CELVE P100 SELF-SUPPORTING CHASSIS DEVELOPMENT

CELVE P100 SELF-SUPPORTING CHASSIS DEVELOPMENT SUMMARY I. Research Area and Objectives The low weight limit regulations of the L7e vehicle category provide little opportunity for manufacturers to achieve profitable production within this category. The weight limit does not allow for the use of lower-cost, easily accessible, and applicable materials that have higher mass. Despite the wide range of potential applications for lightweight electric vehicles, they are currently not included in European manufacturers' plans due to the high development costs and time requirements. The fundamental requirement for this category is that the vehicle’s unladen mass must not exceed 400 kg—excluding the battery mass for electric vehicles—and the maximum useful motor power must be no more than 15 kW. Our research primarily focused on exploring whether a self-supporting chassis system could be implemented using simple steel structures while remaining financially viable for vehicle production within this category. II. Development Area The primary objective of the development was to create a chassis structure not exceeding 90 kg, specifically for L7e-CP vehicles (heavy quadricycles intended for passenger transport), with a focus on passenger transport applications. III. Development Purpose and Usability The developed self-supporting chassis structure, due to its well-thought-out design, meets all static, load-bearing, and resistance requirements with a total weight of less than 90 kg. The innovative structure allows the vehicle to be classified in the L7e category, significantly enabling more cost-effective production. IV. Prototype During prototype production, external design and styling development were also completed. The "vintage" design elements were successfully created, effectively defining the vehicle's character as intended. The prototype manufacturing utilized state-of-the-art fiberglass-reinforced plastic technologies. The well-chosen technology resulted in additional weight savings, which can be leveraged for further technological development. The mechanical and load testing of the two completed prototypes confirmed that the measured and observed results met expectations. The sectioning of components and the finalization of the parts list were carried out after processing the test results. During the manufacturing process, potential production difficulties were identified and eliminated, optimizing conditions for series production. V. Summary of Development Results The development and testing proved that a self-supporting chassis structure weighing less than 90 kg can be created using commonly available steel construction materials, while fully complying with automotive load and static performance requirements. Electronic modeling and mechanical load tests were conducted. We examined vertical load-bearing capacity in both directions, as well as all lateral loads. Independent laboratories performed crash and impact tests. Test loads considered all typical and even unusual but possible force impacts on the structure. A fundamental requirement was that the structure must remain within the defined deformation zones under full load and at maximum speed under calculated stress conditions. While maintaining safety as a primary concern, we applied numerous technological innovations to achieve the required stability while keeping the weight low. The lightweight structure offers several advantages, including increased range and improved driving stability. The measured values for straight-line tracking and cornering stability met technical expectations. With minimal modifications, the chassis system is suitable for multipurpose applications (e.g., light truck, single-row seating, enclosed structure, etc.). Among the prototype vehicles, a small cargo transport configuration was also developed for testing purposes.