US 11,987,306 B2
Modular vehicle architecture enabling range on demand
Azhagu Subramanian, Troy, MI (US); Rahul Meka, Rochester Hills, MI (US); Joel Stiverson, St. Clair Shores, MI (US); and Gianfranco Gabbianelli, Birmingham, MI (US)
Assigned to MAGNA INTERNATIONAL INC., Aurora (CA)
Appl. No. 17/293,935
Filed by MAGNA INTERNATIONAL INC., Aurora (CA); Azhagu Subramanian, Troy, MI (US); Rahul Meka, Rochester Hills, MI (US); Joel Stiverson, St. Clair Shores, MI (US); and Gianfranco Gabbianelli, Birmingham, MI (US)
PCT Filed Nov. 14, 2019, PCT No. PCT/US2019/061373
§ 371(c)(1), (2) Date May 14, 2021,
PCT Pub. No. WO2020/102478, PCT Pub. Date May 22, 2020.
Claims priority of provisional application 62/767,305, filed on Nov. 14, 2018.
Prior Publication US 2022/0119054 A1, Apr. 21, 2022
Int. Cl. B62D 63/02 (2006.01); B60K 5/00 (2006.01); B60L 50/64 (2019.01); B60S 9/02 (2006.01)
CPC B62D 63/025 (2013.01) [B60K 5/00 (2013.01); B60L 50/64 (2019.02); B60S 9/02 (2013.01)] 19 Claims
OG exemplary drawing
 
1. A system for modifying the range capabilities of an electric vehicle, the system comprising:
a vehicle body having a vehicle structure and a first axle, wherein the first axle is one of a front axle or a rear axle, the vehicle body defining a fore-and-aft direction, and a lateral direction, wherein the front and rear axle each extend in the lateral direction;
a first removable module having a second axle, wherein the second axle is the other of the front axle or the rear axle, the first removable module detachably coupled to the vehicle structure, wherein the first removable module and the vehicle structure are attached at a plurality of attachment points;
an electrical connector disposed at an interface between the vehicle body and the first removable module for electrically connecting the vehicle body to the first removable module;
wherein the first removable module is removable from the vehicle structure when the first removable module is disengaged from the vehicle structure at the attachment points and the electrical connector is disengaged; and
wherein the first removable module is replaceable with a second removable module having range extending systems that differ from the first removable module;
wherein the plurality of attachment points include:
at least one vertically aligned post received within a vertically aligned bore, and
at least one laterally aligned pin received within a laterally aligned bore, wherein the laterally aligned pin and laterally aligned bore each extend axially in the lateral direction;
wherein, with the removable module in a stationary fore-and-aft position, the vehicle body is moveable vertically upward relative to the first removable module and disengages the vertically aligned post from the vertically aligned bore when the laterally aligned pin is moved in the lateral direction out of the laterally aligned bore and disengaged from the laterally aligned bore.