457:
25:
17:
521:
222:
234:
422:
69:
478:
96:
81:
448:, used a shortened VW platform as a basis. The front of the chassis was cut off and replaced by a taller structure of welded square steel tube. This made the front end vertically stiffer and the suspension was replaced by one based on Chevrolet parts, although still with double trailing arms. The Meyers Manx was widely copied and most of these copies retained the full VW platform and VW front suspension.
347:. The first 1945 civilian Beetle used a platform chassis which stopped short of the rear wheels and which had a central stiffening tube. This tube extended rearwards as a Y-shaped fork, which passed each side of the transaxle and to the engine mounts. The rear swing axles were also held at their outboard ends by flat plate trailing arms, which were pivoted on the ends of a crosswise tube, containing the
148:) or a central spine (e.g. VW Beetle). Longitudinal rigidity is more critical than transverse rigidity and so this stiffening is mostly as front to back girders, rather than crosswise. The diaphragm sheet is usually pressed into shallow stiffening ridges as well, but these are mostly to stop drumming noise and are too minor to provide major structural strength.
412:
front suspension. This increased front luggage capacity by nearly 50%, also due to a slightly lengthened front bonnet, but the upper mounts of the struts now coupled suspension forces into the inner wing panels of bodyshell rather than the platform: the chassis was now no longer a pure platform. The
511:
Battery storage is required, and as the battery pack is heavy it is an advantage for stability to mount it in the largest flat layer, as low down as possible. The pack weight for a Tesla S is 1,200 pounds (540 kg) As these are composed of 7,104 cells, packaged into 16 modules, their overall
468:
Platform chassis were not significantly more or less safe than contemporary ladder chassis, although much less safe in an impact than a modern design with a monocoque integrated into a passenger safety cell. They had a tendency in serious accidents for the complete bodyshell to separate from the
198:
needing an attachment point raised vertically above the platform. Instead, springs such as torsion bars are used. Whether these are transverse or longitudinal, they lie in the horizontal plane of the platform and so can be worked in to such a chassis. Other torsion-based systems, such as
469:
chassis, as did the ladder chassis. However with the platform chassis, this formed the floor of the passenger area, rather than the body tub, and had the seats mounted to it. The passengers could thus stay with their seats on the chassis, while the bodyshell tried to pass through them.
140:
where the bodyshell and chassis are integrated into one component. Although both body and platform chassis are each made from similar pressed steel panels welded together, they were often bolted as the final two units and so may still be separable after construction.
362:, again with transverse torsion bars mounted in two separate tubes, mounted ahead of the flat platform. These torsion bars were stacks of flat strips, and the number of leaves was changed to vary the suspension stiffness, over the production of the Beetle.
551:
layout for the drivetrain. Rather than axles connected by a central propeller shaft, the two sides are linked fore-and-aft by driveshafts in the lower corners of the punt. This also allows greater useful space inside for crew or equipment.
304:. The Kübelwagen was highly effective, in large part due to the light weight achieved by use of its platform chassis. It weighed only 1,510 lb, the same design weight as the road car, and was 200-300 lb lighter than its rival vehicles from
512:
shape is flexible and can be adjusted to best fit the vehicle. This makes the platform chassis a good way to carry it, with the batteries themselves either above or below the chassis platform, making them easier to access for exchange.
327:(Porsche Type 287) and was intended for use by senior field commanders. The central tube of the chassis pan was enlarged to give space for a propeller shaft and a powered front axle provided, with similar driveshafts as the rear axle.
174:
of front-engine, rear-drive that was universal with chassis designs beforehand. This avoided transmitting the propeller shaft torque through the platform. Where a propeller shaft has been used, these have been for rare examples with
299:
to give increased ground clearance and the ability to move with infantry at a walking pace. The rounded bodywork was also replaced with ribbed flat panels, with doors, and by the end of 1939 this had been accepted as the military
190:. As the chassis is in a single plane, it would be difficult to use a solid axle, without raising the entire platform above the axle line. It is also difficult to arrange spring attachments for springs such as
546:
which can serve double duty as the vehicle's chassis. Such armoured vehicles require all-wheel drive for off-road capacity with their weight, which many involve six or eight wheels, and so have often used a
284:. These were slow-speed competitions across off-road terrain and obstacles, which developed both driving skill and vehicle agility, in ways which were expected to be useful for military motoring. This
144:
Achieving sufficient rigidity is difficult with a pure platform and so they are usually extended vertically with some form of box or tube section. This can be either a perimeter frame (e.g.
