VEHICLE

Abstract

Disclosed is a vehicle with a body having a cockpit therein, wherein: the cockpit contains one or more seats disposed in a single file arrangement; the body has first and second doors for accessing the cockpit, the first and second doors being arranged on opposite sides of the cockpit; when the first door is closed, an upper portion of the first door is arranged to form a first part of a roof of the cockpit; and the first part of the roof of the cockpit is larger than any part of the roof of the cockpit formed by the second door when the second door is closed. By providing two doors which are asymmetrical, it is possible to reduce a size of the cockpit without compromising accessibility or safety of the vehicle. Reducing a size of the cockpit may contribute to reducing an overall mass and size of the vehicle.

Claims

1. A vehicle comprising a body having a cockpit defined therein, wherein: the cockpit contains one or more seats disposed in a single file arrangement, such that a maximum width of the cockpit is arranged to accommodate a width of a single one of the one or more seats, each of the one or more seats being configured to receive a single occupant; the body comprises a first door and a second door for accessing the cockpit, the first door and the second door being arranged on opposite sides of the cockpit, wherein the opposite sides of the cockpit correspond to a left-hand side and a right-hand side of the cockpit, where the left-hand side and right-hand side of the cockpit are defined with respect to an occupant of the one or more seats; when the first door is closed, an upper portion of the first door is arranged to form a first part of a roof of the cockpit; and the first part of the roof of the cockpit is larger than any part of the roof of the cockpit formed by the second door when the second door is closed.

2. A vehicle according to claim 1 wherein, when the second door is closed, an upper portion of the second door is arranged to form a second part of the roof of the cockpit, the second part of the roof of the cockpit being smaller than the first part of the roof of the cockpit.

3. A vehicle according to claim 1 wherein, when the second door is closed, the second door does not form any part of the roof of the cockpit.

4. A vehicle according to claim 1, wherein the first door is larger than the second door.

5. A vehicle according to claim 1, wherein the first part of the roof of the cockpit extends across a centreline of the vehicle.

6. A vehicle according to claim 1, wherein the body comprises a fixed roof portion, a centre of the fixed roof portion being laterally offset from a centreline of the vehicle.

7. A vehicle according to claim 6 wherein the fixed roof portion is connected to a front pillar and/or a rear pillar of the body.

8. A vehicle according to claim 6, wherein the first door and/or the second door is pivotable relative to the fixed roof portion between an open position and a closed position.

9. A vehicle according to claim 1, wherein the first door and the second door correspond to different door types.

10. A vehicle according to claim 9, wherein the first door is a gull-wing door, and the second door is second, different type of door.

11. A vehicle according to claim 1, wherein an aerodynamic feature is disposed on the upper portion of the first door, the aerodynamic feature comprising a fin, an aerofoil, and/or one or more channels formed in a surface of the upper portion of the first door.

12. A vehicle according to claim 1, wherein a maximum width of the cockpit is between 600 mm and 1600 mm, and wherein a maximum width of the vehicle is between 1200 mm and 1600 mm.

13. A vehicle according to claim 1, wherein a hinge that couples the first door to the body comprises an explosive charge and/or a hinge that couples the second door to the body comprises an explosive charge.

14. A vehicle according to claim 1, wherein the first door is movably connected to the body via a first mechanical coupling, and the vehicle further comprises a first release mechanism that is operable to undo the first mechanical coupling so that the first door can be removed from the body; and/or wherein the second door is movably connected to the body via a second mechanical coupling, and the vehicle further comprises a second release mechanism that is operable to undo the second mechanical coupling so that the second door can be removed from the body.

15. A vehicle according to claim 1, wherein the first door comprises a first portion and a second portion, the second portion being pivotable relative to the first portion when the first door is opened.

16. A vehicle according to claim 1, wherein the body comprises a step, the first door being arranged to at least partially cover the step when the first door is closed.

