Vehicle Features
ULTra vehicles are four wheeled with rubber pneumatic tyres, front-wheel steering and conventional damped spring suspension. They comprise an aluminium ladder frame chassis on which the majority of the vehicle propulsion and guidance equipment is mounted. Sitting on top of the chassis is an aluminium honeycomb floor. The above floor level is constructed of a steel frame and an ABS panel body that can be fitted with single side or double side electric doors.
Off-the-shelf technology, mostly from the automotive industry, provides mature, well proven and reliable systems and components.
Powertrain and Energy Systems
- ‘7kW’ Synchronous AC Drive Motor (Typical average motive power use < 2kW)
- Solid State Drive Controller / Inverter
- 4 x 45Ah Starved Electrolyte Lead Acid Traction Batteries (rear mounted) 48V nominal
- Automatic Charging Connection System
- Fixed ratio transaxle assembly
- Front Wheel Drive.
Braking Systems
- Drive motor regenerative braking
- Fail Safe Electromagnetic ‘hold off’ Motor Brake (1)
- Fail Safe Electromagnetic ‘hold off’ Rear Wheel Brakes (2)
- Safety interlocks between brakes, motor and doors.
Chassis, Suspension and Steering Systems
- Fabricated Aluminium ‘Ladder Frame’ lower chassis with structural Aluminium Honeycomb floor and bulkhead Panels
- Separate Front and Rear Aluminium fabricated subframes with mountings for suspension, steering, motor/ transmission and batteries
- Bumper structure designed to progressively absorb impact energy and limit passenger deceleration
- Welded Steel tubular upper frame to support exterior and interior bodywork, side doors and front / rear hatches
- Double Wishbone suspension Front and Rear using predominantly aluminium machined wishbones, coil over damper units and standard automotive joints, bearings and bushes
- Rack and Pinion steering gear operated by Automotive Electric Power Steering unit
- 13" Wheels with automotive tubeless radial (135x70R13) tyres.
Vehicle chassis and frame under construction at ARRK.
Exterior Body, Doors and Glazing
An ULTra vehicle with the doors open, showing off the high-quality glazing.
- Body panels constructed in self coloured ABS with high gloss Acrylic capping
- Vacuum formed exterior panels bonded to vehicle structure
- Twin leaf plug and slide doors
- Doors actuated by dc motors through reduction gearbox and locking linkage system
- Microprocessor controlled door operation
- Door leaves constructed of ABS panel, steel reinforcement and bonded laminated (tinted) glass
- Flashing door header rail warning
- Vacuum formed tinted Acrylic ‘Quarter Window’ glazing
- External vehicle operating lights (Front White and Amber, Rear Red and Amber).
Interior and Passenger Controls
A view of the vehicle interior.
- Interior panels vacuum formed from grey, grained ABS
- Seats facing front and rear providing flexible accommodation for 4 adults
- Illuminating Door / Control switches
- Illuminating Communication / Alarm switches at both ends of vehicle (diagonal pair front right and rear left)
- Cabin speakers (one with each communication panel), ceiling mounted inductive loop and microphone for passenger communication
- Internal and externally releasable emergency exit (locked while vehicle in motion)
- Passenger information LCD screen
- Internal lighting sufficient for reading
- Vehicle signs / symbols and information labels
- Non-slip easy clean floor covering
- Cabin heating, ventilation and air conditioning
- Cabin smoke detector, emergency fire extinguisher and two internal CCTV monitoring cameras mounted in ceiling to monitor all of cabin
- Weight sensors to monitor vehicle loading and prevent operation if overloaded.
Control and Guidance
- Autonomous guidance, navigation and control unit using a combination of sensors for navigation
- Condition and performance monitoring of vehicle components and systems
- Automatic Vehicle Protection System to prevent collision between vehicles on guideway
- Wireless communication system for 2-way data, passenger comms and command exchange between vehicle and system central control.
