The latest in electric urban transportation, the Protean 360+, has been introduced by Protean Electric and NEVS. It provides complete 360-degree steering for vehicle maneuverability and can lower itself to curb level, also allowing front, rear and side access into vehicles.
SWEDEN — In June, Swedish electric vehicle manufacturer, NEVS, acquired the British in-wheel motor technology company Protean Electric. Now, Protean announces the first major news after the acquisition: an advanced electric-drive corner module, designed for next-generation urban mobility pods.
Protean 360+ provides limitless 360-degree steering for exceptional vehicle maneuverability. Pneumatic ride-height control enables “kneeling” for stepless curb-to-vehicle access. Compact module allows for front, rear and side access into vehicles. Operators will be able to offer versatile transport to users with impaired mobility.
Next-generation urban transport vehicles will be tasked with smoothly and efficiently moving people and goods around busy cities, and a new 360-degree steering unit could help optimize the design and maneuverablity of these urban pods.
The Protean360+ is a “corner module” that features a limitless 360-degree steering capability, and combines this with an innovative suspension set-up, pneumatic ride-height control and a highly efficient and powerful in-wheel electric motor. The module’s compact size will allow an urban pod to have an entirely flat interior floor and offer easy access via front, rear and side doors.
The exceptional maneuverability enabled by the 360-degree steering system allows the vehicle to spin within its own footprint, helping it to negotiate extremely tight urban streets and park in tight spaces with curb-side precision. Once stationary, its ride-height control enables the pod to “kneel,” dropping the vehicle entry-point to curb level for easy loading of heavy or cumbersome loads and stepless access for passengers with impaired mobility.
“Transport-as-a-Service urban mobility is gaining momentum, and with it the need for a new class of urban transport vehicles,” said KY Chan, CEO of Protean Electric. “Whether shared or private, for passengers or goods deliveries, human-driven or autonomous, these new vehicles will require new technologies to be fit for purpose. The Protean360+ corner module was borne from our team’s innovative thinking about how to meet the requirements for these next-generation urban vehicles.”
NEVS AB said it will use Proteans technologies in future vehicles, when it is considered appropriate.
