CN112874671A

CN112874671A - Saddle-ride type electric vehicle

Info

Publication number: CN112874671A
Application number: CN202011362285.5A
Authority: CN
Inventors: 福富直树; 井户正敏; 长屋启太; 田中淳一郎
Original assignee: Suzuki Motor Corp
Current assignee: Suzuki Motor Corp
Priority date: 2019-11-29
Filing date: 2020-11-27
Publication date: 2021-06-01
Anticipated expiration: 2040-11-27
Also published as: JP7354800B2; DE102020131556A1; CN112874671B; JP2021084569A

Abstract

In a structure in which a motor and a battery are disposed below a seat, the capacity of the battery is increased without deteriorating the riding posture. A saddle-ride type electric vehicle (1) is provided with: a motor (31) that generates a driving force; a battery case (42) that houses a battery (51) that supplies electric power to the motor (31); an inverter (61) that converts the current supplied from the battery (51) to the motor (31) from a direct current to an alternating current; and a seat (21) for seating a driver, wherein the motor (31) and the battery case (42) are disposed below the seat (21), a front portion (42A) of the battery case (42) is located above the motor (31), a rear portion (42B) of the battery case (42) is located behind the motor (31), and a lower surface (42D) of the rear portion (42B) of the battery case (42) is located below an upper surface (31A) of the motor (31).

Description

Saddle-ride type electric vehicle

Technical Field

The present invention relates to a straddle-type electric vehicle using an electric motor as a main power source.

Background

Currently, saddle-ride type electric vehicles such as motorcycles, which use an electric motor as a main power source, are becoming popular. The saddle-ride type electric vehicle includes a motor that drives a drive wheel, and a battery that supplies electric power to the motor. In order to achieve traveling performance (maximum output, maximum torque, cruising travel distance, etc.) equivalent to that of a straddle-type vehicle using an internal combustion engine as a main power source, a large-sized electric motor and a large-sized battery having a large capacity are used in the straddle-type vehicle (for example, see patent document 1).

Documents of the prior art

Patent document

Patent document 1: japanese patent No. 5594229

Technical problem to be solved by the invention

Since a straddle-type electric vehicle is smaller than a four-wheeled passenger vehicle, it is difficult to arrange a motor and a battery in the straddle-type electric vehicle.

In the scooter type vehicle described in patent document 1, the electric motor is disposed at the rear end portion of the rocker arm to which the rear wheel is attached, and the battery is disposed below the seat. By disposing the motor at the rear end portion of the rocker arm in this manner, a large space can be secured below the seat, and a large-capacity battery can be disposed by utilizing this space.

However, in order to improve the stability of the traveling, the motor may be disposed below the seat. In this case, since the space below the seat is small, it is difficult to dispose a large-capacity battery below the seat.

Further, it is conceivable that a large-capacity battery can be disposed by raising the position of the seat and enlarging the space under the seat. However, if the position of the seat is increased, the riding posture such as the foot-on posture (japanese: foot つき posture) is deteriorated.

Disclosure of Invention

The present invention has been made in view of the above problems, and an object of the present invention is to provide a saddle-ride type electric vehicle in which a motor and a battery are disposed below a seat, and the capacity of the battery can be increased without deteriorating the riding posture.

Means for solving the problems

In order to solve the above-described problems, a saddle-ride type electric vehicle according to the present invention includes: a motor that generates a driving force; a battery case that houses a battery that supplies electric power to the motor; an inverter that converts a current supplied from the battery to the motor from a direct current to an alternating current; and a seat on which a driver sits, wherein the motor and the battery case are disposed below the seat, wherein a front portion of the battery case is located above the motor, a rear portion of the battery case is located behind the motor, and a lower surface of the rear portion of the battery case is located below an upper surface of the motor.

ADVANTAGEOUS EFFECTS OF INVENTION

According to the present invention, in the configuration in which the motor and the battery are disposed below the seat, the capacity of the battery can be increased without deteriorating the riding posture.

Drawings

Fig. 1 is an explanatory view of a saddle-ride type electric vehicle according to an embodiment of the present invention.