17. A vehicle according to claim 1, wherein the first door comprises a side impact structure.

18. A vehicle according to claim 1, wherein the first door comprises an airbag.

19. A vehicle according to claim 1, wherein the cockpit contains a single seat.

20. A vehicle according to claim 1, wherein the cockpit contains a first seat, and a second seat located behind the first seat.

Description

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0058] Examples of the invention are discussed below with reference to the accompanying drawings, in which:

[0059] FIG. 1 is a schematic diagram of a front view of a vehicle according to an embodiment of the invention;

[0060] FIG. 2 is a schematic diagram of a top view of the vehicle of FIG. 1;

[0061] FIG. 3 is a schematic diagram of a front view of the vehicle of FIG. 1, where doors of the vehicle are in an open position;

[0062] FIG. 4 is a schematic diagram of a front view of a vehicle according to an embodiment of the invention;

[0063] FIG. 5 is a schematic diagram of a front view of the vehicle of FIG. 4, where doors of the vehicle are in an open position;

[0064] FIG. 6 is an expanded cross-sectional view of part of the vehicle of FIG. 1; and

[0065] FIGS. 7a and 7b are schematic cross-sectional views of a release mechanism of the vehicle of FIG. 1.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION; FURTHER OPTIONAL FEATURES

[0066] A vehicle 100 according to an embodiment of the invention is illustrated in FIGS. 1-3. FIG. 1 is a schematic front view of the vehicle 100; FIG. 2 is a schematic top view of the vehicle 100 (i.e. where the vehicle 100 is viewed from above); and FIG. 3 is a schematic front view of the vehicle 100 where doors of the vehicle are in an open position. In the example shown, the vehicle 100 is a road car which is designed to be driven on a road.

[0067] The vehicle 100 includes four wheels 102, i.e. two front wheels and two rear wheels, which are coupled to a chassis. The vehicle 100 comprises a monocoque chassis such that a body 104 of the vehicle 100 is integrally formed as a single structure with the chassis. In particular, a floor, sides and roof of a cockpit 106 of the vehicle 100 may be defined by the monocoque. The monocoque may be a shell-like structure which is integrally formed (e.g. moulded) as a single part. The monocoque may, for example, be made of a carbon fibre material. Other parts of the vehicle may be made, for example, of plastics, composite materials such as reinforced polymers (e.g. carbon fibre reinforced polymers), metals (e.g. aluminium, steel), or any other suitable materials. In other embodiments, the body 104 of the vehicle 100 may be a separate part from a chassis or frame of the vehicle 100, and may be mounted to the chassis or frame.

[0068] The cockpit 106 is defined within the body 104 of the vehicle 100, the cockpit 106 containing a single seat 108 (indicated in dashed lines in FIGS. 1 and 3) for receiving an occupant of the vehicle 100. Thus, the cockpit 106 is designed to receive only a single person, namely a driver of the vehicle 100 (or a passenger where the vehicle 100 is self-driving). In addition to the seat, the cockpit 106 contains any controls and displays necessary for controlling the vehicle 100, e.g. steering wheel, accelerator pedal, brake pedal, dashboard. Where a separate body and chassis are used, the cockpit 106 may be defined at least in part by the body of the vehicle 100 that is mounted on the chassis.

[0069] The body 104 includes a first door 110 and a second door 112 for accessing the cockpit 106, such that a user may enter and/or exit the cockpit 106 via either of the first and second doors 110, 112. The first door 110 is arranged on the left-hand side of the cockpit 106 (from the point of view of a person sitting in the seat 108), whilst the second door 112 is arranged on the right-hand side of the cockpit 106. Each of the first door 110 and the second door 112 is movable between a closed position and an open position. FIGS. 1 and 2 depict the vehicle 100 where both the first door 110 and the second door 112 are in the closed position, whilst FIG. 3 depicts the vehicle 100 where both the first door 110 and the second door 112 are in the open position. When the first door 110 is in the open position, the first door 110 reveals an opening in the body 104 via which a user may enter and exit the cockpit 106. Similarly, when the second door 112 is in the open position, the second door 112 reveals an opening in the body 104 via which the user may enter and exit the cockpit 106. The first door 110 and the second door 112 are arranged such that they are asymmetrical with respect to a centreline 114 or central plane 116 of the vehicle 100. In particular, the first door 110 is larger than the second door 112, such that the opening in the body 104 corresponding to the first door 110 is larger than the opening in the body 104 corresponding to the second door 112. As depicted in FIG. 2, the centreline 114 of the vehicle 100 is a central axis of the vehicle 100 which extends in a longitudinal direction of the vehicle 100 (i.e. along a direction linking a rear 118 of the vehicle 100 to a front 120 of the vehicle 100), and which is equidistant from left-hand and right-hand sides of the vehicle 100. The corresponding central plane 116 is depicted in FIGS. 1 and 3, the central plane 116 being a vertical plane that extends along the centreline 114 of the vehicle 100.

