Basic Utility Vehicles for Rural Transportation

Technical Reasons why the BUV is appropriate for Africa.  Comparing a BUV vs. a 4x4 SUV or pick-up truck like the Toyota Hi-Lux.

1. Low Cost: The BUV is 20% the cost of most 4x4 vehicles ($20k-50k with duty)

2. MPG: The diesel BUV gets 3x the MPG than the 4x4 in off-road conditions.

3. Low Ground Pressure: The BUVs ground pressure is less than 50% of the ground pressure of most 4x4 trucks (unloaded). Low ground pressure allows the vehicle to stay on top of the mud or sand (rather than getting bogged down)

4. Low Vehicle Weight: The BUV weighs 1/3 that of the 4x4 truck. Weight is very important for off-road fuel efficiency or for rescuing an immobile vehicle. A group of villagers can lift a BUV to safety.

5. Overload Protection: Traditional pick-up beds allow for extreme overloading in Africa. Although the BUV utilizes the same rear frame, the cargo bed area of the BUV limits the amount of overload.

6. High Torque: Although not a fast vehicle, the BUV has very high torque and tractor tires to deliver it.

7. Easy Repairs: One can swap an engine on a BUV in 20 minutes alone without lifting equipment (versus a day for a truck engine). BUVs can accommodate over 25 different engines; most trucks are designed for only one or two engines. Bearings, chains, and shafts are also common (can be metric or SAE).

8. Agility: On poor roads, the BUV can turn sharply to avoid obstacles. The driver has excellent visibility
   and control of the front wheel. He can avoid many two-track dilemmas.

9. Easy Operation: The BUV has no gears, no clutch, and no shifter. There are only 3 driver inputs
   (go/stop/steer) which makes it easy to learn, especially for those without driving experience.

10. Jobs: The BUV can be made locally with limited investment and low skills. This provides jobs and
    supports families. Over 90% of the 4x4’s serving in African countries are imported.

11. Reconfigurable Cargo Area: The wood cargo bed is easier to repair or reconfigure for specific
    applications and can be produced locally (i.e. vs. steel beds)

12. Brakes: The brakes are over-designed for the application. The brakes on a BUV should last at least 3x as long as the brakes on trucks in rural Africa.

13. Theft Deterrence: The BUV is less likely to be stolen or confiscated by the military. The military values speed and armor (the BUV has neither). Thieves dislike BUVs because everyone notices the driver of these unique vehicles (and the surrounding villages know the real owners).

14. Driver Leverage: One can operate the BUV while standing on the ground & pushing the handle bars simultaneously (helpful for rescuing an immobile vehicle.)

15. Part Availability: Many parts are available at Toyota, Nissan, or GM dealers or industrial supply centers.

16. High Safety Factors: For example, the:

    1. Front spindle/hub is rated at 1750 lb. On fully loaded BUV, it sees about 600 lb static load.

    2. U-joints: The u-joints have power rating well over 10x times the BUV’s engine power.

17. Angle of Approach:  The BUVs angle of approach is greater than 90 degrees. Most off-
    road vehicles are in the 35 degree range for both approach & departure angle. The BUVs angle of
    departure is about 45 degrees.

18. Tire Option: BUVs are well suited for many different tires

    1. Deep-lug tractor tires are favorites. SUVs and 4x4’s are not designed for tractor tires

    2. BUVs can take oversized truck tires (up to a 31” x 10.50”). BUVs are not limited by wheel wells.

19. Space for Oversized Batteries: This allows more electrical power for other purposes. BUVs can
    accommodate large truck batteries or marine batteries.

20. Forgiving: The BUV is forgiving (both on bad roads and to shade-tree mechanics & village welders. Many tolerances are up to ½” (rather than .01” tolerance on many car parts)

21. PTO: The Power Take-Off (PTO) pulley option on the BUV is only $35. The PTO option on 4x4s, if
    available, generally costs several thousand dollars.