Method of assembling vehicle including an integrated interior module and top-hat
A vehicle assembly method includes assembling a chassis platform, mounting a floor pan to the platform, mounting a modular interior to the floor pan, assembling a body top-hat separate from the platform and the floor pan, and mounting the body top-hat to the platform and the floor pan after mounting the modular interior to the floor pan.
1. A vehicle assembly method comprising:
assembling a chassis platform;
mounting a floor pan to the platform;
mounting a lower interior component to the floor pan;
assembling a body top-hat separate from the platform and the floor pan, the body top-hat including a left sill member and a right sill member, the left sill member defining a bottom of a door opening on a left side of the body top-hat, the right sill member defining a bottom of a door opening on a right side of the body top-hat;
mounting an upper interior component to the body top-hat;
mounting the body top-hat to the platform and the floor pan after mounting the lower interior component and the upper interior component.
2. The method of claim 1 , wherein the lower interior component is mounted to the floor pan before the floor pan is mounted to the platform.
3. The method of claim 1 , wherein the lower interior component is mounted to the floor pan after the floor pan is mounted to the platform.
4. The method of claim 1 , wherein the step of mounting the lower interior component includes mounting at least one of a seat, a carpet, and an instrument panel to the floor pan.
5. The method of claim 1 , wherein the step of mounting the lower interior component includes mounting a carpet, an instrument panel, and a plurality of seats to the floor pan.
6. The method of claim 1 , wherein the step of mounting the upper interior component includes mounting at least one of a headliner, an airbag, and a finish trim piece to the body top-hat.
7. The method of claim 1 , wherein the vehicle is an electric vehicle and the method further comprises mounting a plurality of electric storage devices to the platform before mounting the floor pan to the platform.
8. The method of claim 1 , wherein the body top-hat is a space frame.
9. The method of claim 1 , further comprising coating the floor pan with a corrosion resistant coating before mounting the body top-hat to the platform and the floor pan.