Wheel wear reduction from vehicle lightweighting: a case study for an innovative ultralight vehicle

Vehicle light-weighting is a crucial design target for the new generation of rail vehicles, as it reduces energy consumption and improves the capacity and dynamic performance of rail vehicles, making the railway system more attractive to address the rising environmental challenges and meet increasing demand in transportation. This paper presents a quantitative analysis of the beneficial effects of vehicle light-weighting on wheel wear. An analysis of wear reduction achievable from reducing the mass of different vehicle components is performed, considering the effect of different running scenarios. Furthermore, the concept of an innovative ultralight vehicle is proposed, showing substantial benefits in wheel wear reduction compared to a conventional vehicle.