Abstract: For power purposes, an electrically-powered autonomous vehicle requires a mass and/or a significant volume of batteries, the batteries being supported by an independent chassis (4). The independent chassis is designed to be received in a housing (3) which is defined under the chassis of the vehicle and which is provided with at least one wheel (5)-equipped axle. Each of the chassis includes a connection interface, each including the complementary male and female parts of at least one centering member (15) and of at least one socket member (16). The vehicle chassis-side interface has a plate (10) which is independent of the chassis and which is connected to same at least three points, namely: two points which are controlled by jacks (12) and a third point which takes the form of a ball joint.

Abstract: For power purposes, an electrically-powered autonomous vehicle requires a mass and/or a significant volume of batteries, the batteries being supported by an independent chassis (4). The independent chassis is designed to be received in a housing (3) which is defined under the chassis of the vehicle and which is provided with at least one wheel (5)-equipped axle. Each of the chassis includes a connection interface, each including the complementary male and female parts of at least one centering member (15) and of at least one socket member (16). The vehicle chassis-side interface has a plate (10) which is independent of the chassis and which is connected to same at least three points, namely: two points which are controlled by jacks (12) and a third point which takes the form of a ball joint.

Abstract: A drive unit capable of being coupled to a wheeled body to form a vehicle. The drive unit includes a construction having a frame with two opposite edges parallel to the forward direction, the frame supports a driving power source and is in turn supported along said opposite edges by a pair of side walls that are respectively supported on at least one wheel-like member and define a housing for transmission connecting the driving power source to the wheel-like members, each of the side walls has two opposite surfaces perpendicular to the forward direction, and coupling/un-coupling devices provided on the surfaces for releasably engaging the wheeled body.