Electric vehicles incorporating flatbeds and methods associated therewith
AssigneeWorkhorse Group Inc.
InventorRobert Willison
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
In certain embodiments, an electric vehicle includes a front cage, a rear floor, an intermediate section, a utility cabinet, and a flatbed. In other embodiments, an electric vehicle includes a front cage, a rear floor, an intermediate section, and a flatbed. In some embodiments, the front cage at least partially defines an operator cabin, the rear floor is positioned rearward of the front cage in a longitudinal direction, and the intermediate section is disposed at least partially between the front cage and the rear floor in the longitudinal direction.
Claims20
A method of establishing a utility space of an electric vehicle, the method comprising:
- defining an operator cabin of the electric vehicle at least partially by a front cage of the vehicle;
- defining a flatbed of the electric vehicle positioned rearward of the front cage in a longitudinal direction that is open to the ambient environment;
- defining an intermediate section of the electric vehicle disposed at least partially between the front cage and the flatbed in the longitudinal direction, wherein defining the intermediate section of the electric vehicle includes interconnecting a roof of the front cage with at least one sidewall of the flatbed using at least one reinforcement beam of the intermediate section;
- and
- defining the utility space at least partially by the front cage, the at least one reinforcement beam, and the flatbed such that the utility space is located outside the operator cabin.
A method of establishing a utility space of an electric vehicle, the method comprising:
- defining an operator cabin of the electric vehicle at least partially by a front cage of the vehicle;
- defining a flatbed of the electric vehicle positioned rearward of the front cage in a longitudinal direction that is open to the ambient environment;
- defining an intermediate section of the electric vehicle disposed at least partially between the front cage and the flatbed in the longitudinal direction, wherein defining the intermediate section of the electric vehicle includes establishing an alcove that is disposed at least partially between the front cage and the flatbed in the longitudinal direction and that provides an opening closed off from the operator cabin, and wherein the alcove extends in a lateral direction through an exterior wall of the intermediate section to define an exterior compartment accessible from outside the vehicle;
- and
- defining the utility space at least partially by the front cage, the intermediate section, and the flatbed such that the utility space is located outside the operator cabin and is in fluid communication with the opening provided by the alcove.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.