Axle assembly with parallel drive system for electric hybrid vehicles

A vehicle axle assembly, comprising:

• an axle housing;
• at least one axle shaft supported for rotation relative to the axle housing;
• a first coupling device supported at least partially by the axle housing, the first coupling device selectively coupling a first input member to be driven by an internal combustion engine to the at least one axle shaft to provide torque to the at least one axle shaft, and the first coupling device coupling a transmission output to the first input member wherein the transmission output comprises a driveshaft;
• an electric motor supported at a location of the axle housing;
• and
• a second coupling device supported at least partially by the axle housing, the second coupling device selectively coupling a second input member associated with the electric motor to the at least one axle shaft to provide torque to the at least one axle shaft.

A vehicle axle assembly, comprising:

• an axle housing;
• at least one axle shaft supported for rotation relative to the axle housing;
• a first coupling device supported at least partially by the axle housing, the first coupling device selectively coupling a first input member to be driven by an internal combustion engine to the at least one axle shaft to provide torque to the at least one axle shaft wherein the first coupling device is adapted to be positioned between a transmission and the first input member, and wherein the first input member comprises an input gear set that drives a differential enclosed within the axle housing;
• an electric motor supported at a location of the axle housing;
• and
• a second coupling device supported at least partially by the axle housing, the second coupling device selectively coupling a second input member associated with the electric motor to the at least one axle shaft to provide torque to the at least one axle shaft.

A vehicle axle assembly, comprising:

• an axle housing;
• at least one axle shaft supported for rotation relative to the axle housing;
• a first coupling device supported at least partially by the axle housing, the first coupling device selectively coupling a first input member to be driven by an internal combustion engine to the at least one axle shaft to provide torque to the at least one axle shaft;
• an electric motor supported at a location of the axle housing;
• a second coupling device supported at least partially by the axle housing, the second coupling device selectively coupling a second input member associated with the electric motor to the at least one axle shaft to provide torque to the at least one axle shaft, wherein the second coupling device comprises at least one clutch and the at least one axle shaft comprises a first axle shaft and a second axle shaft, and wherein the at least one clutch comprises a first clutch that selectively couples an electric motor output to the first axle shaft and a second clutch that selectively couples an electric motor output to the second axle shaft.