Profile of the front cross member
View Patent ↗A front impact system for an electric vehicle includes a front cross beam extending across a front end of the electric vehicle. The front cross beam defines an interior comprising at least one rib extending along a length of the front cross beam. A left crash beam is coupled with a rear surface of the front cross beam. A right crash beam is coupled with the rear surface of the front cross beam. The front cross beam is configured to transfer force from a front collision to one or both of the left crash beam or the right crash beam.
1. A front impact system for an electric vehicle, the front impact system comprising:
a front crash cross beam extending across a front end of the electric vehicle, wherein the front crash cross beam defines an interior comprising at least one rib extending along a length of the front crash cross beam;
a left crash beam coupled with a rear surface of the front crash cross beam;
a right crash beam coupled with the rear surface of the front crash cross beam, wherein the front crash cross beam is configured to transfer force from a front collision to one or both of the left crash beam or the right crash beam; and
a front cross beam coupled with a rear of each of the left crash beam and the right cross beam, wherein:
the front cross beam comprises a first end, a second end, and a medial portion, the first end and the second end bending rearward from the medial portion;
the front cross beam defines an open interior comprising a number of ribs that extend along a length of the front cross beam;
the front cross beam forms a portion of a firewall configured to separate a passenger compartment of the electric vehicle from a motor compartment of the electric vehicle;
the front cross beam is configured to direct force from the front collision away from the passenger compartment.
2. The front impact system for an electric vehicle of claim 1 , wherein:
the at least one rib comprises a rib extending between a center of a front wall of the front crash cross beam and a center of a rear wall of the front cross beam.
3. The front impact system for an electric vehicle of claim 1 , wherein:
a thickness of the at least one rib is between about 0.1 and 1 cm.
4. The front impact system for an electric vehicle of claim 1 , wherein:
the front crash cross beam has a generally rectangular cross-section.
5. The front impact system for an electric vehicle of claim 1 , wherein:
the front crash cross beam comprises extruded aluminum.
6. A front impact system for an electric vehicle, the front impact system comprising:
a front crash cross beam extending across a front end of the electric vehicle, wherein:
the front crash cross beam has a generally rectangular cross-section defined by a front wall, a top wall, a rear wall, and a bottom wall;
the front crash cross beam comprises a rib extending along a length of the front cross beam between a center of the front wall and a center of the rear wall;
a left crash beam coupled with a rear surface of the front crash cross beam;
a right crash beam coupled with the rear surface of the front crash cross beam, wherein the front crash cross beam is configured to transfer force from a front collision to one or both of the left crash beam or the right crash beam; and
a front cross beam coupled with a rear of each of the left crash beam and the right cross beam, wherein:
the front cross beam comprises a first end, a second end, and a medial portion, the first end and the second end bending rearward from the medial portion;
the front cross beam defines an open interior comprising a number of ribs that extend along a length of the front cross beam;
the front cross beam forms a portion of a firewall configured to separate a passenger compartment of the electric vehicle from a motor compartment of the electric vehicle;
the front cross beam is configured to direct force from the front collision away from the passenger compartment.
7. The front impact system for an electric vehicle of claim 6 , wherein:
the front crash cross beam comprises extruded aluminum.
8. A method of directing force from a front impact with an electric vehicle, the method comprising:
receiving a collision at a front crash cross beam of the electric vehicle;
absorbing at least a portion of a force from the collision at the front crash cross beam by crumpling a portion of the front crash cross beam including a horizontal rib extending between a front wall and a rear wall of the front crash cross beam;
transferring at least a portion of the force from a rear edge of the front crash cross beam to at least one longitudinal crash beam;
absorbing at least a portion of the force by crumpling at least some of the at least one longitudinal crash beam; and
transferring at least a portion of the force from a rear end of the at least one longitudinal crash beam to a front cross beam, wherein:
the front cross beam comprises a first end, a second end, and a medial portion, the first end and the second end bending rearward from the medial portion;
the front cross beam defines an open interior comprising a number of ribs that extend along a length of the front cross beam;
the front cross beam forms a portion of a firewall configured to separate a passenger compartment of the electric vehicle from a motor compartment of the electric vehicle;
the front cross beam is configured to direct force from the front collision away from the passenger compartment.
9. The method of directing force from a front impact with an electric vehicle of claim 8 , wherein:
the front crash cross beam comprises a generally rectangular cross-section defined by the front wall, the rear wall, a top wall, and a bottom wall.
10. The method of directing force from a front impact with an electric vehicle of claim 8 , wherein:
a thickness of the horizontal rib is between about 0.1 to 1 cm.