[0070] The first door 110 comprises an upper portion 122, which is arranged such that it is disposed over the seat 108 when the first door is closed. Additionally, as shown in FIG. 1, the upper portion 122 of the first door 110 extends in a substantially horizontal direction when the first door 110 is closed. Thus, when the first door 110 is closed, it effectively forms a first part of a roof of the cockpit 106. Moreover, the upper portion 122 of the first door 110 extends across the centreline 114 of the vehicle 100, i.e. it crosses the central plane 116 of the vehicle 100. The first door 110 further comprises a lower portion 124, which is arranged to form part of a left-hand sidewall of the cockpit 106 when the first door 110 is closed. In contrast, the second door 112 is arranged to primarily form part of a right-hand sidewall of the cockpit 106 when it is closed. Any part of the roof of the cockpit 106 formed by the second door 112 is smaller than the first part of the roof formed by the upper portion 122 of the first door 110, and in some cases the second door 112 may not form any part of the roof of the cockpit 106 when it is closed.

[0071] The body 104 comprises a fixed roof portion 126 which is arranged above the seat 108 such that it forms part of a roof of the cockpit 106. Thus, the roof of the cockpit 106 may be formed by the fixed roof portion 126 and the upper portion 122 of the first door 110 when the first door 110 is closed. The fixed roof portion 126 extends in the longitudinal direction of the vehicle 100 (i.e. along the direction of the centreline 114), and is disposed between the first and second doors 110, 112. The fixed roof portion 126 is a portion of the body 104 that does not move with either of the doors, and whose position over the seat 108 remains fixed when either of the first and second doors 110, 112 is opened. As can be seen in the figures, the fixed roof portion 126 is laterally offset from the centreline 114 (and similarly the central plane 116) of the vehicle 100, i.e. the fixed roof portion 126 is not centred over the centreline 114. This is to accommodate the upper portion 122 of the first door 110, which extends across the centreline 114 of the vehicle 100. The fixed roof portion 126 may be connected to front and/or rear pillars of the body 104. For instance, as shown in FIG. 2, the fixed roof portion 126 may be connected to a right front pillar 128 and to a left front pillar 130, which are located on either side of a windscreen 132 at a front of the cockpit 106. The fixed roof portion 126 may further be connected to a right rear pillar 134 and a left rear pillar 136, which are located on either side of the cockpit towards a rear of the cockpit 106. The pillars 128, 130, 134, 136 may serve to connect the fixed roof portion 126 to a lower part of the body 104, such that they act as a support structure for the fixed roof portion 126. This may serve to increase a strength of the cockpit 106, and may ensure that the cockpit 106 is not crushed if the vehicle 100 rolls onto its roof in an accident. In some cases, the fixed roof portion 126 may be made of a sandwich-structure composite material, which includes two outer skins made of a stiff material between which a strong and lightweight material is sandwiched. For example, the fixed roof portion 126 may be made of a carbon fibre reinforced polymer (CFRP) sandwich-structure, where a lightweight material (such as a structural foam or honeycomb material) is sandwiched between two layers of CFRP material. Such a sandwich-structure may provide the fixed roof portion 126 with a high level of stiffness and strength whilst making it relatively lightweight.

