Drive axle for hybrid vehicle

摘要

An electric drive axle for use in hybrid vehicles has an electric motor driving a compact gearbox. The gearbox includes a planetary reduction unit and a differential assembly. The planetary reduction unit has a sun gear driven by the electric motor, and compound planet gears supported from a planet carrier which have a first gear segment meshed with a fixed first ring gear and a second gear segment meshed with a second ring gear. The sun gear is also meshed with one of the first and second gear segments of the compound planet gears. The second ring gear drives the differential which transfer motive power to a pair of output shafts adapted for connection to one set of wheels. When used with a conventional engine-based powertrain for the other set of wheels, the electric drive axle establishes a four-wheel drive powertrain for the hybrid vehicle. The electric motor and gearbox are mounted in a common housing assembly to provide a compact drive axle assembly.