Small Urban Vehicle Research Articles

Multi-Criteria Decision Analysis during Selection of Vehicles for Car-Sharing Services—Regular Users’ Expectations

Car-sharing systems, i.e., automatic, short-time car rentals, are among the solutions of the new mobility concept, which in recent years has gained popularity around the world. With the growing interest in services in society, their demands for the services offered to them have also increased. Since cars play a key role in car-sharing services, the fleet of vehicles should be properly adapted to the needs of customers using the systems. Due to the literature gap related to the procedure of proper selection of vehicles for car sharing and the market need for car-sharing service operators, this work has been devoted to the selection of car models for car sharing from the perspective of users constantly using the systems (regular users). This paper considered the case of the Polish who are constantly using car-sharing service systems. Vehicle selection was classified as a multi-faceted, complex problem, which is why one of the ELECTRE III multi-criteria decision support methods was used for this study. This study focused on the classification of vehicles from the user’s perspective. Twelve modern and most popular car models in 2021 with internal combustion, electric and hybrid engines were considered. The results indicate that the best choice from the point of view of regular customers is large cars (representing vehicle classes C and D), with a large luggage compartment capacity, the highest possible ratio of engine power to vehicle weight, and the ratio of engine power to energy consumption. Importantly, small urban vehicles, which ideologically should be associated with car-sharing services due to occupying as little urban space as possible, were classified as the worst in the ranking. The results support car-sharing operators during the process of completing or upgrading their vehicle fleets.

Electric Vehicles Mileage Extender Kinetic Energy Storage

Abstract The proposed paper considers small urban vehicles with electric hybrid propulsion systems. Energy demands are examined on the basis of European drive cycle (NEUDC) and on an energy recuperation coefficient and are formulated for description of cycle energy transfers. Numerical simulation results show real possibilities for increasing in achievable vehicle mileage at the same energy levels of a main energy source - the electric battery. Kinetic energy storage (KES), as proposed to be used as an energy buffer and different structural schemes of the hybrid propulsion system are commented. Minimum energy levels for primary (the electric battery) and secondary (KES) sources are evaluated. A strategy for reduced power flows control is examined, and its impact on achievable vehicle mileage is investigated. Results show an additional increase in simulated mileage at the same initial energy levels.

Exploring scenarios for the possibility of developing design and production competencies of electrical vehicles in Brazil

The aim of this study is to analyse, under the theoretical foundation of institutional and evolutionary theory, what kind of conditions would be necessary to enable market and develop competencies for electrical vehicles development in Brazil, and the assessment of possible future scenarios. Literature, secondary data documents as well as research on patent basis and interviews with relevant actors of the sector were performed, trying to map and to prospect what kind of competencies are being developed in the country. Results showed that are some small movements made towards the development of electrical mobility in the country, mainly outside traditional automotive sector, but they lack strong coordination and the support from public policies. A possible strategy, with the development of specific products, such as small urban vehicles or applications such as buses or utility vehicles, could be one way to start the development path to a local stronger industry in the near future.

Numerical analysis of the possibility of using an external air bag to protect a small urban vehicle during a collision

Numerical analysis of the possibility of using an external air bag to protect a small urban vehicle during a collision

The marriage of car sharing and hydrogen economy: A possible solution to the main problems of urban living

The hydrogen economy is seeking its killer application, which can break down the ‘chicken and egg problem’, i.e., no hydrogen powered car can be sold if it cannot be refueled, and nobody will invest to a hydrogen refueling station if no one has a hydrogen powered vehicle. The applications like material handling, backup-power, and small stationary combined heat and power (CHP) engines are the most promising candidates, which may show financial return in 3–5 years. The replacement of fossil fuel with hydrogen in the automotive industry offers a substantial reduction of the harmful environmental effects, however, it is still the most challenging because of the absence of the hydrogen infrastructure, the price and the lifetime of the fuel cell (FC) engine and the unsuitable regulations, as well. In this work a new possible market was identified and analyzed in different points of view. This market segment is a car-sharing system operating with small urban vehicles, which not only can solve some environmental problems (e.g., air pollution and CO 2 emission), but also helps to reduce congestion, secure energy supply and ease its distribution. First, a sensitivity analysis was done and the key performance indicators of the system were determined. The financial return of a hydrogen-based car-sharing system was examined carefully as a function of the rated power of the fuel cell power train, the way of hydrogen supply, the cost of the hydrogen and the size of the car fleet. Finally, a possible hydrogen-based car-sharing service was designed and optimized to the downtown of Budapest, Hungary. A sustainable system was proposed, which can satisfy the needs of the business (i.e., profitability) and the environment.

