Land vehicles incorporating removable powertrain units, powertrain units, and methods therefor
In certain embodiments, land vehicles are provided as delivery vehicles and/or utility vehicles. A land vehicle includes a frame structure having a front cage that defines an operator cabin and a rear floor positioned rearward of the front cage. The frame structure supports a plurality of wheels to permit movement of the vehicle relative to an underlying surface in use of the land vehicle. An underside of the frame structure is disposed in confronting relation with the underlying surface.
1. A method of assembling an electric vehicle including a frame structure to support a plurality of wheels and a powertrain unit attachable to the frame structure, the method comprising:
affixing a first electric motor of the powertrain unit directly to a cradle of the powertrain unit;
affixing a second electric motor of the powertrain unit directly to the cradle;
aligning the first electric motor and the second electric motor along a lateral axis; and
attaching the cradle with the first and second electric motors directly affixed thereto and aligned along the lateral axis to an underside of the frame structure, wherein attaching the cradle to the underside of the frame structure includes securing the cradle to the frame structure such that the underside of the frame structure is in flush contact with the cradle in a lateral direction parallel to the lateral axis from a first end of the cradle to a second end of the cradle opposite the first end, wherein flush contact between the underside of the frame structure and the cradle occurs along a contact line extending from the first end of the cradle to the second end of the cradle in the lateral direction, wherein the cradle has an open tray, and wherein the method further comprises coupling a first axle of the powertrain unit to the first electric motor such that the first axle extends along the lateral axis and is arranged entirely outside the open tray.
2. The method of claim 1 , wherein:
affixing the first electric motor directly to the cradle comprises directly affixing the first electric motor to the cradle such that the first electric motor extends outwardly beneath the open tray and is not completely enclosed by the open tray.
3. The method of claim 2 , wherein affixing the second electric motor directly to the cradle comprises directly affixing the second electric motor to the cradle such that the second electric motor extends outwardly beneath the open tray and is not completely enclosed by the open tray.
4. The method of claim 1 , wherein attaching the cradle to the underside of the frame structure includes aligning the cradle with a longitudinal centerline of the frame structure such that each of the first and second electric motors is at least partially aligned with the longitudinal centerline.
5. The method of claim 1 , wherein securing the cradle to the frame structure includes securing the cradle to the frame structure such that the cradle is in continuous contact with the underside of the frame structure from the first end of the cradle to the second end of the cradle.
6. The method of claim 1 , further comprising:
coupling a second axle of the powertrain unit to the second electric motor such that the second axle extends along the lateral axis and is arranged entirely outside the open tray; and
aligning the first electric motor, the second electric motor, the first axle, and the second axle along the lateral axis.
7. The method of claim 1 , wherein attaching the cradle with the first and second electric motors directly affixed thereto to the underside of the frame structure comprises:
arranging the first electric motor on a first side of the frame structure to provide rotational power to a first one of the plurality of wheels arranged on the first side of the frame structure; and
arranging the second electric motor on a second side of the frame structure to provide rotational power to a second one of the plurality of wheels arranged on the second side of the frame structure.
8. The method of claim 7 , wherein:
arranging the first electric motor on the first side of the frame structure comprises positioning the first electric motor closer to the first one of the plurality of wheels than the second one of the plurality of wheels; and
arranging the second electric motor on the second side of the frame structure comprises positioning the second electric motor closer to the second one of the plurality of wheels than the first one of the plurality of wheels.
9. The method of claim 1 , further comprising forming the frame structure, wherein forming the frame structure comprises forming a monocoque having a single-piece, monolithic structure that does not include an internal chassis.
10. The method of claim 1 , further comprising:
forming the frame structure;
forming a first pair of sidewalls extending outwardly away from the underside of the frame structure and arranged adjacent opposite sides of the frame structure in the lateral direction;
forming a second pair of sidewalls extending outwardly away from the underside of the frame structure and arranged adjacent the opposite sides of the frame structure in the lateral direction, wherein the second pair of sidewalls are spaced from the first pair of sidewalls in a longitudinal direction perpendicular to the lateral direction; and
arranging the cradle with the first and second electric motors directly affixed thereto and aligned along the lateral axis in a location spaced from each of the first and second pairs of sidewalls.
