| CPC B62D 23/005 (2013.01) [B62D 21/02 (2013.01); B62D 27/023 (2013.01); B62D 27/026 (2013.01); B62D 29/041 (2013.01)] | 15 Claims |

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1. A vehicle, comprising:
a body in white (“BIW”) comprising two or more structural members having two or more respective engaging portions;
wherein the two or more respective engaging portions of at least two of the two or more structural members being connected to each other by a node unit formed of two or more shell members assembled with each other, the node unit having at least two designated sockets, each of the at least two designated sockets snugly receiving one of the two or more respective engaging portions of one of the two or more structural members;
wherein at least one of said at least two designated sockets is an interior socket formed between the two or more shell members, wherein one of the two or more shell members constitutes a part of a wall of the vehicle.
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