially extends across a width corresponding to said electric vehicle and substantially extends between a front suspension assembly and a rear suspension assembly of said electric vehicle.
3. The electric vehicle of claim 1 , further comprising a bottom plate mounted beneath said single battery pack enclosure and between said single battery pack enclosure and a road surface.
4. The electric vehicle of claim 3 , wherein said foot well cavity extends through said single battery pack enclosure to said bottom plate.
5. The electric vehicle of claim 1 , said single battery pack enclosure further comprising a bottom plate, wherein a rear portion of said bottom plate is angled away from a road surface underlying said electric vehicle.
6. The electric vehicle of claim 5 , wherein a rear edge of said rear portion of said bottom plate is further from said road surface than a front edge of said rear portion of said bottom plate, wherein said front edge is closer than said rear edge to a front-most portion of said electric vehicle.
7. The electric vehicle of claim 5 , further comprising a plurality of air diffuser features incorporated into an exterior surface of said rear portion of said bottom plate.
8. The electric vehicle of claim 7 , said plurality of air diffuser features comprising a plurality of fins positioned in parallel with a longitudinal vehicle axis.
9. The electric vehicle of claim 1 , said single battery pack enclosure further comprising a plurality of cross-members running width-wise between a first single battery pack enclosure side and a second single battery pack enclosure side, wherein said first single battery pack enclosure side corresponds to a first vehicle side and said second single battery pack enclosure side corresponds to a second vehicle side.
10. The electric vehicle of claim 9 , wherein each of said plurality of cross-members is interposed between a pair of said battery pack segments.
11. The electric vehicle of claim 1 , said single battery pack enclosure further comprising at least one conduit coupling said first battery pack segment to said second battery pack segment, wherein said plurality of electrical interconnects are at least partially enclosed within said at least one conduit.
12. The electric vehicle of claim 11 , wherein said at least one conduit further comprises at least one coolant conduit.