SCARAB by David Gonçalves, Portugal

2010: Electrifying! Beautiful, Innovative & Radiant.

Drawing on Display at Michelin Challenge Design™

Biography

David Gonçalves is a Portuguese Product/Concept Designer. After engaging in a mechanical engineering degree for two years, he changed course and graduated in 2004 from the College of Fine Arts in Lisbon with a BA in Product design.

While engaged in his course, he worked for an Architecture Studio in Lisbon City Hall and collaborated in a series of projects with DASEIN, a design studio also in Lisbon.

In 2005, David started to work as in-house industrial designer for L.A. Iluminação, a company known as Lustrarte localized in Marinha Grande – Portugal, and developed for them a new collection of decorative fixtures along with the newly created brand LumLighting.

In September 2008, he was awarded a Master of Science in Design and Transport with Distinction, from Coventry University, in the UK, with the project SCARAB.

Since May 2009, David works as a 3D artist at Blue Koi – Unit Collective, in Lisbon.
David is also co-founder of the creative collective “ORIZEIN” where he develops his personal work.

Some of his recognitions include:

• Emergency food pack that won a merit prize in the ReAl13 competition, featured in the Milan Design week 2005
• Project Grasshopper, an electric bicycle for commuters which won a merit prize on the 12th IBDC in Taipei, Taiwan, and currently undergoing a study for mass production in South Korea by EZ-Up bicycle company.
• The “PHOENIX”, a futuristic car that won the first prize of the Michelin Challenge Design 2009. The quarter scale model was exhibited in the North American International Auto Show 2009, in Detroit, as part of the Michelin Challenge Design Stand. (project in collaboration with Niels Grubak)

Description

SCARAB is a holistic solution for urban transport composed of an innovative vehicle and infrastructure, sustainable and adaptable to various urban environments. The vehicle allows users to have freedom of use much like a motorcycle but with the convenience of having an enclosed private space and luggage compartments.

SCARAB has different operating positions depending on speed. It parks vertically for easy ingress and egress and optimization of public space and it tilts when curving or changing direction.

The infrastructure has communication nodes spread through roadways and traffic management centers in major conurbations. These dedicated paths have electromagnetic transponders embedded in the road. The parking facilities have solar/wind power generators to improve energetic sustainability.

When circulating in the dedicated virtual pathways (DVPs), the SCARAB is controlled by a computer center. Outside of the DVPs, the SCARAB is controlled by the user like other vehicles. SCARAB is composed of interchangeable modules, customized by the potential buyer/user, including a Powerpack module composed of a permanent battery plus three options for the main energy pack (battery, biofuel ICE or a fuel cell). It has four-wheel drive through electric brushless in-wheel motors with direct-drive, regenerative braking through EW Brakes and independent suspension on four wheels that allows for the tilting.

The system allows the renting of the vehicle or modules that permits a private/public/mixed utilization and transport access for people with less financial resources.

Vehicle Specifications

• The vehicle is composed of interchangeable modules that can be customized by the potential buyer/user.
• Powerpack module composed of a permanent battery plus 3 options for the main energy pack (battery, biofuel ICE or a fuel cell).
• 4 wheel drive through electric brushless in-wheel motors with directdrive.
• Wheels with regenerative braking through EW Brakes.
• Drive by wire and tactile HUD embedded in the Lexan canopy.
• Structural elements in Carbon-Aramid composite.
• Embedded sensors, Lidar, radar, transponders, GPS. These serve to exchange information with the system, with other drivers and to have precise location data.

Infrastructure

• Communication nodes spread through roadways and traffic management centres in major conurbations.
• Dedicated paths with electromagnetic transponders embedded in the road.
• Parking facilities with solar/wind power generators.
• High speed/long distance travel provided through a railroad interface (not yet developed).

System

• Renting of the vehicle or modules that allows for a private/public/mixed utilization and transport access for people with less financial resources.
• Doesn’t need new infrastructures (uses the existing roads).

Is backward compatible with current transport systems and uses current day technologies.