An e-axle assembly includes a housing extending from a first housing end to a second housing end to define an internal compartment. At least one electric motor is disposed in the internal compartment and includes a stator and a rotor rotatable relative to the stator about an axis. The rotor defines a hollow extending internally within the rotor, and at least one of a gearing mechanism, a shifting actuator, and/or a differential is disposed within the hollow (and thus packaged within the rotor). In a preferred arrangement, all and any of the gearing mechanisms, shifting actuators, and differential are disposed within the hollow of the rotor. This internal packaging of the drive components within the rotor reduces an overall space and weight of the e-axle assembly relative to the prior art designs to more easily and readily achieve the smaller space and weight allotments afforded by electric and/or hybrid vehicles.
COMPACT E-AXLE ASSEMBLY
2024-01-18
Patent
Electronic Resource
English