Disposition structure of drive device for vehicle

1. A disposition structure of a drive device for a vehicle, comprising:

a rear wheel having a disc portion and a rim portion;

a drive motor operative to drive the rear wheel, the drive motor being disposed in the rear wheel so as to be positioned within a space enclosed by the disc portion and the rim portion of the rear wheel;

a plurality of suspension links, one end of each of which is coupled to the rear wheel via a wheel-side connection portion and the other end of each of which is coupled to a vehicle body via a vehicle-body-side connection portion, the suspension links being disposed so as to extend substantially in a vehicle width direction, the suspension links comprising at least an upper link which is positioned above a center of the rear wheel and a lower link which is positioned below the center of the rear wheel;

a damper, one end of which is coupled to a side of the rear wheel and the other end of which is coupled to a side of the vehicle body;

a drive-force transmitting mechanism operative to couple the drive motor to the rear wheel so as to transmit a drive force; and

a motor housing enclosing said drive motor and said drive-force transmitting mechanism,

wherein said drive motor is disposed so as to be offset from the center of the rear wheel in a specified vehicle-longitudinal direction, said wheel-side connection portion of the upper link is disposed at a specified portion of said motor housing which is offset from a center of the drive motor in an opposite direction to said specified vehicle-longitudinal direction.

2. The disposition structure of a drive device for a vehicle of claim 1 , wherein said drive motor is disposed so as to be offset forward from the center of the rear wheel said wheel-side connection portion of the upper link is disposed at a specified portion of the motor housing which is offset rearward from the center of the drive motor, and said damper is disposed behind the center of the drive motor.

3. The disposition structure of a drive device for a vehicle of claim 1 , wherein said drive motor is disposed so as to overlap at least part of said upper link in an elevation view.

4. The disposition structure of a drive device for a vehicle of claim 1 , wherein said drive motor is disposed so as to overlap at least part of said upper link in a plan view.

5. The disposition structure of a drive device for a vehicle of claim 1 , wherein said upper and lower links respectively comprise a pair of links, and the upper and lower links are respectively disposed such that a longitudinal distance between one ends thereof coupled to the wheel is smaller than that between the other ends thereof coupled to the vehicle body.

6. The disposition structure of a drive device for a vehicle of claim 1 , wherein there is provided a toe-control link that extends substantially in the vehicle width direction, one end of which is coupled to the rear wheel and the other end of which is coupled to the vehicle body, and the one end of the toe-control link that is coupled to the rear wheel is disposed so as to be offset from the center of the rear wheel on a side that is away from a disposition location of said drive motor.

7. The disposition structure of a drive device for a vehicle of claim 6 , wherein said toe-control link is disposed below said drive motor.

8. The disposition structure of a drive device for a vehicle of claim 1 , wherein a brake disc that rotates with the rear wheel and a brake caliper that controls the brake disc are provided in the rear wheel so as to be positioned within the space enclosed by the disc portion and the rim portion of the rear wheel, and the brake caliper is disposed so as to be offset from the center of the wheel on a side that is away from a disposition location of said drive motor.

9. The disposition structure of a drive device for a vehicle of claim 8 , wherein said brake caliper is disposed behind said drive motor.