Rocker assembly for a vehicle

A method for manufacturing a rocker assembly for a vehicle, the method comprising:

• providing a rocker including an inner panel and an outer panel;
• providing an aluminum rocker reinforcement;
• and
• mechanically attaching the rocker reinforcement to the rocker, wherein
• the aluminum rocker reinforcement is made of a lattice of cells, a cell being formed by a plurality of walls forming a closed cross-section and the reinforcement comprises
• a central group of cells;
• an outer lateral group of cells adjacent to the central group of cells;
• and
• an inner lateral group of cells adjacent to the central group of cells,
• wherein the cells of the central group of cells are hexagonal in cross-section, and the central group of cells consists of a central cell surrounded by six adjacent cells,
• wherein the outer lateral group of cells comprises one or more outer cells configured to directly receive an impact of the outer panel of the rocker, and
• wherein the inner lateral group of cells comprises one or more inner cells configured to transmit the impact directly to the inner panel of the rocker, wherein
• the inner lateral group, the outer lateral group, and the central group of cells have a same height.

A vehicle comprising:

• a battery box;
• and
• a rocker assembly, wherein
• the rocker assembly comprises a rocker including an inner panel and an outer panel, and an elongated rocker reinforcement inside the rocker and extending along a longitudinal direction, wherein
• a vertical direction and a lateral direction define a cross-section of the rocker assembly that is substantially perpendicular to the longitudinal direction,
• the rocker reinforcement is made of a lattice of cells, a cell being formed by a plurality of walls forming a closed cross-section and the reinforcement comprises
• a central group of cells;
• an outer lateral group of cells;
• and
• an inner lateral group of cells,
• wherein the cells of the central group of cells are hexagonal in cross-section, and the central groups of cells consists of a central cell surrounded by six adjacent cells,
• wherein the outer lateral group of cells is adjacent to the central group of cells and consists of a single column of one or more outer cells configured to directly receive an impact of the outer panel of the rocker, and
• wherein the inner lateral group of cells is adjacent to the central group of cells and consists of a single column of one or more inner cells configured to transmit the impact directly to the inner panel of the rocker, and wherein
• the rocker assembly is arranged laterally to the battery box, and wherein
• the rocker reinforcement is positioned vertically higher than the battery box.