159:
beyond this. These subframes may be formed of box section tubes welded on to the chassis, deep-drawn box sections formed from sheet, or as separate subframes that are bolted in place.
261:
had sketched out a design for a rear-engined, platform chassis car with four seats and torsion bar suspension. A central stiffening tube provided much of the strength of the chassis.
576:
52:
for a car or small vehicle. It is distinguished from other forms of chassis by being arranged as largely a single flat steel sheet, usually with additional box section stiffeners.
151:
Platforms are usually the full width of the car, but shorter and only span the length between the wheels. Suspension attachments for the wheels and the weight of the engine and
535:
is similar to the platform chassis, but in addition to the lower platform there are also deep raised sides. These give vertical stiffness, without requiring added stiffeners.
396:
In the 35 year production history of the Beetle, the basic platform chassis remained largely unchanged, except for one change to the front suspension of the 'Super Beetle'.
413:
1303 'Super Beetle' continued in production until 1975, although the
Economy Beetle continued in parallel with it, still using the trailing arms and platform chassis.
162:
Platform chassis have been used for both rear-wheel drive (Beetle) and front-wheel drive (Renault) layouts. However they keep the engine at the driven end, with a
377:
which required connections to the engine or drive train could be installed onto the platform before the body was added. Even, until 1952, the engine
285:
265:
40:/ automobile chassis, constructed as a flat plate or platform, sometimes integrating a backbone or frame-structure with a vehicle's floor-pan.
323:
version was also developed, again using the same platform chassis and basic layout, but under the civilian enclosed bodywork. This became the
429:
The platform chassis, and the large number of available VW Beetles, encouraged the use of the Beetle platform as a donor car for building
182:
Attaching the suspension to a platform chassis requires independent suspension and encourages the use of suspension features such as
456:
879:
288:
was an open-topped, open-sided four seater, still with rounded bodywork. Although it performed well in military trials at
268:, and several wartime military vehicles, before finally the first post-war mass-production Volkswagen Beetles of 1945.
24:
464:
van, after an accident with a train on a level crossing in 1963. The van body is now some distance beyond the chassis.
958:
939:
920:
898:
857:
504:
An electric drivetrain (either hybrid or pure battery) does not require mechanical stiffness between an engine and
281:
599:
In the Tesla's case, the batteries are protected from impact by a further steel 'armour plate' beneath them.
581:
324:
313:
575:, meaning "bucket-seat car" because German light military cars since 1923 and a body style developed by
963:
527:
APC, with the engine compartment removed, showing the deep armour sides that also form the punt chassis
200:
405:
539:
276:
In 1936, Porsche adapted the developing KdF-Wagen 'domestic' car as a sporting car suitable for the
656:
352:
385:
were mounted on the central tunnel. Unlike most contemporary chassis-on-frame designs though, the
301:
16:
365:
An advantage for the production of the vehicle was that controls such as the driver's pedals and
359:
187:
485:
Modern developments of chassis materials, bodyshells materials and design, and also changes in
348:
257:
at each end. The 'Volkswagen', 'Peoples' Car' or 'KdF-Wagen' project began in 1933 and by 1934
254:
183:
685:
683:
289:
586:, had used open-sided bodies without doors, allowing a rapid exit, and so were fitted with
520:
191:
8:
680:
668:
644:
632:
620:
508:. The entire drivetrain can be mounted in a subframe at one, or increasingly both, ends.
152:
221:
935:
916:
908:
894:
875:
853:
461:
258:
247:
409:
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195:
176:
775:
386:
366:
233:
171:
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86:
867:
802:
277:
125:
113:
952:
524:
129:
68:
49:
37:
477:
806:
490:
489:
have given the platform chassis a resurgence. They are now in use for some
390:
382:
121:
95:
608:
421:
587:
505:
445:
378:
296:
117:
194:
requiring distance fore and aft of the axle line, or for coil spring or
866:
689:
674:
662:
650:
638:
626:
494:
486:
438:
434:
370:
344:
336:
116:
or cruciform chassis designs in the 1930s, once car bodies began to be
102:
295:
Porsche continued to develop the Type 62 with such features as a rear
798:
543:
374:
340:
163:
145:
133:
58:
203:, may be used as well for front-wheel drive cars with light rears.