Fig. 2 is a view of a vehicle body frame, a motor, a transmission, an inverter, and a battery unit in the saddle-ride type electric vehicle according to the embodiment of the present invention, as viewed from above.

Fig. 3 is a left side view of the rocker arm, the seat, the motor, the transmission, the inverter, and the battery unit in the straddle-type electric vehicle according to the embodiment of the present invention.

Fig. 4 is a front left-upper view of the motor, the transmission, the inverter, and the battery unit in the straddle-type electric vehicle according to the embodiment of the present invention.

Fig. 5 is a front right upper view of the motor, the transmission, the inverter, and the battery unit in the straddle-type electric vehicle according to the embodiment of the present invention.

Fig. 6 is an explanatory view showing the arrangement of the battery and the electric components in the battery case and the mounting structure of the seat to the battery case in the saddle-ride type electric vehicle according to the embodiment of the present invention.

Fig. 7 is an explanatory view showing the arrangement of the battery and the electric components in the battery case and the arrangement of the motor, the transmission, and the battery unit in the saddle-ride type electric vehicle according to the embodiment of the present invention.

Fig. 8 is an explanatory diagram showing an advantage that the swing shaft of the rocker arm is set to the rear of the motor and below the rear portion of the battery case in the saddle-ride type electric vehicle according to the embodiment of the present invention.

Description of the symbols

1 straddle type electric vehicle

15 rocking arm

16 oscillating axle

18 rear wheel (Driving wheel)

21 seat

31 electric motor

31A upper surface

32 speed variator

41 cell unit

42 Battery case

42A front part

42B rear part

42D lower surface

51 cell

55 Battery management unit (electric parts)

56 Relay (electric parts)

57 fuse (electric parts)

58 automobile charger (electric parts)

59 converter (electric parts)

61 inverter

Detailed Description

A saddle-ride type electric vehicle according to an embodiment of the present invention includes: a motor that generates a driving force; a battery case that houses a battery that supplies electric power to the motor; an inverter that converts a current supplied from the battery to the motor from a direct current to an alternating current; and a seat on which a driver can sit.

In the saddle-ride type electric vehicle, the motor and the battery case are disposed below the seat. In addition, the front portion of the battery case is located above the motor, and the rear portion of the battery case is located behind the motor. In addition, the lower surface of the rear portion of the battery case is located below the upper surface of the motor.

According to the straddle-type electric vehicle of the embodiment of the invention, the battery case is disposed below the seat and extends from above the motor to the rear region of the motor, thereby increasing the size of the battery case in the front-rear direction. Thus, for example, a plurality of battery cell units formed by overlapping a plurality of battery cells constituting a battery in the vertical direction can be arranged in the front-rear direction in the battery case. In the saddle-ride type electric vehicle according to the embodiment of the present invention, the battery case is disposed such that the rear portion of the battery case is located rearward of the motor, and the rear portion of the battery case extends downward such that the lower surface of the rear portion of the battery case is located downward of the upper surface of the motor, whereby the vertical dimension of the rear portion of the battery case can be increased. This can increase the number of cells (the number of stacked cells) in the cell unit disposed at the rear portion in the battery case, for example, and can increase the capacity of the battery.

In the saddle-ride type electric vehicle according to the embodiment of the present invention, the battery case is extended in the front-rear direction, and the rear portion of the battery case is extended downward, whereby the number of battery cells arranged in the battery case is increased, and the capacity of the battery is increased. Therefore, even if the capacity of the battery is increased, the position of the upper surface of the battery case can be suppressed from becoming high. Therefore, the seat position can be suppressed from being raised with an increase in the capacity of the battery, and deterioration in the riding posture such as the legged performance can be prevented.

[ examples ]

An embodiment of a saddle-ride type electric vehicle according to the present invention will be described. In the description of the embodiments, the directions of the upper (U), the lower (D), the front (F), the rear (B), the left (L), and the right (R) will be described with reference to the direction viewed by the driver who drives the straddle-type electric vehicle. The arrows in the lower right of the figures indicate these directions.

