An current breaking device is interposed between a battery for a vehicle and an electric load. When a circuit cut-off signal is generated from a control unit due to an automobile's collision, the current breaking device allows respective capsules 40 in a power distributing box to be heated to melt a conductive resin plate 2. Therefore, it is possible to stop the power supply from a battery to an electric load.

An electric circuit breaker for interrupting an electric circuit of a vehicle includes a circuit break section having an explosive used for exploding a part of an electric circuit by explosion, a detonating device for exploding the explosive by application of electric power to the explosive, a collision detection device for detecting a collision of the vehicle and, a controller which explodes the explosive by supply of an electric current for detonating purposes to the detonating device in response to a detection signal from the collision detection device. The circuit breaker further includes a housing having a cylindrical member, such as an inner cylindrical portion, and a cover for covering the opening of the inner cylindrical portion. Connector terminals are formed on both ends of the conductor and a horizontal target section to be broken is formed in the middle of the conductor. The horizontal target area is disposed in front of the opening of the cylindrical member and the connector terminals are led to the outside of the housing. The explosive and a filament serving as means for heating the explosive are provided in the cylindrical member. The blasting force of the explosive that causes explosion by heating acts on the horizontal target area in a concentrated manner.

An apparatus for driving and controlling a car has a large gear directly connected to a wheel shaft of the car, small gears meshing with the large gear, AC motors connected to the small gears, respectively, and inverters whose AC output sides are connected to the AC motors, respectively, and whose DC input sides are connected in series in multiple stages to a high-voltage DC power source. Torque for driving the large gear connected to the wheel shaft is divided and borne by the small gears, so that each small gear receives small torque. This enables each tooth of each gear to have small mechanical strength. As a result, the cross-sectional area of each tooth of each small gear can be reduced to increase the number of teeth of the large gear that meshes with the small gears, to increase a gear ratio defined by the large and small gears. The DC input terminals of the inverters are connected in series to the high-voltage DC power source, and a DC input voltage for each inverter is reduced to a standard inverter level. Consequently, the inverters of the apparatus may be mass-produced standard inverters.

A switching process and apparatus for switching-off an electric energy supply of a vehicle has two switching elements which are mounted in the proximity of the electric energy source, and couple it to supply electric energy to consuming devices of the vehicle. In the event of a fault, an all-pole switch-off is implemented by opening both switching elements. One of the two switching elements is an operating switch by means of which the electric energy source can be switched off in normal operation. In the case of a vehicle driven by an electric motor in a normal operation the driving current of the electric motor is first controlled downward, and the operating switch is then opened when the driving current is decreased.

An electric vehicle in which driving force of a motor driven by batteries is transmitted through a reduction device and a differential to front wheels. The motor and the reduction device are disposed at portions of a vehicle body rearwardly of the differential and hence, a portion of the vehicle body in front of the differential is enlarged and can effectively function as a crushable zone upon a frontal collision of a vehicle. Moreover, the motor and the reduction device which are heavy components are disposed near a central portion of the vehicle body, leading to a mid-ship layout. This conrtibutes to an enhancement in motional property of the vehicle.