Transportation

Since Open Source Town will be designed around small-scale accessibility, sustainability, and energy efficiency, the microtransport system should integrate with the hexagonal/clustered road network and the renewable microgrid. This system stays low-speed, safe, and fully electric, matching the scale and ethos of OST.

Passenger Microtransport

1. Autonomous Electric Shuttles

  • Specs: 6–12 passengers, low speed (max 25–30 km/h), compact footprint.
  • Use: Continuous loop service around the ring roads and spokes.
  • Examples/Models:
  • Advantages:
    • Fully electric and autonomous-ready.
    • Perfect for “last-mile” between clusters and central services.
    • Low noise and safe for mixed pedestrian environments.

2. Personal Electric Pods / Golf-Cart Style Vehicles

  • Specs: 2–4 seats, max speed \~20 km/h, battery-swappable.
  • Use: For family trips within town (e.g., from home cluster to school, market, or garden plots).
  • Examples:
    • Club Car electric carts (customizable for urban mobility)
    • Garia Utility City (luxury but can be adapted)
    • Potential open-source / DIY adaptations.
  • Advantages:
    • Fits narrow 3–4 m cluster roads.
    • Can share charging infrastructure with shuttles.
    • Simple, low-maintenance, and friendly for both residents and visitors.

3. Shared E-Bikes & E-Scooters

  • Specs: Lightweight, swappable batteries, GPS-integrated docking hubs at clusters.
  • Use: For very short trips (≤2 km).
  • Examples:
    • Any modular dock-based e-bike systems (like Donkey Republic, but OST could even create its own).
  • Advantages:
    • Lowest energy use per km.
    • Flexible and healthy.
    • Reduces reliance on even the small shuttles.

Cargo Microtransport

1. Autonomous Electric Cargo Pods (Sidewalk / Road)

  • Specs: 150–300 kg payload, speed 6–12 km/h (sidewalk-safe) or up to 20 km/h for road-based versions.
  • Use: Deliver food, tools, and supplies from central storage/production hubs to home clusters.
  • Examples:
    • Starship Robots (sidewalk size, 20–25 kg payload, good for small deliveries).
    • Nuro R2 (larger, \~180 kg payload, road-legal in the US, conceptually adaptable).
  • Advantages:
    • Reduces need for residents to transport heavy items themselves.
    • Fits the “closed-loop” lifestyle — e.g., local food from aquaponics/permaculture delivered by autonomous pods.

2. Small Electric Utility Vans / Pickups (Manual or Semi-Autonomous)

  • Specs: 1,000–1,500 kg payload, compact width (≤1.6 m), modular flatbed or cargo box.
  • Use: For construction materials, maintenance tools, bulk goods.
  • Examples:
    • Goupil G4 / G6 Electric Utility Vehicles (widely used in Europe for municipalities).
    • Addax MT (Belgian small electric utility van).
  • Advantages:
    • Perfect fit for maintenance teams.
    • Can double as emergency transport vehicles (ambulance-lite, fire brigade support).

Integration with OST Infrastructure

  • Charging:
    • Shared solar-powered charging hubs in every cluster (for carts, bikes, pods).
    • Fast chargers for utility vans at central service depots.
    • Battery swap lockers for lightweight vehicles (e-bikes, scooters, pods).
  • Autonomy & Routing:
    • Autonomous vehicles can operate on the loop + spoke hierarchy you designed.
    • Geofencing ensures safety (speed capped near clusters).
    • Integration with OST’s digital platform (booking, delivery tracking).
  • Redundancy:
    • Walking and cycling remain first-class modes of transport.
    • Vehicles supplement but never dominate.