[0072] In the example shown, the first door 110 is configured as a gull-wing door, and is pivotably mounted to the body 104 such that it is pivotable about an axis that is substantially horizontal and which is aligned with the centreline 114. The first door 110 may be pivotably mounted to the body 104 via a hinge or hinge mechanism. The first door 110 may be pivotably mounted to a portion of the body 104 that forms part of a roof of the cockpit 106 (i.e. which is disposed above the seat 108). For example, the first door 110 may be pivotably mounted to the fixed roof portion 126. The second door 112 is configured as a hatch door that forms part of the right-hand sidewall of the cockpit 106 when it is closed. The second door 112 is removable (i.e. detachable) from the body 104. Thus, opening the second door 112 may involve removing it from the body 104, as illustrated in FIG. 3. Unlike the first door 110, the second door 112 is not movably connected to the body 104, i.e. the second door 112 is not coupled to the body 104 via a hinge or other movable coupling. This may facilitate removal of the second door 112 from the body 104. In this manner, an occupant of the cockpit 106 may open the second door 112 and push it away from the body 104, in order to exit the cockpit 106. The second door 112 may comprise a lock mechanism for securing it to the body 104 when it is closed. Then, to open the second door 112, the lock mechanism may be unlocked (e.g. via a handle or button located inside the cockpit 106) in order to release the second door 112 from the body 104.

[0073] As shown in FIG. 3, when the first door 110 is moved to the open position, it is pivoted upwards relative to the rest of the body 104. In particular, as the upper portion 122 of the first door forms a first part of the roof of the cockpit 106 when it is closed, the first part of the roof of the cockpit 106 is pivoted out of the way when the first door 110 is opened. As a result, the cockpit 106 can be accessed from above via the first door 110, which may enable a user to lower themselves into the cockpit 106. This may facilitate entering and exiting the cockpit 106, as it may avoid the user having to crouch or bend down when doing so. In contrast, as the second door 112 is formed as a hatch in the right-hand sidewall of the cockpit 106, it may not provide access to the cockpit 106 from above. As a result, the second door 112 may be somewhat less convenient for entering and exiting the cockpit 106, as a user may need to crouch or bend down when entering or exiting the cockpit 106 via the second door 112. Accordingly, the first door 110 may be used as a main door, via which the cockpit 106 is accessed during everyday use. The second door 112 may on the other hand be used as an auxiliary (or secondary) door, which is used mainly in cases where the first door 110 is blocked or inaccessible for some reason.

[0074] The asymmetrical arrangement of the first and second doors 110, 112 may enable a size of the cockpit 106 to be minimised, whilst still maintaining good access to the cockpit 106 by virtue of the large first door 110. In particular, as the second door 112 is not intended for everyday use, its size may be reduced compared to the first door 110, so that an overall size (e.g. a width) of the cockpit 106 may be reduced. Nevertheless, the second door 112 may improve safety of the vehicle 100, by providing an additional route for exiting the cockpit 106 in case of an accident. Due to the fact that the upper portion 122 of the first door 110 forms the first part of the roof of the cockpit 106, the second door 112 may be easier to open compared to the first door 110, in a situation where the vehicle 100 has rolled onto its roof in an accident.

[0075] The upper portion 122 of the first door 110 comprises an aerodynamic feature in the form of a fin 138. The fin 138, which may be in the shape of a shark fin or similar, is arranged on the upper portion 122 such that, when the first door 110 is closed, the fin 138 is centred about the centreline 114 (or similarly the central plane 116) of the vehicle. In other words, when the first door 110 is closed, the fin 138 is arranged over a middle of the roof of the cockpit 106. The fin 138 serves to guide air flow over the roof of the cockpit 106, and may thus serve to improve an aerodynamic profile of the cockpit 106. Further or alternative aerodynamic features may also be provided on the upper portion 122 of the first door 110 or on other parts of the roof of the cockpit 106, in order to guide air flow over the roof of the cockpit 106.