New Technologies for Sustainable Urban Transportation in Europe

In the past few years, the European Commission has financed several projects to examine how new technologies could improve the sustainability of European cities. These technologies concern new public transportation modes such as guided buses to form high-capacity networks similar to light rail but at a lower cost and with better flexibility, personal rapid transit, and cybercars (small urban vehicles with fully automatic driving capabilities to be used in carsharing mode, mostly as a complement to mass transport). They also concern private vehicles with technologies that could improve the efficiency of the vehicles as well as their safety (Intelligent Speed Adaptation, Adaptive Cruise. Control, Stop&Go, Lane Keeping) and how these new vehicles can complement mass transport in the form of carsharing services.

New Technologies for Sustainable Urban Transportation in Europe

In the past few years, the European Commission has financed several projects to examine how new technologies could improve the sustainability of European cities. These technologies concern new public transportation modes such as guided buses to form high-capacity networks similar to light rail but at a lower cost and with better flexibility, personal rapid transit, and cybercars (small urban vehicles with fully automatic driving capabilities to be used in carsharing mode, mostly as a complement to mass transport). They also concern private vehicles with technologies that could improve the efficiency of the vehicles as well as their safety (Intelligent Speed Adaptation, Adaptive Cruise.Control, Stop&Go, Lane Keeping) and how these new vehicles can complement mass transport in the form of carsharing services.

Optimal design of permanent magnet brushless AC machines for electric vehicle applications

Permanent magnet brushless ac machines are ideally suited for traction applications, since they are energy efficient and have a high specific torque and a high peak to continuous torque capability. Further, they can be field-weakened to facilitate constant power operation over an extended speed range without compromising the VA rating of the drive. However, they must be design optimised with due regard to their duty cycle, their thermal management, the volt-ampere constraint of the drive and any space envelope constraints. A design methodology which accommodates these aspects into the electromagnetic design synthesis process has been developed and employed to design a traction machine for a small urban vehicle.

A non-compensatory model of transportation behavior based on sequential consideration of attributes

The proposed model of travel choice behavior is based upon an assumption that individuals compare their choice alternatives on a series of attributes ordered in terms of importance; they eliminate from consideration those alternatives which do not meet their expectation on one or more of the characteristics. The process is repeated with adjusted levels of expectation until only one alternative remains. The model thus incorporates a number of psychological decision axioms which have seldom been applied in models aimed at providing transportation planners with useful information from consumer survey data. Estimates of parameters defining distributions of expectation levels in a population of travelers are generated using a nonlinear optimization technique. The technique is demonstrated to provide estimates which replicate well the choices of travelers in two different contexts: choice of hypothetical concepts of small urban vehicles and choice of destination for shopping trips within an urban area.

Consumer preferences relative to the price and network capability of small urban vehicles

Preferences of consumers for small urban vehicle concepts differing only with respect to their hypothetical purchase prices and network capabilities (i.e., whether they are capable of operating on expressways, major arterials or local streets) are analyzed using statistical techniques based on psychological scaling theories. Results from these analyses indicate that a vast majority of consumers are not readily willing to give up the accessibility provided by conventional automobiles. More specifically, over the range of hypothetical prices considered here, network capability dominates as a determinant of preferences for vehicle concepts. Also, the ability to operate vehicles on expressways is of utmost importance to consumers.