Fig. 1 shows a state of a straddle-type electric vehicle 1 according to an embodiment of the present invention as viewed from the left. Fig. 2 shows a state of the vehicle body frame 2, the motor 31, the transmission 32, the inverter 61, and the battery unit 41 in the straddle-type electric vehicle 1 as viewed from above. In fig. 1, a saddle-ride type electric vehicle 1 of the present embodiment is a scooter type motorcycle. The straddle-type electric vehicle 1 has a body frame 2 of a bent beam type. The vehicle body frame 2 includes: a head pipe 3 disposed at a front portion of the straddle-type electric vehicle 1; a lower tube 4 extending downward from the head tube 3; a pair of right and left lower frames 5 extending rearward from a lower end portion of the lower tube 4 in a lower portion of the straddle-type electric vehicle 1; a pair of left and right seat rails 6 extending rearward while rising from the rear portions of the pair of lower frames 5; and a pair of left and right rear frames 7 extending rearward while rising from respective rear end portions of the pair of lower frames 5. X in fig. 2 indicates the vehicle width direction center position of the straddle-type electric vehicle 1. As shown in fig. 2, the head pipe 3 and the down pipe 4 are disposed at the center in the vehicle width direction (left-right direction) of the straddle-type electric vehicle 1. The front portions of the pair of lower frames 5 extend rearward while extending leftward and rightward from the center of the straddle-type electric vehicle 1 in the vehicle width direction, and the rear portions of the pair of lower frames 5 are respectively positioned at the left and right portions of the substantially central portion of the straddle-type electric vehicle 1 in the front-rear direction and extend rearward substantially in parallel to each other. The pair of seat rails 6 are disposed in the left and right portions of the rear portion of the straddle-type electric vehicle 1, respectively, and the pair of rear frames 7 are also disposed in the left and right portions of the rear portion of the straddle-type electric vehicle 1, respectively. Cross members 8, 9 and the like are provided between the pair of lower frames 5, between the pair of seat rails 6, and between the pair of rear frames 7, respectively.

As shown in fig. 1, in the saddle-ride type electric vehicle 1, a handlebar 11 and a front fork 12 are fixed to a steering shaft (not shown) rotatably supported by a head pipe 3, and a front wheel 13 as a steering wheel is rotatably supported at a lower end portion of the front fork 12.

Further, a rocker arm 15 is provided at a lower portion of a rear portion of the straddle-type electric vehicle 1. The front end of the swing arm 15 is supported by a lower portion of the rear portion of the vehicle body frame 2 via a swing shaft 16 so as to be swingable in the vertical direction. Specifically, a swing shaft support member 17 (only the left side is shown) is fixed between the lower portion of the left seat rail 6 and the lower portion of the left rear frame 7, and between the lower portion of the right seat rail 6 and the lower portion of the right rear frame 7, respectively. The front end of the rocker arm 15 is supported by these swing shaft support members 17 via a swing shaft 16. Further, a rear wheel 18 as a driving wheel is rotatably supported at a rear end portion of the swing arm 15. Further, rear cushion units 19 are provided between the swing arm 15 and the left rear frame 7 and between the swing arm 15 and the right rear frame 7, respectively. The saddle-ride type electric vehicle 1 further includes a seat 21 on which a driver can sit. The seat 21 is provided in a portion from the front-rear direction center portion to the rear portion in the upper side portion of the straddle-type electric vehicle 1. The front portion of the seat 21 is a driver seat portion on which a driver sits, and the rear portion of the seat 21 is a double seat portion on which a fellow passenger sits.

The saddle-ride type electric vehicle 1 further includes: a motor 31 that generates a driving force, such as a brushless motor; a transmission 32, the transmission 32 changing a rotational speed (specifically, decelerating) of the motor 31 and transmitting the same to the rear wheel 18; a battery unit 41, the battery unit 41 including a battery 51 that supplies electric power to the motor 31; and an inverter 61 that converts the current supplied from the battery 51 to the electric motor 31 from a direct current to an alternating current.