[0076] In some embodiments, the upper portion 122 and the lower portion 124 of the first door 110 may be pivotably connected together (e.g. via a hinge 302, as depicted in FIG. 3). In this manner, when the first door 110 is opened, the lower portion 124 may be pivoted towards the upper portion 122, e.g. as illustrated by the arrow 304 in FIG. 3. In this manner, the lower portion 124 and upper portion 122 can be folded towards one another, in order to reduce a size of the first door 110 when it is opened. This may serve to reduce a lateral extent of the first door 110 when it is opened. For example, this may serve to ensure that the first door 110 does not extend beyond a left-most side of the body when it is opened. The pivotable connection between the upper portion 122 and the lower portion 124 of the first door 110 may also serve to reduce a height of the first door 110 when it is opened. This may facilitate opening the first door 110 in a confined space, whilst still maintaining a large size of the first door 110 to provide easy access to the cockpit 106. Of course, other means for enabling the lower portion 124 to be pivoted toward the upper portion 122 when the first door 110 is opened may also be used.

[0077] As shown in FIGS. 1 and 2, a maximum width 140 of the cockpit 106 is smaller than a maximum width 142 of the vehicle 100. The maximum width 140 of the cockpit 106 corresponds to a maximum distance between a leftmost side and a rightmost side of the cockpit 106, whilst the maximum width 142 of the vehicle 100 corresponds to a maximum distance between a leftmost side and a rightmost side of the vehicle 100. The maximum width 140 of the cockpit 106 may be between 600 mm and 1600 mm, whilst the maximum width 142 of the vehicle 100 may be between 1200 mm and 1600 mm. As an example, the maximum width 140 of the cockpit 106 may be about 800 mm, whilst the maximum width 142 of the vehicle 100 may be about 1300 mm. As the vehicle 100 overall is wider than the cockpit 106, this may improve a stability of the vehicle 100. In particular, this enables a track width of the vehicle 100 to be greater than the width of the cockpit 106. For instance, as shown in FIG. 1, a front track width of the vehicle 100 (i.e. a distance between centres of the front wheels 102) is greater than the maximum width 140 of the cockpit 106. Making the cockpit 106 narrower than the overall vehicle 100 may also enable a height of a centre of mass of the vehicle 100 to be lowered. This is because, as the cockpit 106 does not take up the entire width of the vehicle 100, there may be more space available on either side of the cockpit 106 for components of the vehicle 100.

[0078] A maximum height 144 of the vehicle 100 may be less than 1400 mm. In other words, a distance between a ground surface 146 on which the vehicle 100 is disposed and an uppermost point of the vehicle 100 (i.e. of the body 104) may be less than 1400 mm. Preferably the maximum height 144 of the vehicle 100 may be less than 1250 mm. For example, the maximum height 144 of the vehicle 100 may be 1200 mm. However, the maximum height 144 of the vehicle 100 may be at least 1000 mm. This may ensure that there is sufficient height available within the cockpit 106 for a driver to sit in an upright position in the seat 108, i.e. without having to put the seat in a highly reclined position.

[0079] It should be noted that, in other embodiments, different combinations of door types for the first and second doors 110, 112 may be used. For example, instead of being configured as a hatch door, the second door 112 may instead be configured as a conventional door, a coach door, a gull-wing door, a horizontal or vertical sliding door, a butterfly door, a scissor door or a dihedral synchro-helix door. Likewise, a different type of door may be used for the first door 110 instead of a gull-wing door.

[0080] In the embodiment shown, the first door 110 is located on the left-hand side of the cockpit 106 whilst the second door 112 is located on the right-hand side of the cockpit 106. Of course, in other embodiments, the sides on which the first and second doors 110, 112 are arranged may be swapped.

