“G” Classes for Vehicles Classification According to Size and the Justification of “Fine Mobility”

Abstract

As a counter to the continuous increase in size of passenger cars and the share of sport utility vehicles in traffic, we focus in this paper on the segment of fine means of transport that can be classified below the classic passenger car/small car. We have called mobility with these fine means of transport “fine mobility”. The broad spectrum of means of transport of fine mobility has not yet been perceived as a coherent segment and cannot be captured by any existing vehicle categorization. Therefore, a new classification was developed to define fine mobility, which classifies all road-based means of individual transport according to their (urban) spatial effects into the seven classes XXS to XXL. The classification makes it possible to clearly distinguish fine mobility means of transport - from micro mobiles to mobility aids, bicycles of all kinds to light electric vehicles - from coarse means of transport - from mid-range cars to off-road vehicles - on the basis of the characteristics of the spatial dimension (cuboid around the external dimensions of vehicles) and the turning circle. In this context, the classification builds on various use cases that may condition the promotion of fine mobility through its preference in moving and stationary traffic. The diversity of fine mobility means of transport in terms of their possible uses and transport capacities illustrates the shift potential of many urban as well as city-regional car trips to finer alternatives.