Fig. 3 shows a state of the swing arm 15, the seat 21, the motor 31, the transmission 32, the battery unit 41, and the inverter 61 as viewed from the left. Fig. 4 shows a state of the motor 31, the transmission 32, and the battery unit 41 as viewed from the left front upper side, and fig. 5 shows a state of these components as viewed from the right front upper side. Fig. 6 shows the battery case 42, the battery 51 and the electric components housed in the battery case 42, and the mounting structure of the seat 21 to the battery case 42, as viewed from the left. Fig. 7 shows the battery case 42, the battery 51 and the electric components housed in the battery case 42, the electric components mounted on the outer surface of the battery case 42, and the like, as viewed from above.

As shown in fig. 3 to 5, the motor 31 has a cylindrical housing with a cover, and the housing accommodates a rotary shaft, a rotor, a stator, and the like. The transmission 32 has a cylindrical case with a cover, and the case accommodates a drive shaft, a transmission gear, and the like. The motor 31 and the transmission 32 are arranged in the vehicle width direction of the straddle-type electric vehicle 1. Specifically, the transmission 32 is attached to the left portion of the housing of the motor 31, and is integrated (unitized) with the motor 31.

As shown in fig. 1, the motor 31 and the transmission 32 are disposed at a substantially central portion in the front-rear direction of the straddle-type electric vehicle 1. As shown in fig. 2, the motor 31 and the transmission 32 are disposed between the left lower frame 5 and the right lower frame 5. The motor 31 and the transmission 32 are disposed between the left seat rail 6 and the right seat rail 6. The electric motor 31 is disposed on the right side with respect to the center in the vehicle width direction of the straddle-type electric vehicle 1. The transmission 32 is disposed on the left side with respect to the center in the vehicle width direction of the straddle-type electric vehicle 1. As shown in fig. 3, the motor 31 and the transmission 32 are disposed below the front portion of the seat 21. Specifically, the motor 31 and the transmission 32 are disposed below the front portion 42A of the battery case 42, and the battery case 42 is disposed below the front portion of the seat 21.

Further, a unit in which the motor 31 and the transmission 32 are integrated is supported by the vehicle body frame 2. Specifically, as shown in fig. 1, the left portion of the unit in which the electric motor 31 and the transmission 32 are integrated is supported by the left lower frame 5 via a motor support member. S1 and S2 in fig. 1 indicate positions where the left portion of the unit in which the electric motor 31 and the transmission 32 are integrated is supported by the left lower frame 5 via a motor support member. The right portion of the unit in which the motor 31 and the transmission 32 are integrated is supported by the right lower frame 5 via the motor support member, similarly to the left portion of the unit. Further, a drive chain 33 is hung between the drive shaft of the transmission 32 and a driven sprocket on the rear wheel side. As shown in fig. 3, a fender 34 is attached to the rear of the motor 31 and the transmission 32.

The battery unit 41 includes a battery case 42, a battery 51, and a plurality of electrical components. The battery case 42 is formed in a box shape, for example, by aluminum casting. As can be seen from fig. 3, the rear portion 42B of the battery case 42 protrudes downward from the front portion 42A of the battery case 42. In other words, the lower portion of the front portion 42A of the battery case 42 is recessed along the outer shape of the upper portions of the motor 31 and the transmission 32. As shown in fig. 6, the lower surface 42D of the rear portion 42B of the battery case 42 is located lower than the lower surface 42C of the front portion 42A of the battery case 42. In the battery case 42, an inclined surface 42F inclined downward toward the rear is formed between the lower surface 42C of the front portion 42A and the lower surface 42D of the rear portion.

As shown in fig. 4 and 7, the battery case 42 is formed by fixing the right case portion 43 and the left case portion 44 to each other by a fixing member such as a bolt. The right case portion 43 forms a right portion of the battery case 42, and the left case portion 44 forms a left portion of the battery case 42.

