REENGINEERING THE CONCEPT OF URBAN CARS: A CASE STUDY

Based on a previously developed mathematical model for fuel consumption of a modular car, here we discuss the cross impacts of engineering scenarios vs. flexibility in use for modular vehicle architectures to achieve the reduction of CO2 emissions targeted by the European Union, in 2009. A systems perspective is adopted in conceptualizing a modular architecture of vehicles. From a theoretical viewpoint, we found modular architecture of vehicles a potential design strategy to minimize fuel inefficiencies and, thus, a strategy for design for environment.

The authors acknowledge support from the Foundation for Science and Technology, Lisbon, Portugal, through the 3º Quadro Comunitário de Apoio and the POCTI and FEDER programmes, project PEst-C/CTM/LA0025/2011, and under the research Grants PEst-C/MAT/UI0144/2011 and SFRH/BD/33730/2009. Further thanks to the MIT-Portugal Program (www.mitportugal.org), and the COMPETE program from the European Regional Development Fund.