Phileas - a new concept for high quality public transport Phileas Concept
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On this page the Phileas Concept is described in general. More detailed information can be found by using the hyperlinks on this page.
all-wheel steering and guidance logistics and passenger information
In
order to
attract more passengers, for economic feasibility and to prevent pollution, an
advanced public transport system should be:
For
Advanced Public Transport Systems (APTS) the customer's needs are the
demands of the transport concept. The customer wants to move as fast as possible
from point A to B. The customer also requires reliability and comfort. The price
is not the most important issue. Information is important too. The passenger
wants to be informed in the vehicle, but also at the stops. The goal of most modern governments is to guaranty transport for
everyone, to save the environment and to reduce traffic jams. Innovations in
these fields are often
The
Phileas modular concept consists of body modules, subframe modules for the axles
and a modular hybrid driveline. With these modules different variants can be built,
with different passenger capacity and a vehicle length of 18 m, 24 m or 25.5 m respectively. Two of the length variants have been built for
the Dutch market; the 18 m version and the 24 m version. The maximum
length for single-articulated busses in Europe is 18.0 m. In Europe there is no
legislation for the maximum length of double articulated busses. This is regulated Nationally in every
individual country. In the United States a length of 60 ft (18.29 m) is allowed for
single-articulated busses.
Pictures
of Phileas product range.
More
pictures of the Phileas exterior and interior design.
The
Phileas has a modular lightweight body construction. Application of composite
body shells for structural body parts has a number of advantages:
The monocoque hull
also meets all the requirements regarding to isolation, fire resistance and
recycling. Crash tests have proofed a superior resistance against side-impact
accidents with passenger cars. A service life of at least 20 years is guaranteed
for the Phileas body.
All-wheel Steering and Guidance
The
Phileas has an electronic lane assistance and precision docking system with
all-wheel steering. Electronic guidance, electric propulsion and dedicated lanes
give the Phileas all the advantages of rail transport, while maintaining the low
investment costs and flexibility of bus transport. While driving in automatic
mode, the Phileas automatically follows a predetermined trajectory, so that the
lane-width required is small, only 6.4 m for two-way dedicated lanes at 70 km/h.
The system is based on magnetic plugs in the road surface and works with speeds
up to 80 km/hr and under most weather conditions, even with snow on the road
surface. The investment costs in the infrastructure are much lower than those associated with rail. Because the Phileas can also operate without guidance, the
infrastructural
hardware can be introduced in phases. In spite of the length of the articulated Phileas vehicles,
the maneuverability is just as good as a standard city bus and much better than
conventional light-rail vehicles. The minimum turning radius is less than 12 m,
with a swept path of less than 4.5 m.
Video of Phileas in automatic mode (mpg, 1.8 Mb, ±6 minutes download time with 56k modem)
The
Phileas is designed with a modular electric-hybrid driveline, of which all the
wheels (except the front wheels) are driven by electric motors separately.
Application of an modular electric-hybrid driveline on multiple-articulated
public transport vehicles has a number of advantages:
The
electric driveline enables the vehicles to brake and accelerate very gradually,
without noticeable jerk. The hybrid driveline provides for electrical power,
without the need of overhead cables. Electrical power is generated by an
economic and environmentally friendly internal combustion engine (ICE), which
drives a generator. In addition an storage system provides a secondary source of
energy. On deceleration the braking energy is fed back into the storage
equipment. The Phileas can also run purely on the electric power of the storage
system over a short distance, like in the middle of a town, or in a garage, and
thus operate 100% emission free. Because of the hybrid driveline and the low empty weight, the Phileas has a lower energy consumption than a conventional
vehicle with the same capacity and equipment. The
modular driveline can be equipped with an LPG, petrol, or diesel combustion
engine, and on the longer term also with a fuel cell system. As an energy
storage system the Phileas can be equipped with a Ni-MeH battery or a flywheel.
Video of Phileas on infrastructure (mpg, 1.7 Mb, ±5½ minutes download time with 56k modem)
Logistics
and Passenger Information
Services
on commuter-routes are expected to be high-speed, high-frequent, regular and
punctual. Passengers also want smooth connections with other forms of transport.
The control system optimizes this process and ensures that the vehicles travel
at optimum intervals. Electronic guidance also means, that the place where the
vehicles are traveling can always be accurately known, both in the vehicles and
in the central control room. The Phileas can be equipped with a punctuality
assistance system. This system provides information to the driver which can be
used to adjust his speed, in order to follow the timetable as accurately as
possible. Information about the technical status of all the vehicles can be
transmitted to the central control room. In case of any problem which affects the
punctuality the central control room
knows this instantaneously and they can take the appropriate countermeasures
immediately. The punctuality information of the vehicles can also be
used for dynamic passenger information system at the stops and in the vehicles. Electronic payment in the vehicles or at the
stops will ensure rapid boarding.
Last update: 26/11/02
Number of visitors since October 24, 2002:
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