156:
20:
A Tesla platform chassis, used for both the Model S and the Model X
907:
614:
548:
498:
430:
351:. At this time the rear shock absorbers were only single-acting,
137:
80:
120:
from large steel sheets, rather than the chassis assembled from
339:
comprised a rear-mounted flat-four engine with a longitudinal
227:
Chassis from the front, showing the engine and rear suspension
305:
743:
389:
was mounted on the bodyshell and was not connected to the
309:
731:
825:, pp. 70–75, A New Generation of Fighting Vehicles
707:
292:, its appearance was considered to be 'too civilian'.
755:
719:
695:
437:: a stripped-down Beetle chassis, with the simplest
358:
The front suspension was provided by pairs of short
393:on the chassis platform until the two were joined.
239:
Chassis from the rear, showing the front suspension
950:
264:This basic design proceeded through the pre-war
542:. The armoured outer bodyshell forms a robust
206:
89:, with major powertrain components installed
690:Ludvigsen, Professor Porsche's Wars (2014)
675:Ludvigsen, Professor Porsche's Wars (2014)
663:Ludvigsen, Professor Porsche's Wars (2014)
651:Ludvigsen, Professor Porsche's Wars (2014)
639:Ludvigsen, Professor Porsche's Wars (2014)
627:Ludvigsen, Professor Porsche's Wars (2014)
472:
253:used a platform chassis, with independent
615:Setright, Anatomy of the Motor Car (1976)
271:
818:
816:
519:
476:
455:
420:
343:ahead of it. The rear suspension was by
23:
15:
833:
831:
793:
791:
590:to prevent passengers from falling out.
538:Punt chassis have often been used with
951:
911:(1976). "Chassis". In Ian Ward (ed.).
847:
761:
749:
737:
725:
713:
701:
888:
822:
813:
767:
444:The first production dune buggy, the
416:
112:Platform chassis developed after the
929:
837:
828:
797:
788:
433:. The most iconic of these was the
13:
14:
975:
773:
232:
220:
94:
79:
67:
28:VW Beetle chassis, from the rear
593:
577:Karosseriefabrik Nikolaus Trutz
515:
441:'bathtub' body on top of this.
399:
850:Beetle: the definitive history
562:
1:
665:, pp. 78, 116, 132, 136.
555:
874:. Pen & Sword Military.
330:
132:construction, rather than a
7:
617:, pp. 182–185, Chassis
10:
980:
934:. Warehouse Publications.
201:twist-beam rear suspension
155:are carried on additional
451:
207:Volkswagen Beetle chassis
128:they are still a form of
43:
959:Automotive chassis types
913:Anatomy of the Motor Car
872:Professor Porsche's Wars
325:Type 87 Kommandeurswagen
166:, rather than using the
48:A platform chassis is a
852:. Vol. 1. Haynes.
473:Modern platform chassis
124:channel sections. As a
528:
482:
465:
426:
272:WWII military vehicles
255:torsion bar suspension
74:Chassis platform alone
29:
21:
848:Etzold, H.R. (1988).
523:
480:
459:
424:
214:VW Beetle 1300 (1966)
192:half-elliptic springs
27:
19:
891:Alvis Saracen Family
889:Munro, Bill (2002).
776:"Tesla Model S Data"
752:, pp. 138, 178.
571:is a contraction of
932:In National Service
692:, pp. 136–137.
677:, pp. 135–136.
653:, pp. 132–134.
641:, pp. 117–123.
629:, pp. 113–117.
406:1302 'Super Beetle'
404:From 1970, the new
930:Ware, Pat (1994).
909:Setright, L. J. K.
740:, pp. 29, 33.
529:
483:
466:
427:
417:Beetle conversions
302:Type 82 Kübelwagen
248:Volkswagen Type 1
30:
22:
964:Ferdinand Porsche
893:. Crowood Press.
881:978-1-52672-679-7
774:Roper, L. David.
716:, pp. 15–17.
