HOST PROJECT

About HOST

HOST – Human Oriented Sustainable Transport is a vehicle prototype created thanks to an investment of 3.5 million euros (of which 2 from the European Commission, provided under the 7th Framework Program of Applied Research). HOST is a vehicle designed to work 24 hours per day in urban areas, based on the concepts of flexibility and modularity. Both concepts reflect the human activity in an urban area imposing upon the vehicle’s design an exchangeable typology that make it suitable to perform several different missions. The possibility to easily vary the platform main dimension enables HOST to be equipped with very different bodyworks, thus providing new services for mobility and goods transportation in towns, organizing in a sustainable and more rational way the urban motorized traffic.

History and evolution

The idea was born in 1998 with a national project that proposed for the first time the idea of a “motorized platform” with electric motors integrated in the wheels and the possibility of maneuvering in rotation and translation.  From 2003 to 2009 HOST was financed by the European Commission. The Project had 9 international partners coordinated by CIRPS.

The prototype was presented at the “Innovation Cube” area of the Bologna Motor Show in 2008, Which was fully covered by national media and press. 

Strategic objective: creation of a spin-off company

HOST has been exhibited as Italian technological excellence at the Museum of Science of the Future “Miraikan” in Tokyo. Now it must generate entrepreneurial activity in Italy, as a university spin-off.

Key features:

  • It has a single platform for a modular multi-purpose urban vehicle, which can be configured, in a very short time (minutes), as a collective taxi or car sharing vehicle, as a school bus, a light goods distributor or light waste collector;
  • Minimized dimensions allow mobility even in urban streets with a narrow track;
  • Maximum mobility thanks to the possibility of rotating the 4 (independent) wheels (the wheels each contain an independent electric motor, for traction and rotation, which reduces the overall dimensions of the vehicle significantly;
  • It can be a zero-emission vehicle with a completely “clean” operating cycle, in its configuration with “green” fuel cells and hydrogen;
  • “Full drive by wire solution” commands.

HOST prototype is going to be developed in its second generation version, looking at the industrial application.

Watch the video

The prototype at H2 Roma Event

Back to the benning

Figure 1. Front view protoype 2007

Figure 2. Back view protoype 2007

Figure 3. Prototype, december 2006

Figure 4. Prototype 2006

Chassis construction, assembly and painting

Figure 5. Wood model construction of a chassis part

Figure 6. Construction of the shock absorber location

Figure 7. Wood models

Figure 8. Cast iron models

Figure 9. Construction of the chassis lateral part

Figure 10. Construction of the chassis lateral part

Figure 11. Steel chassis construction. Beating phase

Figure 12. Construction of the chassis lateral part

Figure 13. Weld of the chassis components_01

Figure 14. Weld of the chassis components

Figure 15. Weld of the chassis components

Figure 16. Chassis painting_01

Figure 17. Chassis painting

Figure 18. Chassis painting

Figure 19. Power components, december 2006_01

Figure 20. Power components, december 2006_02

Figure 21. Power components, december 2006_03

Figure 22. Power components, december 2006_04

Wheel corner assembly

Figure 23. The chassis and one mounted wheel corner_01

Figure 24. The chassis and one mounted wheel corner_02

Figure 25. The chassis and one mounted wheel corner_03

Figure 26. The chassis and one mounted wheel corner_04

Wheel motor construction, assembly and testing

Figure 27. Wheel motor construction

Figure 28. Construction of the home made socket of the motor inverter

Figure 29. Wheel motor assembly

Figure 30. Wheel motor testing

Figure 31. Test of the motor inverter

Figure 32. Wheel motor assembly, 2007

Figure 33. Assembled Wheel_01

Figure 34. Assembled Wheel_02

Figure 35. Wheel corner_01

Figure 36. Wheel corner_02

Figure 37. Wheel corner_03

Figure 38. Wheel corner_04

ICE generator assembly

Figure 39. ICE generator assembly, 2007_01

Figure 40. ICE generator assembly, 2007_02

Figure 41. ICE generator assembly, 2007_03

Figure 42. ICE generator assembly, 2007_04

Electronics

Figure 43. Steering attuators

Figure 44. Motor and DBW control units_01

Figure 45. Motor and DBW control units_02

Figure 46. Motor and DBW control units_03

Figure 47. Motor and DBW control units_04

Figure 48. Electronic controls allocated

Figure 49. Cabin

Other components

Figure 50. ICE

Figure 51. Inverter cooling system

Figure 52. Generator and ICE cooling system

Figure 53. Fuel Tank over the ultracapacitor

Figure 54. Fuel Tank and the ultracapacitors

Figure 55. Ultracapaciros

Figure 56. Mechanical emergency brake

Figure 57. Plug in

Full vehicle

Figure 58. Steering, drive by wire_01

Figure 59. Steering, drive by wire_02

Figure 60. Full prototype, november 2007

Figure 61. Back of the full prototype, november 2007

HOST events

 

Figure 62. Lisbon auto show, 2005

Figure 63. Lisbon auto show, 2005

Figure 64. HOST stand at H2roma workshop, 2007 edition

Figure 65. HOST stand at H2roma workshop, 2007 edition

Figure 66. HOST stand TRA 2008, in Ljubljana

Figure 67. HOST stand TRA 2008, in Ljubljana
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