[0081] In some embodiments (not shown), the cockpit 106 may contain a second seat, which is located behind the seat 108. Thus, the seats in the cockpit 106 may be in a single file, tandem arrangement. The second seat may be configured to receive a passenger of the vehicle 100, whilst the seat 108 may be configured as a driver seat. The fixed roof portion 126 may then extend over the seat 108 and the second seat. The first door 110 and the second door 112 may be used for accessing both seats in the cockpit 106. Alternatively, the first door 110 and the second door 112 may act as a first set of doors which are arranged to provide access to the seat 108, and the body may include a second set of doors for providing access to the second seat. The second set of doors may be arranged behind the first and second doors 110, 112, and may have a similar arrangement to the first and second doors 110, 112 discussed above.

[0082] FIGS. 4 and 5 show schematic front views of a vehicle 400 according to an embodiment of the invention. The vehicle 400 is similar in configuration of the vehicle 100 described above, and features of the vehicle 400 that correspond to features of the vehicle 100 are labelled in FIGS. 4 and 5 with the same reference numerals as in FIGS. 1-3, and are not described again. Any of the features or options discussed above in relation to the vehicle 100 may be shared with the vehicle 400. Similarly to the vehicle 100, the vehicle 400 comprises a first door 110 which is a gull-wing door, and a second door 112 which is a hatch door that is removable from the body 104. The first and second doors 110, 112 are depicted in their closed positions in FIG. 4, and in their open positions in FIG. 5. The body 104 of the vehicle 400 comprises a step 402 that is disposed on the left-hand side of the cockpit 106, to facilitate a user entering and exiting the cockpit 106. The step 402 is formed in a left-hand side portion of the body 104, such that it is laterally spaced from the left-hand side of the cockpit 106. The first door 110 includes a covering portion 404 which extends outwards from the lower portion 124 of the first door 110, and which is arranged to cover the step 402 when the first door 110 is in the closed position. Thus, when the first door 110 is opened, the step 402 may be revealed, so that it can be used when accessing the cockpit via the first door 110. Providing the covering portion 404 to cover the step 402 when the first door 110 is closed may enable the step 402 to remain dry in wet conditions, so that it does not become slippery. This may also serve to keep the step 402 clean. As the second door 112 may not typically be used for everyday use, there may be no need to provide a corresponding step on the right-hand side of the cockpit 106. Providing a step only on one side of the cockpit 106 may enable the width 140 of the cockpit 106 to be reduced.

[0083] The body 104 may further include a first side impact structure 406 on the left-hand side of the cockpit 106 and a second side impact structure 408 on the right-hand side of the cockpit 106. The positions of the first and second impact structures 406, 408 are indicated by the dashed lines in FIG. 4, however in practice they would not be visible for the exterior of the vehicle 400. The side impact structures may serve to protect an occupant of the cockpit 106 in case of an impact to a side of the vehicle 100. The first side impact structure 406 may be integrated into the first door 110, where it may be disposed in the covering portion 404 of the first door 110. In this manner, the first side impact structure 406 may be located on a left-hand side of the cockpit 106 when the first door 110 is closed. The second side impact structure 408 may be integrated into a right-hand side portion of the body 104, which may be laterally spaced from the right-hand side of the cockpit 106. The second side impact structure 408 is not integrated into the second door 112, as the second door 112 is smaller than the first door 110 and does not have sufficient space for accommodating the second side impact structure 408. However, in some embodiments, the second door 112 may include a portion corresponding to the covering portion 404 of the first door 110, in which case the second side impact structure 408 may be housed in the second door 112.

[0084] The vehicle 400 (or vehicle 100) may also comprise first and second airbags (not shown) located on either side of the cockpit 106. The first airbag may be integrated into the first door 110, e.g. it may be located in the lower portion 124 of the first door 110. The second airbag may be located in the second door 112, or in a fixed side portion of the cockpit 106, depending on the size and shape of the second door 112. In particular, in some cases the second door 112 may be relatively small such that it only forms part of the right-hand sidewall of the cockpit 106. In such a case, the second airbag may be integrated into a fixed side portion on the right-hand side of the cockpit 106, as this may provide more room for the second airbag. This may also avoid having to provide electrical connections to an airbag in the second door 112 which, in the examples shown, is arranged as a hatch door that is removable from the body 104.

