Vehicle power source device wherein cooling air is introduced into battery casing through opening formed through vehicle floor

A vehicle having an electric power source device including a plurality of battery cells accommodated within a battery casing installed on the vehicle, such that said battery cells are cooled by air introduced from a compartment of the vehicle into said battery casing through an intake air passage, wherein:

• said battery casing being disposed within a body shell of the vehicle, the body shell having a floor panel partially defining said compartment of the vehicle, and a covering member disposed within said body shell so as to cover said battery casing being located below a seat of the vehicle and generally isolated from said compartment by said covering member;
• and
• said covering member having an inlet of said air intake passage through which the air is introduced into said battery casing.

A vehicle having an electric power source device including a plurality of battery cells accommodated within a battery casing installed on the vehicle, such that said battery cells are cooled by air introduced from a compartment of the vehicle into said battery casing through an intake air passage, said battery casing being disposed within a body shell of the vehicle and below a seat of the vehicle, the body shell having a floor panel partially defining said compartment, said battery casing being accommodated within an interior space having an upper wall defined by a covering panel;

• and said upper wall having an inlet of an air intake passage through which the air is introduced into said battery casing.

A vehicle having an electric power source device including a battery module disposed under a seat of the vehicle and within a body shell of the vehicle, such that said battery module is cooled by air introduced through an air intake passage, said battery module consisting of a plurality of battery cells superposed on each other in a stack, wherein:

• said seat having a lower surface defining an under-seat space within a compartment in the body shell of the vehicle;
• and
• said air intake passage having an inlet which is held in communication with said under-seat space, so that the air for cooling said battery module is introduced from said compartment into said air intake passage through said under-seat space and said inlet.

A vehicle having an electric power source device including a battery module accommodated within an interior space partially defined by an under-seat covering panel on which a seat of the vehicle is mounted, said battery module being cooled by air from said interior space which is introduced through an air intake passage, said battery module consisting of a plurality of battery cells superposed on each other in a stack, wherein:

• said under-seat covering panel cooperating with a lower surface of said seat to define therebetween an under-seat space which extends in a lateral direction of the vehicle and which has an opening in the form of a generally elongate slot, said under-seat space communicating through said opening with a portion of a compartment of the vehicle, which portion is located in front of said seat;
• and
• said air intake passage having an inlet in communication with said under-seat space.

A vehicle having an electric power source device including a plurality of battery cells accommodated within a battery casing installed on the vehicle in a body shell of the vehicle, such that said battery cells are cooled by air introduced from a compartment of the vehicle into said battery casing through an intake air passage, said battery casing being accommodated within an interior space having an upper wall defined by a covering panel;

• and said upper wall having an inlet of the air intake passage through which the air is introduced into said battery casing,
• wherein said inlet is provided under a seat disposed in said compartment of the vehicle.