High-speed transport is a real reason for pride of those who are involved in SkyWay project. Beatiful, streamlined, futuristic, with unique aerodynamic characteristics, close to the theoretical limit in practice. Today it has got one step closer to the launch into mass production.
This unibus was first shown in Berling at InnoTrans 2018 exhibition, where it attracted attention of a large number of guests.
Today, the high-speed unibus is preparing for tests. For this purpose, we have already upgraded rolling surface on the truss trestle at EcoTechnoPark and have manufactured the mule – the vehicle, that completely repeats the exterior and all unibus nodes, but it provides quick and direct access to all elements.
The trials will help researchers to identify troubled parts, ways to improve them and to forecast the timing of maintenance. When all the issues are resolved, the transport can be launched into mass production.
Unibus already boasts a special undercarriage system. It provides smooth movement and high speed at low dynamic ride. To prove this, it is still necessary to conduct bench tests. They will begin when the special roller stand is ready. It will allow the test sample to reach speeds of up to 500 km/h. Because the track length at Ecotechnopark allows to accelerate only up to 100 km/h.
At EcoFest 2019 guests were able to see firsthand both the mule in operation, and a full-fledged unibus, which visited Berlin. The speed of even 100 km/h was not shown for safety reasons, the transport was moving at a safe speed of 20 km/h.
Residents of the Arab Emirates are waiting for their own model of high-speed transport. The unibus, which you saw on August 17 at EcoFest, is a kind of «family minivan». For the Middle East, 20-seat unibuses are being designed with a passage through the center and even a bathroom. By analogy with the existing model, they can be compared with «regular buses». But they are still under development.
In the near future, the bench tests of the undercarriage will be held. And the plans are to expand the model range of high-speed vehicles for transportation within the global transport and information network TransNet.