11. A method of assembling an electric vehicle, the method comprising:
affixing a first electric motor of a powertrain unit of the vehicle directly to a cradle of the powertrain unit;
affixing a second electric motor of the powertrain unit directly to the cradle;
aligning the first electric motor and the second electric motor along a lateral axis; and
attaching the cradle with the first and second electric motors directly affixed thereto and aligned along the lateral axis to an underside of a frame structure of the vehicle, wherein attaching the cradle to the underside of the frame structure includes securing the cradle to the frame structure such that the underside of the frame structure, which extends continuously across the cradle and beyond opposite ends of the cradle in a lateral direction parallel to the lateral axis, is in flush contact with the cradle, wherein flush contact between the underside of the frame structure and the cradle occurs along a contact line extending from a first end of the cradle to a second end of the cradle in the lateral direction, wherein the cradle has an open tray, and wherein affixing the first electric motor directly to the cradle comprises directly affixing the first electric motor to the cradle such that the first electric motor extends outwardly beneath the open tray and is not completely enclosed by the open tray.
12. The method of claim 11 , wherein affixing the second electric motor directly to the cradle comprises directly affixing the second electric motor to the cradle such that the second electric motor extends outwardly beneath the open tray and is not completely enclosed by the open tray.
13. The method of claim 11 , wherein attaching the cradle to the underside of the frame structure includes aligning the cradle with a longitudinal centerline of the frame structure such that each of the first and second electric motors is at least partially aligned with the longitudinal centerline.
14. The method of claim 11 , wherein securing the cradle to the frame structure includes securing the cradle to the frame structure such that the cradle is in continuous contact with the underside of the frame structure from the first end of the cradle to the second end of the cradle arranged opposite the first end.
15. A method of assembling an electric vehicle, the method comprising:
forming a frame structure of the vehicle;
forming (i) a first pair of sidewalls extending outwardly away from an underside of the frame structure and arranged adjacent opposite sides of the frame structure in a lateral direction and (ii) a second pair of sidewalls extending outwardly away from the underside of the frame structure and arranged adjacent the opposite sides of the frame structure in the lateral direction, wherein the second pair of sidewalls are arranged adjacent the first pair of sidewalls in a longitudinal direction perpendicular to the lateral direction, and wherein each of the first and second pairs of sidewalls is laterally spaced from a longitudinal centerline of the vehicle,
affixing a first electric motor of a powertrain unit of the vehicle directly to a cradle of the powertrain unit;
affixing a second electric motor of the powertrain unit directly to the cradle;
aligning the first electric motor and the second electric motor along a lateral axis;
arranging the cradle with the first and second electric motors directly affixed thereto and aligned along the lateral axis in a location spaced from each of the first and second pairs of sidewalls; and
attaching the cradle with the first and second electric motors directly affixed thereto and aligned along the lateral axis to the underside of the frame structure at the location,
wherein the cradle has an open tray, and
wherein affixing the first electric motor directly to the cradle comprises directly affixing the first electric motor to the cradle such that the first electric motor extends outwardly beneath the open tray and is not completely enclosed by the open tray.
16. The method of claim 15 , wherein attaching the cradle to the underside of the frame structure at the location includes securing the cradle to the frame structure such that the underside of the frame structure, which extends continuously across the cradle and beyond opposite ends of the cradle in a lateral direction parallel to the lateral axis, is in flush contact with the cradle.
17. The method of claim 15 , wherein affixing the second electric motor directly to the cradle comprises directly affixing the second electric motor to the cradle such that the second electric motor extends outwardly beneath the open tray and is not completely enclosed by the open tray.