I've been considering the Robotaxi platform. In part because some videos have been circulating that discussed the topic.
The Wuling Air EV is one data point, if Tesla made a car of similar size with similar specs it would be cheap:-
Wednesday was a perfect storm of unexpected Form 4s the night before, FTX unraveling, and CPI fear. I thinks it’s more likely retail sold in the 170s (in the form of margin calls and options losses) and institutions loaded up back to the 190s, than the other way around. That's my guess as...
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Of the videos that I have seen Sandy Munro makes so points that I agree with:-
- Rear facing seats are currently illegal, but it is worth trying to change this.
- A dedicated 'city car' design makes some sense.
- A 'city car' could have a top speed limited to 45 Mph and should not be able to travel on highways.
- Stainless steel is heavy and expensive.
- Drag isn't a major consideration at low speeds -Sandy prefers a "Box like" shape
"Box like" is a fairly good description of the Wuling.
Where I disagree with Sandy is I think that the right body construction technique can allow the body to be larger while still being light weight and to have a bit more of an aerodynamic design.
The right design is some mix of the Wuling, Model 3, Cybertruck and a van- I lean toward being more "van like".
In common with the Wuling is a narrower vehicle with a smaller fontal area, there are some small vans with a similar width.
In addition to conventional seating I would like rear facing bench seat at they very front of the car for the Robotaxi variant, For that variant I'm happy to trade agree to a 45 mile speed limit and no highway driving. The regular version of the car would replace the bench seat with a dashboard.
The other area of the Robotaxi worth considering is the side doors, which need to be electronically opened when the vehicle is stopped.
There are 4 door options:-
- Regular doors (how to open and close).
- Doors similar to bus doors.
- Doors similar to sliding van side doors.
- Doors which are like the Cybertruck automatic bed cover.
Doors could be different depending on how the vehicle is used.
For the vehicle body, I take inspiration from aluminium speed boats, unpainted aluminium is similar to unpainted stainless steel.
Rivets/welds might be visible, but a wrap can cover them up.
Also the fact that some cars are made unpainted, does not mean all need to be unpainted, Paint is obviously an option the buyer can select, but Robotaxis don't need to be painted. The factory would need a paint shop, but not on day 1, and not for the total vehicle capacity.
The reason for aluminium instead of stainless steel is weight and cost. Glass would also be minimised with an aluminium roof.
Body structure comes from cast aluminium sections bolted together with steel reinforcement added where necessary, but only if it is strictly necessary.
Minimising the use of steel and glass helps make the body light and cheap,.
A smaller battery is also used with LMFP being a good candidate chemistry.
Aspects like windows, seats and trim are adapted to the budget, with budget being the priority.
Compared to the Wuling, I expect a bigger and safer car with better aesthetics and tech.