3P vehicle design and prototype

The 3P (People Parcels Pooling) vehicle design and prototype project consists of designing and prototyping a new concept of a 12-seat electric bus with the flexibility to transport people and parcels more efficiently and sustainably.

The project aims to develop a bus concept and prototype. Thanks to a research study on users, market, competition, standards and regulations, the project has defined a framework for design engineering and manufacturing.

Nexport engineers will lead structural changes to an existing bus. The University of NSW (UNSW) team will work on designing and prototyping new and innovative components that support the 3P concept with components like folding seat-shelves, cargo mesh, adaptable lighting, and a utility space for the driver.

Participants

• • Nexport
  • University of NSW

Project background

Nexport is an electric vehicle manufacturer that is continuously innovating in developing new vehicle products that are versatile in the market. Nexport has embarked on this exciting project to develop a transformable vehicle that can serve logistics and personal mobility needs.

This will help drive Australian mobility innovation, manufacturing and overall reduce vehicle footprints towards a sustainable future. The research team of UNSW is exploring the perspective of design-driven innovation as the new innovative approach for the competitiveness of Australian companies within the international market.

Thanks to this project, Nexport and UNSW have the possibility to apply in a real-life situation a design-driven innovation process for the development of an innovative 3P electric vehicle. The project aims targets a market opportunity with an innovative human-centric co-design methodology. It brings the company and the university together to better answer to the varying needs of users and customers with a sustainable and flexible electric vehicle.

The project includes a rapid concept study, and the design and development of a vehicle prototype that can serve multiple mobility needs.

Project objectives

• Market analysis of needs with a specific research study on users and standards/regulations, with the aim to identify a set of requirements for the design engineering of components (folding seat-shelves, cargo mesh, adaptive LED lighting, and a utility space for the driver).
• An integrated design engineering activity involving structural changes to a bus, combined with the genuine concept design study of the seating, storage space, adaptable lighting, cargo mesh, and driver area utility space. The aim is to implement requirements from the user study to explore several options of solutions, selecting the best in terms of technical and economic feasibility.
• A user test study with the aim to collect feedback from potential users during the design engineering process, specifically to validate solutions and decisions.
• Prototype the concept by building innovative components into an EV 12-seat bus selected by Nexport in its network of suppliers. The prototyping aims to validate solutions in a real-life environment, support decision making against physical limitations and opportunities of the selected vehicle platform and evaluating the practical result with potential users.

Please note …

This page will be a living record of this project. As it matures, hits milestones, etc., we’ll continue to add information, links, images, interviews and more. Watch this space!