IP Library Granted Patent US 12,654,529
Granted Patent B2
US 12,654,529 · App. 18/532,018 · Granted Jun 16, 2026

Electric work vehicle

Inventors: Irfan Nadiadi (Fremont, CA); Brian Graf (Fremont, CA)
Assignee: KUBOTA CORPORATION
B60K1/02B60K17/04B60L1/003B60L50/66H01M50/249B60K17/356B60L2200/40B60L2220/42B60L2220/44B60L2220/46H01M2220/20
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Quick Facts
Patent No.
US 12,654,529
App. No.
18/532,018
Granted
Jun 16, 2026
Kind
B2
Abstract

An electric work vehicle includes a frame, a front axle connected to the frame, a first motor supported by the frame and connected to a first gearing to drive a first wheel, and a second motor supported by the frame and connected to a second gearing to drive a second wheel. An outermost portion of the first gearing in a left-right direction of the electric work vehicle is outside of the frame in the left-right direction of the electric work vehicle. An outermost portion of the second gearing in the left-right direction of the electric work vehicle is outside of the frame in the left-right direction of the electric work vehicle.

Claims (57)

1 . An electric work vehicle comprising:

a frame;

a front axle connected to the frame;

a first motor supported by the frame and connected to a first gearing to drive a first wheel;

a second motor supported by the frame and connected to a second gearing to drive a second wheel; wherein

an outermost portion of the first gearing in a left-right direction of the electric work vehicle is outside of the frame in the left-right direction of the electric work vehicle; and

an outermost portion of the second gearing in the left-right direction of the electric work vehicle is outside of the frame in the left-right direction of the electric work vehicle;

a motor axis of the first motor is offset rearward of a rotational axis of the first wheel in a front-rear direction of the electric work vehicle when a steering angle of each of the first wheel and the second wheel is zero;

a motor axis of the second motor is offset rearward of a rotational axis of the second wheel in the front-rear direction of the electric work vehicle when the steering angle of each of the first wheel and the second wheel is zero;

a rearmost portion of the first motor in the front-rear direction of the electric work vehicle is forward of a rearmost portion of a first steering knuckle in the front-rear direction of the electric work vehicle; and

a rearmost portion of the second motor in the front-rear direction of the electric work vehicle is forward of a rearmost portion of a second steering knuckle in the front-rear direction of the electric work vehicle.

2 . The electric work vehicle according to claim 1 , wherein

the first gearing includes a portion which overlaps the frame in the left-right direction of the electric work vehicle in a plan view; and

the second gearing includes a portion which overlaps the frame in the left-right direction of the electric work vehicle in a plan view.

3 . The electric work vehicle according to claim 1 , further comprising:

a battery housing at least partially supported by the frame; wherein

the battery housing includes an upper battery housing portion and a lower battery housing portion; and

the outermost portion of the first gearing is located outward from an outside surface of the lower battery housing portion and inward from an outside surface of the upper battery housing portion in the left-right direction of the electric work vehicle in a plan view.

4 . The electric work vehicle according to claim 1 , further comprising:

a third motor to drive a first rear wheel, the third motor being support by a rear housing of the electric work vehicle; and

a fourth motor to drive a second rear wheel, the fourth motor being support by the rear housing;

a fifth motor to drive a first electric work vehicle component other than a wheel, the fifth motor being supported by the rear housing; and

a sixth motor to drive a second electric work vehicle component other than a wheel, the sixth motor being supported by the rear housing; wherein

at least a portion of the second gearing is located above the fifth motor in an up-down direction of the vehicle; and

the fifth motor is supported by the rear housing at a position between the third motor and the fourth motor.

5 . The electric work vehicle according to claim 4 , wherein

the first electric work vehicle component includes a Power Take-Off (PTO).

6 . The electric work vehicle according to claim 4 , wherein

the second electric work vehicle component includes a hydraulic system.

7 . The electric work vehicle according to claim 4 , wherein

an axis of the sixth motor extends in parallel or substantially in parallel with an axis of the third motor and an axis of the fourth motor.

8 . The electric work vehicle according to claim 4 , wherein

an axis of the fifth motor extends perpendicular or substantially perpendicular to an axis of the third motor and an axis of the fourth motor.

9 . The electric work vehicle according to claim 4 , wherein

an axis of the fifth motor is lower than an axis of the third motor and an axis of the fourth motor in an up-down direction of the electric work vehicle.

10 . The electric work vehicle according to claim 4 , wherein

an axis the sixth motor is lower than an axis of the third motor and an axis of the fourth motor in an up-down direction of the electric work vehicle.

11 . The electric work vehicle according to claim 4 , wherein

an axis of the fourth motor is collinear with an axis of the third motor.

12 . The electric work vehicle according to claim 4 , wherein

the fifth motor is located closer to one of the third motor or the fourth motor and farther from another one of the third motor or the fourth motor.

13 . The electric work vehicle according to claim 4 , wherein

the fifth motor is larger than each of the first, motor, the second motor, the third motor, the fourth motor, and the sixth motor.

14 . The electric work vehicle according to claim 4 , further comprising:

a gear casing affixed to a portion of the rear housing; wherein

a portion of gearings connected to the third motor and the fourth motor is located within the gear casing.

15 . The electric work vehicle according to claim 14 , wherein

a width of the gear casing in the left-right direction of the electric work vehicle is thinner than a width of the rear housing in the left-right direction.

16 . The electric work vehicle according to claim 14 , wherein

the first rear wheel and the second rear wheel are connected to respective rear wheel hubs which are mounted to the gear casing.

17 . The electric work vehicle according to claim 14 , wherein

the gearings connected to the third motor and the fourth motor include a plurality of interlinking gears and extend from the rear housing into the gear casing.

18 . The electric work vehicle according to claim 4 , wherein

the third motor is located on a left side of the rear housing;

the fourth motor is located on a right side of the rear housing;

the fifth motor is located on a front side of the rear housing; and

the sixth motor is located on the left side of the rear housing.

Assignments (1)
ASSIGNMENT OF ASSIGNOR'S INTEREST Recorded Dec 7, 2023
From: NADIADI, IRFAN; GRAF, BRIAN
To: KUBOTA CORPORATION
Reel/Frame 065805/0540 →
Continuity (2)
Provisional Application 63546269 · Oct 30, 2023
Related Publication 20250135857A1 · May 1, 2025
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