Washington: Students from a joint research programme between Technische Universitat Muenchen and Singapore`s Nanyang Technological University have unveiled an all-new multipurpose scooter at the 3rd Taiwan International Electric Vehicle Show.
The prototype scooter has been codenamed VOI, which comes from the Vietnamese word for elephant - a symbol of a safe and intelligent mean of transport.
The design brief for the VOI was to develop a two-wheel transporter, which is as agile and affordable as a scooter and, at the same time, as safe and comfortable as a car.
With its compact size and maneuverability, the two-wheel concept vehicle is designed as a transport for densely populated cities and offers a solution to metropolises where traffic is a major problem.
Positioning the driver behind allows for a compact design and the use of an enclosed passenger cabin that shields occupants from the elements.
The enclosure also offers added rigidity and stiffness to the vehicle chassis, which provides additional passenger protection.
The scooter can also address the `First/Last Mile Problem,` where it complements an existing metro railway and public transport system, to offer commuters intermediate transportation between the stations to their destinations.
Its modular front pod can be swapped for a cargo box or even a mobile kitchen, which makes it a multipurpose vehicle.
It also reduces pollution within a metropolis with zero tailpipe emissions and due to its lightweight design, it is capable of reaching a nominal range of 80 km and has a maximum speed of 45 km/h.
ANI
