Mazda Motor Corporation

Ikuo Usami

Seiyo Hirano

Akihiro Furukawa

Hirokazu Kita

Hiroyuki Nomura

Kazuya Kotani

Noriaki Mitobe

Seiji Sadahira

In a vehicle drive system using a motor for cruising, the connection node of serially-connected first and second batteries is grounded. The operation of an inverter is controlled so that the motor drive voltage is higher than the output voltage of each of the first and second batteries. A battery unit is configured so that third and fourth batteries each in a form of a cartridge are removably loaded, and the loaded third battery is connected in parallel with the first battery and the loaded fourth battery is connected in parallel with the second battery.

Vehicle drive system

In a vehicle drive system using a motor for cruising, the connection node of serially-connected first and second batteries is grounded. The operation of an inverter is controlled so that the motor drive voltage is higher than the output voltage of each of the first and second batteries. A balance circuit balances the charged amounts of the first and second batteries by performing charge/discharge control between the first and second batteries.

A battery unit comprises plural side connection portions which are provided at its both-side end portions in a vehicle width direction and connected to said vehicle-body member, and these connection portions are connected to a high rigidity portion of a vehicle-body member, concretely, to the vehicle-body member at a specified position where floor cross members integrally connected to a vehicle floor panel are located, to the vehicle-body member at a specified position where a torque box is located, or to the vehicle-body member at a specified position where a kick-up portion of the vehicle floor panel is located. Accordingly, the torsional rigidity of the vehicle body can be increased by utilizing the battery unit mounted below the vehicle body floor (vehicle floor panel).

Battery mounting structure of electromotive vehicle

Plural battery modules mounted on a first mount portion of a battery unit which is positioned below a front floor portion are arranged in a vehicle longitudinal direction such that the longitudinal direction of each of the battery modules matches a vehicle width direction and the short side of a rectangular section of each of the battery modules extends in a vehicle vertical direction, and plural battery modules mounted on a second mount portion which is positioned below a rear floor portion are arranged in the vehicle width direction such that the longitudinal direction of each of the battery modules matches the vehicle longitudinal direction and the long side of the rectangular section of each of the battery modules extends in the vehicle vertical direction. Accordingly, the plural battery modules can be arranged efficiently.

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Hiroshima, Japan

Ikuo Usami