Abstract: An electric vehicle may include a frame, wheel assemblies, an electric motor, a rechargeable battery, and a battery compartment in which the rechargeable battery is secured to the vehicle. The electric motor may be supported by and/or coupled to the unitized frame. The electric motor may be coupled to at least one of the wheel assemblies. The rechargeable battery may be electrically coupled to the electric motor and power the electric motor. The rechargeable battery may be housed by and/or within the battery compartment. The battery compartment may be disposed above the frame and along a longitudinal centerline of the vehicle. The battery compartment may have a length of one-third or more of the longitudinal length of the frame. The length of the battery compartment may be more than three times a width of the battery compartment.

Abstract: A vehicle configured to operate in a normal steering mode and a differential steering mode is disclosed. The vehicle includes at least three wheels with the first and second wheels disposed on opposite sides of the vehicle. First and second motors, independently controllable by a motor control unit, drive the corresponding wheels. A steering shaft connects a steering mechanism for changing the angle of travel of at least one wheel to a steering wheel, when the vehicle operates in the normal steering mode. When the vehicle operates in a differential steering mode, a steering lock mechanism locks the at least one wheel in a fixed angle of travel, and a sensor senses the direction the steering wheel is turned. The motor controller causes the motor to rotate the first and second wheels at different rotational speeds to turn the vehicle the direction the steering wheel is turned.

Abstract: A rechargeable battery system is disclosed. The battery system includes a collection of at least four flat cells, each with a positive terminal extending from one side of each cell and a negative terminal extending from an opposite side of each cell, and wherein the cells are arranged in an alternating stack with a first stack side and a second stack side, such that each cell, has its positive or negative terminal mechanically and electrically connected at a junction to the positive or negative terminal of an adjacent cell. A first board located on the first stack side, including a plurality of first connectors extending from the first board for mechanically and electrically connecting to the junctions on the first stack side. A battery management processor is included that is electrically connected to each first connector by a plurality of electrical conductors.

Abstract: An electric vehicle may include a battery module, a heat transfer circuit, and a ventilation system. The heat transfer circuit may include a first heat exchanger, a second heat exchanger, and a reversing valve. The first heat exchanger may be adjacent to the battery module and/or in thermal contact with the battery module. The second heat exchanger may exchange heat with an environment external to a cabin of the vehicle. The reversing valve may reverse a fluid flow direction of the heat transfer circuit. The ventilation system may force air across the first heat exchanger or the second heat exchanger and direct the air into the cabin of the vehicle.

Abstract: An electric vehicle may include a battery, a drive axle, a drive wheel coupled to the drive axle, and a combined motor and brake unit. The combined motor and brake unit may be electrically coupled to the battery and mechanically coupled to the drive axle. The combined motor and brake unit may include a housing, an electric motor inside the housing and electrically coupled to the battery, a transmission inside the housing, a motor output shaft, a braking mechanism, and a motor input shaft. The transmission may transmit rotation of the electric motor to the drive axle and the drive wheel. The motor output shaft may couple the electric motor to the transmission. The braking mechanism may be coupled to the housing. The motor input shaft may couple the electric motor to the braking mechanism and input, to the electric motor, a braking force applied by the braking mechanism.

Abstract: An antilock brake system is disclosed comprising a first wheel and second wheel disposed on opposite sides of a vehicle. A first electric motor providing torque to the first wheel and a second electric motor providing torque to the second wheel. A sensor monitoring each wheel and a brake on each wheel. A system is described wherein a processor monitors signals from the sensors and increases torque to either wheel when it detects that the wheel is not rotating when another wheel is rotating. Also disclosed is an antilock brake system as above with a third wheel disposed on the rear of the vehicle also comprising a sensor and brake on the third wheel and wherein the processor monitors signals from the sensors to increase torque to either front wheels when it detects that the wheel is not rotating when another wheel is rotating.