BATTERY SWAP SYSTEM
A battery powered vehicle may include a chassis and a swappable battery releasably connected to the chassis. The chassis supports left and right ground engaging propulsion members having ground contacting surfaces having widths. The swappable battery includes a set of individual charge storing battery submodules. The individual charge storing battery submodules overlie the widths of the ground contacting surfaces of the left and right ground engaging propulsion members.
1 . A battery powered vehicle comprising:
a chassis supporting left and right ground engaging propulsion members having ground contacting surfaces having widths; and
a swappable battery releasably connected to the chassis, the swappable battery comprising:
a set of individual charge storing battery submodules, the battery submodules overlying the widths of the ground contacting surfaces of the left and right ground engaging propulsion members.
2 .
3 . The battery powered vehicle of claim 1 , wherein the set of individual charge storing battery submodules extend directly in front of the right and left ground engaging propulsion members.
4 .
5 . The battery powered vehicle of claim 1 , wherein the ground engaging propulsion members comprise wheels.
6 .
7 . The battery powered vehicle of claim 3 , wherein the set of individual charge storing battery submodules form a left wheel well and a right wheel well.
8 . The battery powered vehicle of claim 1 , wherein the set of individual charge storing battery submodules are sandwiched between the left and right ground engaging propulsion members.
9 . The battery powered vehicle of claim 1 , wherein the chassis comprises a front opening between the left and right ground engaging propulsion members, the front opening removably receiving at least a portion of the swappable battery.
10 . The battery powered vehicle of claim 1 , wherein the front opening comprises a floor underlying at least a portion of the swappable battery.
11 . The battery powered vehicle of claim 1 , wherein the swappable battery projects forward the left and right ground engaging propulsion members and forms a front most nose of the battery powered vehicle.
12 . The battery powered vehicle of claim 1 , wherein the individual charge storing modules of the set of individual charge storing submodules are vertically stacked, are arranged side-by-side and are arranged end-to-end.
13 . The battery powered vehicle of claim 1 , wherein the set of individual charge storing submodules has a lower portion having a first width and an upper portion overlying the lower portion and having a second outermost width greater than the first width.
14 . The battery powered vehicle of claim 1 , wherein the chassis supports a cargo bed between the left and right ground engaging falls and members and wherein the swappable battery is removably inserted beneath the cargo bed.
15 . The battery powered vehicle of claim 1 , wherein the swappable battery has a rear surface facing the rear of the battery powered vehicle, the rear surface comprising an electrical connection interface for electrically connecting the swappable battery to the battery powered vehicle.
16 . The battery powered vehicle of claim 1 , wherein the swappable battery comprises an externally mounted bumper that forms a front of the battery powered vehicle when the swappable battery is electrically connected to the battery powered vehicle.
17 . The battery powered vehicle of claim 1 , wherein the chassis comprises a front opening between the left and right ground engaging propulsion members, the front opening comprising a floor supporting a track in engagement with the swappable battery to guide movement of the swappable battery into and out of the front opening.
18 . The battery powered vehicle of claim 1 , wherein the swappable battery comprises a cooling fan.
19 . The battery powered vehicle of claim 1 , wherein the swappable battery comprises a fluid coolant circulation system.
20 . The battery powered vehicle of claim 1 , wherein the swappable battery comprises an outer housing about the set of individual charge storing battery submodules, the housing forming at least a part of a left wheel well and a right wheel well.
21 . The battery powered vehicle of claim 1 , wherein the swappable battery comprises a thermoelectric cooling plate.
22 . The battery powered vehicle of claim 1 further comprising an operator cab and an operator seat rearward of swappable battery.
23 . The battery powered vehicle of claim 1 , wherein the left and right ground engaging propulsion members are configured to be rotatably driven with energy supplied by the swappable battery.