Toyota has filed a new patent describing an EV battery mounting system designed to reduce stress on battery packs in off-road vehicles. The concept allows a vehicle’s frame to flex independently of the battery, a design that could benefit future pickups, SUVs, commercial vehicles, and hybrids built on ladder-frame platforms.
Toyota Targets Battery Stress in Off-Road Vehicles
Off-road driving places significant twisting forces on ladder-frame trucks and SUVs as the chassis flexes over uneven terrain. While the frame is designed to withstand this movement, repeated bending can place additional stress on a battery pack that is rigidly mounted to the vehicle.
Toyota believes it has developed a solution and has filed U.S. Patent and Trademark Office patent number 20260200306 covering a revised underbody battery mounting system.
New Battery Mounting Design
Most electric vehicle battery packs are securely bolted to the vehicle’s frame. Toyota’s patent proposes supporting most of the battery from the center of the frame, where movement is more limited.
The design also incorporates a rotating joint at one end of the battery mount. As the vehicle’s frame twists over rough terrain, the joint allows the frame to move while reducing the amount of force transferred to the battery pack.
According to the patent concept, this approach helps keep the battery straighter while allowing the vehicle to retain the frame flexibility needed for off-road driving.
Potential Benefits Beyond Off-Roading
In addition to reducing stress on the battery, the proposed mounting system could create additional space beneath the vehicle, potentially making it easier to accommodate larger battery packs without significantly redesigning the rest of the vehicle.
The concept is not limited to off-road vehicles. Toyota’s patent indicates the design could also be suitable for pickups, commercial trucks, body-on-frame SUVs, and hybrid vehicles that regularly encounter rough roads and potholes.
Patent Remains a Development Concept
The filing provides insight into Toyota’s ongoing research into future electric and hybrid vehicle technology. However, the design currently exists only as a patent application.
As with many automotive patents, there is no indication that the technology will reach production, but the filing offers a look at one approach Toyota is exploring for future ladder-frame EVs and hybrid vehicles.