As shown in fig. 6, the battery 51 is housed in the battery case 42. The battery 51 has two battery cell units 53, and the battery cell units 53 are formed by overlapping a plurality of battery cells. The two battery cell units 53 are arranged in the front-rear direction within the battery case 42. In addition, of the two battery cell units 53, the rear battery cell unit 53 has a larger number of stacked battery cells than the front battery cell unit 53. Therefore, the vertical dimension of the rear battery cell unit 53 is larger than the vertical dimension of the front battery cell unit 53. The upper surface of the rear battery cell unit 53 and the upper surface of the front battery cell unit 53 are located at substantially the same position in the vertical direction, but the lower surface of the rear battery cell unit 53 is located below the lower surface of the front battery cell unit 53. In fig. 7, X represents the center position in the vehicle width direction of the straddle-type electric vehicle 1. As shown in fig. 7, the two battery cell units 53 are disposed in the center in the vehicle width direction of the straddle-type electric vehicle 1. Each battery cell unit 53 is mounted in the right case portion 43 of the battery case 42.

As shown in fig. 7, the plurality of electrical components of the battery unit 41 include, for example, a Battery Management Unit (BMU)55, a relay 56, a fuse 57, an in-vehicle charger 58, and an inverter 59. The converter 59 is a converter for changing a voltage value of the DC voltage output from the battery 51, and is a so-called DC/DC converter. These plurality of electric components are disposed on the left and right sides of the battery 51 (two battery cells 53) in a distributed manner. Specifically, as shown in fig. 6 and 7, the battery management unit 55, the relay 56, and the fuse 57 are disposed on the left side of the battery 51, and these components are housed in the battery case 42. As shown in fig. 5 and 7, the in-vehicle charger 58 and the converter 59 are disposed on the right side of the battery 51, and these components are attached to the right outer surface of the battery case 42 via the component attachment bracket 60.

As is apparent from fig. 1 and 2, the battery unit 41 is disposed between the left seat rail 6 and the left rear frame 7 and between the right seat rail 6 and the right rear frame 7. The battery case 42 is disposed on the left side of the center of the straddle-type electric vehicle 1 in the vehicle width direction, the in-vehicle charger 58 and the converter 59 mounted on the outer surface of the right side of the battery case 42 are disposed on the right side of the center of the straddle-type electric vehicle 1 in the vehicle width direction, and the battery unit 41 is disposed at the center of the straddle-type electric vehicle 1 in the vehicle width direction when the battery unit 41 is viewed as a whole.

As shown in fig. 3, the battery unit 41 is disposed below the front portion of the seat 21. Further, the front portion 42A of the battery case 42 is located below the front portion of the seat 21 and above the electric motor 31 and the transmission 32 aligned in the vehicle width direction. The rear portion 42B of the battery case 42 is located below the front portion of the seat 21 and behind the motor 31 and the transmission 32. Here, a two-dot chain line H1 in fig. 3 indicates a position in the vertical direction of the upper surface 31A of the motor 31, and a two-dot chain line H2 indicates a position in the vertical direction of the lower surface 42D of the rear portion 42B of the battery case 42. As shown in fig. 3, a lower surface 42D of the rear portion 42B of the battery case 42 is located below an upper surface 31A of the motor 31. As can be seen from fig. 3 and 6, the lower surface 42C and the inclined surface 42F of the front portion 42A of the battery case 42 cover the rear side of the upper portions of the motor 31 and the transmission 32.

As shown in fig. 7, the value of the sum of the vehicle width direction dimension of the electric motor 31 and the vehicle width direction dimension of the transmission 32, that is, the vehicle width direction dimension W1 of the unit in which the electric motor 31 and the transmission 32 are integrated is smaller than the vehicle width direction dimension W2 of the battery unit 41. The motor 31 and the transmission 32 are disposed so as to be accommodated within the width of the battery unit 41.

The battery case 42 is supported by the vehicle body frame 2. Specifically, as shown in fig. 1, the left portion of the rear portion 42B of the battery case 42 is supported by the left rear frame 7 via a battery support member. S3 in fig. 1 indicates a portion where the left portion of the rear portion 42B of the battery case 42 is supported by the left rear frame 7 via the battery support member. Although not shown, the right portion of the front portion 42A of the battery case 42 is supported by the right seat rail 6 via a battery support member. As shown in fig. 2, two portions of the upper portion of the rear portion 42B of the battery case 42 are supported by the cross member 9, and the cross member 9 connects the left seat rail 6 and the right seat rail 6. S4 and S5 in fig. 2 indicate portions where the upper portion of the rear portion 42B of the battery case 42 is supported by the cross member 9.

