Gordon Murray Design and its consortium partners Delta Motorsport and itMoves are set to unveil ‘MOTIV’, a unique and extremely versatile autonomous vehicle platform at the MOVE 2020 show in London on the 11th and 12th of February.
Part-funded through the UK-government’s ‘IDP14’ programme, the new platform breaks the mould for future mobility development by creating a cost-effective, ultra-lightweight quadricycle vehicle platform that is designed to meet car crash safety requirements. Alongside its industry-leading safety credentials, the new fully-electric unit is targeting significant cost savings and improved refinement over its rivals, while delivering the range capabilities, platform flexibility and plug-and-play versatility required by autonomous customers with personal mobility or commercial delivery requirements.
Designed with autonomy in mind, MOTIV is a single-seater ‘pod’, which provides the versatility of either personal transportation or last-mile deliveries. Engineered using Gordon Murray Design’s iStream Superlight technology, the vehicle’s single-seater layout provides a private mobility experience for people moving through busy cities, many of whom typically travel in larger combustion-engined vehicles with single occupancy. MOTIV has the potential to significantly reduce congestion and emissions in city centres due to its fully-electric powertrain and compact footprint. The 1,628mm high pod measures just 2,537mm in length, with a width of 1,310mm.
Due to its compact footprint and layout, MOTIV offers greater flexibility than any of its rivals. To further increase its practicality, MOTIV can be adapted in the future to seat multiple occupants; for wheelchair use; or even for commercial deliveries. In its goods transportation form, the platform can be altered to enable maximum load capacity, creating a volume of more than 1,100 litres.
For Mobility as a Service (MaaS) providers, MOTIV offers a unique proposition due to its compact size, extensive versatility and capable range. MOTIV provides the opportunity for MaaS providers to use a product that is ready for immediate adaptation to driverless use with any form of autonomous technology. MOTIV is the first of its kind to offer this degree of integration simplicity. To support its transition to autonomous road use, the consortium aims to partner with autonomous technology providers for multiple pilot studies. Dependent on application and legislation, this will be the vehicle’s final development stage ahead of mass production within two to five years.
MOTIV is powered by a 20kW electric motor, and will be equipped with a 17.3kWh liquid-cooled battery pack providing a potential range of up to 100km. It will operate at speeds of up to 40mph (65kph), making it ideal for operating in urban and suburban locations. It is equipped with CCS charging capability and can recharge from 20% to 80% battery in just 40 minutes.
Professor Gordon Murray CBE, Chairman of Gordon Murray Group, said: “MOTIV has the potential to transform future mobility. The best way to make any vehicle commercially viable and cost-effective, while delivering first-class efficiency, is to make it as light as it can be while retaining the highest levels of safety. With MOTIV we have used our iStream technologies to create ultra-lightweight panels and a body structure that delivers a vehicle that is compact, refined, safe and versatile, while remaining capable of significant range.”
Nick Carpenter, Engineering Director, Delta Motorsport, commented: “In developing the MOTIV, we’ve demonstrated that the future of mobility is lightweight, battery-powered and private. The control systems integrated into the platform prove that electrified vehicles need not be heavy and cumbersome, but can be lithe, lightweight and energy saving. MOTIV’s ‘plug-and-play’ high-voltage system makes it a truly viable solution to the world of autonomous driving.”
Jose Paris, Director of itMoves commented: “The MOTIV design philosophy is based on three points: small footprint, first class interior, and a city-friendly image. The small size takes advantage of the fact that most people commute and move around by themselves. Space in cities is at a premium, and it should not be wasted on empty seats. The spacious interior is comfortable and provides an up-to-date user experience, acting as a ‘third space’, to move around, work or relax in. Lastly, it is all wrapped up in a city (and citizen) friendly visual language that connects and integrates the vehicle with its surroundings in a non-threatening way.”