540:armoured vehicles
280:organised by the
196:strut suspensions
971:
945:
926:
904:
885:
863:
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585:
566:
481:Tesla S platform
410:MacPherson strut
321:four-wheel drive
236:
224:
177:four-wheel drive
172:Hotchkiss layout
105:GTL and bodywork
98:
83:
71:
50:separate chassis
34:platform chassis
979:
978:
974:
973:
972:
970:
969:
968:
949:
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923:
901:
882:
868:Ludvigsen, Karl
860:
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843:
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778:
772:
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760:
756:
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744:
736:
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724:
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704:, pp. 8–9.
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387:steering column
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286:Porsche Type 62
274:
266:Porsche Type 60
244:
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168:propeller shaft
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87:Rolling chassis
84:
76:
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72:
63:
62:
46:
12:
11:
5:
977:
967:
966:
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947:
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940:
927:
921:
905:
899:
886:
880:
864:
858:
842:
841:
827:
812:
803:"Model S Fire"
801:(2013-10-04).
787:
766:
764:, p. 178.
754:
742:
730:
718:
706:
694:
679:
667:
655:
643:
631:
619:
606:
605:
602:
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592:
573:Kübelsitzwagen
560:
559:
557:
554:
517:
514:
497:, such as the
474:
471:
462:VW Transporter
453:
450:
418:
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398:
332:
329:
273:
270:
238:
231:
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126:semi-monocoque
114:ladder chassis
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78:
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57:
56:
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2:
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941:0-9525563-0-8
937:
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922:0-85613-230-6
918:
914:
910:
906:
902:
900:1-86126-537-9
896:
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859:0-85429-647-6
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763:
762:Etzold (1988)
758:
751:
750:Etzold (1988)
746:
739:
738:Etzold (1988)
734:
728:, p. 17.
727:
726:Etzold (1988)
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715:
714:Etzold (1988)
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703:
702:Etzold (1988)
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525:Alvis Saracen
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425:VW Dune Buggy
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379:choke control
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368:
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360:trailing arms
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188:trailing arms
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130:body-on-frame
127:
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119:
115:
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97:
88:
82:
70:
60:
53:
51:
41:
39:
38:vehicle frame
36:is a form of
35:
26:
18:
931:
912:
890:
871:
849:
823:Munro (2002)
807:Tesla Motors
779:. Retrieved
769:
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745:
733:
721:
709:
697:
670:
658:
646:
634:
622:
610:
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588:bucket seats
572:
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537:
533:punt chassis
532:
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516:Punt chassis
510:
503:
484:
467:
443:
428:
403:
400:Developments
395:
391:steering box
383:Bowden cable
367:brake piping
364:
357:
349:torsion bars
334:
318:
294:
275:
263:
249:
245:
184:torsion bars
181:
161:
153:transmission
150:
143:
111:
47:
33:
31:
838:Ware (1994)
580: [
506:final drive
495:hybrid cars
446:Meyers Manx
345:swing axles
335:The Beetle
297:portal axle
278:auto trials
953:Categories
799:Musk, Elon
781:2015-04-05
569:Kübelwagen
556:References
487:drivetrain
439:fibreglass
435:dune buggy
371:gear stick
353:lever-type
337:powertrain
103:Renault R4
101:Assembled
915:. Orbis.
544:monocoque
375:handbrake
341:transaxle
331:VW Beetle
290:Münsingen
164:transaxle
157:subframes
146:Renault 4
134:monocoque
59:Renault 4
870:(2014).
491:electric
431:kit cars
408:adopted
381:and its
373:and the
549:H-drive
499:Tesla S
259:Porsche
170:of the
138:unibody
118:pressed
938:
919:
897:
878:
856:
460:Dutch
452:Safety
369:, the
250:Beetle
122:rolled
61:(1961)
44:Design
584:]
314:Adler
936:ISBN
917:ISBN
895:ISBN
876:ISBN
854:ISBN
493:and
312:and
306:Opel
282:NSKK
246:The
310:DKW
186:or
136:or
955::
830:^
815:^
805:.
790:^
682:^
582:de
531:A
501:.
355:.
319:A
316:.
308:,
179:.
32:A
944:.
925:.
903:.
884:.
862:.
809:.
784:.
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