As shown in fig. 1, the inverter 61 is disposed between the left lower frame 5 and the right lower frame 5 and below the pedal 62. As shown in fig. 3, the inverter 61 is located in front of the motor 31 and the transmission 32. As shown in fig. 4 and 5, a power supply line 63 is connected between the battery 51 and the inverter 61, and the dc current from the battery 51 is supplied to the inverter 61 via the power supply line 63. Further, a power drive line 64 is connected between the inverter 61 and the motor 31, and a three-phase ac current or the like is supplied from the inverter 61 to the motor 31 via the power drive line 64.

In the saddle-ride type electric vehicle 1, the seat 21 is attached to the battery case 42. Specifically, as shown in fig. 6, a seat attachment portion 45 for attaching the seat 21 is provided at an upper front portion of the right housing portion 43 of the battery housing 42. The seat attachment portion 45 projects forward from the front upper portion of the right housing portion 43. On the other hand, a seat attachment bracket 23 is provided at a front end portion of the floor panel 22 of the seat 21. The seat attachment bracket 23 protrudes downward from the front end portion of the floor panel 22. The distal end portion of the seat attachment bracket 23 is rotatably connected to the distal end portion of the seat attachment portion 45. Thus, the seat 21 can be rotated so that the rear end side of the seat 21 moves in the vertical direction with the portion where the seat attachment bracket 23 and the seat attachment portion 45 are connected as a base point.

Further, a plurality of cushion rubbers 24 are attached to a front portion of the lower surface of the floor panel 22 of the seat 21. On the other hand, as shown in fig. 5, a plurality of load receiving portions 46 are formed on the upper surface of the right case portion 43 of the battery case 42, and the load receiving portions 46 are in contact with the distal ends of the cushion rubbers 24 attached to the seat 21 to receive the load from the seat 21. As shown in fig. 6, a pair of left and right load receiving portions 25 are formed at substantially central portions in the front-rear direction of the lower surface of the floor panel 22 of the seat 21, and other cushion rubbers 26 are attached to left and right portions of the rear end portion of the lower surface of the floor panel 22. The pair of load receiving portions 25 formed on the lower surface of the bottom plate 22 contact the distal ends of the cushion rubber attached to the left and right seat rails 6, respectively. Further, the pair of cushion rubbers 26 attached to the rear end portion of the lower surface of the floor panel 22 are in contact with the load receiving portions of the seat rails 6 formed on the left and right sides, respectively (see fig. 1). Further, a lock mechanism for locking the rear portion of the seat 21 on the seat rail 6 side is provided on the seat rail 6 side.

As shown in fig. 3, in the straddle-type electric vehicle 1, the swing shaft 16 of the rocker arm 15 is located behind the motor 31 and the transmission 32 and below the rear portion 42B of the battery case 42.

As described above, in the straddle-type electric vehicle 1 according to the embodiment of the present invention, a large space is secured below the seat 21 and extending from above the motor 31 and the transmission 32 to behind the motor 31 and the transmission 32, and the battery case 42 is provided in the space. The battery case 42 has a large front-rear direction dimension, and a battery cell unit 53 formed by stacking a plurality of battery cells is arranged in the front-rear direction and housed in the battery case 42. A rear portion 42B of the battery case 42 located rearward of the motor 31 and the transmission 32 protrudes downward, and a lower surface 42D of the rear portion 42B of the battery case 42 is located below the upper surface 31A of the motor 31. Thus, the vertical dimension of the rear portion 42B of the battery case 42 is larger than the vertical dimension of the front portion of the battery case 42. With this configuration, the number of battery cells (the number of stacked battery cells) arranged at the rear portion in the battery case 42 can be increased, and the capacity of the battery 51 can be increased.

In the saddle-ride type electric vehicle 1 according to the embodiment of the present invention, the battery case 42 is extended in the front-rear direction from above the motor 31 and the transmission 32 to the rear, and the rear portion of the battery case 42 is extended downward to increase the volume in the battery case 42, thereby increasing the number of stacked battery cells in the battery case 42. With this configuration, the capacity of the battery 51 can be increased, and the position of the upper surface of the battery case 42 can be suppressed from increasing. Therefore, the increase in the position of the seat 21 associated with the increase in the capacity of the battery 51 can be suppressed, and deterioration of the riding posture such as the legged performance can be prevented.

