Revise
Revise is a re-examination of current personal transportation vehicles. It aims to reduce the amount of raw material that is required in the auto industry and still allow an individual to enjoy the benefits of traditional car ownership.
The Problem
70 million vehicles are produced every single year.
In comparison, If you consumed the same amount of material in cellphone purchases over the same 3 years, you would need to purchase a phone every 2.5 hours.
Most vehicles are replaced every 3-5 years. At this point, an internal combustion engine (I.C.E.) has onlyused around half of its typical lifespan.
On average, each vehicle uses around 4000 lbs of material. Approximately only 25% of this comes from recycled material.
This equates to 210 billion lbs of previously un-mined material being consumed every year by the auto industry.
On top of all this, 57.5% of American households have two or more vehicles.
Solution Criteria
Reduce the amount of material that is used to produce a new vehicle.
Extend the amount of time that material stays with the consumer.
Consider the consumer, and enable their habits, desires, and needs.
The Solution
Revise is a modular electric drive system that can be easily removed or attached to a vehicle body/chassis. This unique configuration allows a consumer to replace their vehicle body/chassis as needed/wanted but keep their still functioning drivetrain. This both reduces the amount of material required to produce new vehicles, and reduces the amount of material each individual will require in their lifetime.
Electric Powered
The unique nature of the Revise Drive Unit means that it must use and electric motor. This however, is not a drawback, in fact, it only adds to the list of benefits and possibilities of Revise.
With only one moving part, electric motors are mechanically simple. This means they are less likely to break down and last longer than traditional engines.
Electric motors can receive power from any DC power source meaning that as battery technology improves there’s no need to replace existing motors.
With 100 MPGE and absolutely zero tailpipe emissions, BEVs can be significantly more environmentally friendly than traditional vehicles.
Battery electric vehicles (BEVs) also have the added benefit of having much lower running costs. To cover the same distance, electricity will cost about 1/3 the price of gasoline.
Each self contained unit consists of one electric hub motor, electronic motor controller, individual steering mechanism, and independent suspension. This assembly creates a modular drive unit that can be easily removed or interchanged.
Benefits
Swapping
This setup allows a drivetrain of four units to be swapped from one chassis to another with minimal effort. This in combination with the longevity of an electric motor means that when it comes time to upgrade or replace your vehicle you can simply install your already owned drive units onto a new chassis. This significantly reduces the amount of material required in producing a new vehicle and as an added benefit could reduce the cost of buying a new vehicle.
Control
With speed, steering, and suspension being directly but individually controlled by one computer, Revise has greater control over the vehicle than any other drivetrain. Safety features like traction control, anti-lock brakes and stability control now have the benefit of perfectly controlling every variable in each wheel.
Movement
With independent steering on all four wheels, new types of movements become possible. Zero degree turns along with strafing allow you to maneuver your vehicle in tight spaces or gently merge into a new lane of traffic.
Repair
In the unfortunate event of an accident, each drive unit may be easily removed for inspection, then repaired or replaced if any damage has occurred. This can reduce the likelihood of an accident resulting in a total loss of your vehicle.
Dynamic
Combining an automatic height adjustable suspension with megneto-rheological shock absorber technology allows vehicles to lean into fast corners creating a safer ride. On smaller vehicles, that lean can be pushed even further creating a dynamic thrilling ride akin to a motorcycle. As an added bonus, this set up means there’s no complicated mechanical linkages connecting one wheel to another, meaning you get a smoother, gentler ride.
Models and Displays
The project included an exhibition where designers could display projects they had been working on. I decided to make a full scale model as well as a “works like” model to better communicate the design and abilities of Revise.