In the straddle-type electric vehicle 1 according to the present embodiment, the swing shaft 16 of the rocker arm 15 is located rearward of the motor 31 and the transmission 32 and below the rear portion 42B of the battery case 42. With this configuration, the distance between rocker arm 15 and lower surface 42D of rear portion 42B of battery case 42 can be reduced while sufficiently securing the swing range of rocker arm 15. Therefore, the lower surface 42D of the rear portion 42B of the battery case 42 can be brought closer to the swing arm 15, and the vertical dimension of the rear portion 42B of the battery case 42 can be increased. This point will be described with reference to fig. 8. In fig. 8, for convenience of explanation, the swing arm 15 is indicated by a straight line segment, and the swing shaft 16 is indicated by a dot. In fig. 8, when the position of swing shaft 16 is set at position P below rear portion 42B of battery case 42, rocker arm 15 does not hit battery case 42 even if rocker arm 15 swings upward by a degree. On the other hand, when the position of swing shaft 16 is moved forward and the position of swing shaft 16 is set at position Q below front portion 42A of battery case 42, swing arm 15 is swung upward by an angle a in the same manner, and swing arm 15 hits battery case 42. That is, when rocker arm 15 is set at position Q, in order to allow rocker arm 15 to swing sufficiently, it is necessary to reduce the vertical dimension of rear portion 42B of battery case 42 and to increase the position of lower surface 42D of rear portion 42B of battery case 42. In the straddle-type electric vehicle 1 of the present embodiment, since the position of the swing shaft 16 is set below the rear portion 42B of the battery case 42 (position P), the position of the lower surface 42D of the rear portion 42B of the battery case 42 can be lowered, and the vertical dimension of the rear portion 42B of the battery case 42 can be increased. Therefore, the volume of the battery case 42 can be increased, the number of stacked battery cells can be increased, and the capacity of the battery 51 can be increased.

In the saddle-ride type electric vehicle 1 of the present embodiment, the battery cell unit 53 is disposed at the center in the vehicle width direction of the saddle-ride type electric vehicle 1, and a plurality of electric components such as the battery management unit 55 and the in-vehicle charger 58 are disposed on both the right and left sides of the battery cell unit 53 in a distributed manner. By disposing the battery cell unit 53 as a heavy object at the center in the vehicle width direction of the straddle-type electric vehicle 1 in this manner, the weight balance in the vehicle width direction of the straddle-type electric vehicle 1 can be easily obtained, and the running stability can be improved. Further, by disposing the electrical components on both the left and right sides of the battery cell unit 53 in a distributed manner, the weight balance in the vehicle width direction of the straddle-type electric vehicle 1 can be easily obtained, and the stability of traveling can be improved.

In the saddle-ride type electric vehicle 1 of the present embodiment, the battery management unit 55, the relay 56, and the fuse 57 are housed in the battery case 42, and the in-vehicle charger 58 and the converter 59 are mounted on the outer surface of the battery case 42. By disposing the plurality of electrical components inside and outside the battery case 42, respectively, the efficiency of utilizing the space for disposing the electrical components can be improved. In addition, the space for arranging the battery cell can be expanded by utilizing the empty space created by the arrangement of the electrical components with high efficiency, and the battery capacity can be increased. Further, by disposing a plurality of electrical components inside and outside the battery case 42, respectively, the ease of assembly of the electrical components can be improved, and wiring to the electrical components can be facilitated.

In the saddle-ride type electric vehicle 1 of the present embodiment, the electric motor 31 and the transmission 32 are arranged in the vehicle width direction of the saddle-ride type electric vehicle 1. Accordingly, the dimension in the vertical direction of the space formed below the seat 21 can be made larger than in the case where the motor 31 and the transmission 32 are arranged offset in the vertical direction. Therefore, the vertical dimension of the battery case 42 disposed below the seat can be increased, the battery capacity can be increased, and the height position of the seat can be lowered. Further, by arranging the motor 31 and the transmission 32 in the vehicle width direction of the straddle-type electric vehicle 1, it is easier to secure a space behind the motor 31 and the transmission 32, compared to a case where the motor 31 and the transmission 32 are arranged in the front-rear direction. Therefore, the volume of the battery case 42 can be increased by the space behind the motor 31 and the transmission 32, and the battery capacity can be increased and the seat height position can be suppressed.

In addition, in the straddle-type electric vehicle 1 of the embodiment, the electric motor 31 and the transmission 32 arranged in the vehicle width direction are accommodated within the width of the battery unit 41. With this configuration, the vehicle width of the straddle-type electric vehicle 1 can be reduced.

In the saddle-ride type electric vehicle 1 of the present embodiment, the seat 21 is attached to the battery case 42. With this structure, for example, a cross member, a bracket, or the like for attaching the seat 21 to the seat rail 6 can be eliminated. Therefore, the space between the battery case 42 disposed below the seat 21 and the seat 21 can be reduced, and the vertical dimension of the battery case 42 can be increased by the reduced space, thereby increasing the battery capacity.

In the above-described embodiment, the case where two battery cell units 53 are arranged in the front-rear direction in the battery case 42 has been exemplified, but the number and layout of the battery cell units 53 arranged in the battery case 42 are not limited to this.

In the above-described embodiment, although a specific arrangement of the plurality of electric components is shown in fig. 6 and 7, the arrangement is not limited to an example. The number and positions of the electrical components disposed on the left and right sides of the battery cell unit 53 are not limited to these. In addition, whether each electrical component is disposed on the left side or the right side of the battery cell 53 can be changed with reference to weight distribution, ease of wiring, ease of assembly, and the like. The left and right arrangements of the motor and the transmission may be reversed.

The present invention is not limited to the motor scooter described as an example, and can be applied to various types of motor cycles such as road sports, extreme sports, touring, and off-road. The present invention is not limited to a motorcycle, and can be applied to various saddle-type electric vehicles such as a motor tricycle and a cross-country vehicle.

The present invention can be modified as appropriate within a range not inconsistent with the spirit and concept of the present invention and readable from the scope of the claims and the entire specification of the present invention, and a straddle-type electric vehicle accompanied by such modification is also included in the technical concept of the present invention.

Claims

1. A straddle-type electric vehicle is characterized by comprising:

a motor that generates a driving force;

a battery case that houses a battery that supplies electric power to the motor;

an inverter that converts a current supplied from the battery to the motor from a direct current to an alternating current; and

a seat for seating a driver,

the motor and the battery case are disposed below the seat, a front portion of the battery case is located above the motor, a rear portion of the battery case is located behind the motor, and a lower surface of the rear portion of the battery case is located below an upper surface of the motor.

2. The straddle-type electric vehicle according to claim 1,

comprises a swing arm for rotatably supporting a rear wheel,

the swing shaft of the rocker arm is located behind the motor and below the rear portion of the battery case.

3. The straddle-type electric vehicle according to claim 1 or 2,

in the battery case, the battery cell of the battery is located at the center in the vehicle width direction, and the plurality of electrical components are respectively arranged on one side and the other side in the vehicle width direction of the battery cell of the battery.

4. The straddle-type electric vehicle according to claim 3,

the battery case is disposed at a position shifted from a center in a vehicle width direction to one side in the vehicle width direction, and an electrical component disposed on one side in the vehicle width direction of the battery cell of the battery is housed in the battery case, and an electrical component disposed on the other side in the vehicle width direction of the battery cell of the battery is mounted on an outer surface of the battery case.

5. The straddle-type electric vehicle according to claim 4,

a transmission for changing the rotational speed of the electric motor and transmitting the changed rotational speed to a drive wheel,

the electric motor and the transmission are arranged in a vehicle width direction, and the electric motor and the transmission are accommodated within a width of a battery unit having the battery case, the battery, and the plurality of electric parts.

6. The straddle-type electric vehicle according to any one of claims 1 to 5,

the seat is mounted to the battery case.