[0085] It is worth noting that, although FIGS. 4 and 5 show the step 402 and covering portion 404 of the first door 110 as being visible from the front of the vehicle 400, in practice these may not actually be visible from the front of the vehicle 400. This is because in practice these features may not extend all the way to the front of the vehicle 400, but would instead be aligned with the cockpit 106. For example, the step 402 and the covering portion 404 of the first door may extend approximately 500 mm in the longitudinal direction, being centred relative to a longitudinal position of the cockpit 106.

[0086] FIG. 6 shows an expanded cross-sectional front view of part of the vehicle 100 (and correspondingly of the vehicle 400), illustrating how the first door 110 may be connected to the body 104. For illustration purposes, only a part of the upper portion 122 of the first door 110 is depicted in FIG. 6. The upper portion 122 is connected to the body 104 of the vehicle via a hinge mechanism 600. The hinge mechanism 600 is connected at a first end 601 to a part of the body 104 which forms part of the roof of the cockpit 106, and at a second end 603 to an inner surface 602 of the upper portion 122 of the first door 110. In the example shown, the part of the body 104 to which the hinge mechanism 600 is connected to is the fixed roof portion 126. The inner surface 602 of the upper portion 122 of the first door 110 is arranged to face into the cockpit 106 when the first door 110 is closed. The hinge mechanism 600 comprises a set of bar linkages 604 which are coupled together via a set of joints 606, the hinge mechanism 600 being arranged to enable the first door to be moved (e.g. pivoted) relative to the body 104 between its open and closed positions. The hinge mechanism 600 may also include one or more springs and/or pistons (e.g. pneumatic or hydraulic cylinders), to facilitate moving the first door 110 from the closed position to the open position. The first door 110 may also comprise door handles (not shown) arranged on an inside and/or an outside of the first door 110, in order to open the door when it is in the closed position. In FIG. 6, the first door 110 is depicted in its open position. For illustration purposes, the second door 112 is not shown in FIG. 6. In other embodiments (not shown), the second door 112 may also be movably connected to the body 104 (e.g. rather than being configured as removable hatch), in which case the second door 112 may be coupled to the body 104 using a similar hinge mechanism to the hinge mechanism 600.

[0087] The second end 603 of the hinge mechanism 600 (i.e. the end that is connected to the first door 110) includes a release mechanism 608 which is operable to release the first door 110 from the hinge mechanism 600 and therefore from the body 104. The release mechanism 608 is designed to be used in an emergency, to allow an occupant to exit the cockpit 106 when the first door 110 cannot be opened in a usual manner (e.g. using the door handles to open the first door 110 and moving it to the open position). For example, the occupant may be unable to open the first door 110 in the usual manner if the hinge mechanism 600 has become damaged, and/or if the first door is blocked by an external object. The release mechanism 608 comprises a handle 610 that protrudes from the inner surface 602 of the upper portion 122 of the first door 110, such that the handle 610 is accessible from inside the cockpit 106 when the first door 110 is closed. When the handle 610 is actuated, the release mechanism 608 disengages the first door 110 from the hinge mechanism 600, so that the first door 110 can be removed from the body 104. In this manner, an occupant of the cockpit 106 may actuate the handle 610 when the first door 110 is closed, in order to remove the first door 110 from the body 104 to enable them to exit the cockpit 106. In embodiments where the second door 112 is movably connected to the body 104, the second door 112 may also be provided with a similar release mechanism for releasing the second door 112 from the body (e.g. from its hinge mechanism).

[0088] The release mechanism 608 is illustrated in more detail in FIGS. 7a and 7b. FIGS. 7a and 7b show cross-sectional views of the release mechanism 608, the cross-sectional views corresponding to plane AA indicated in FIG. 6. FIG. 7a depicts the release mechanism 608 in a locked position, whilst FIG. 7b depicts the release mechanism 608 in a semi-released position. The release mechanism 608 comprises an elongate locking pin 612 which is movable (or slidable) along a cavity 614 formed in a housing 613 of the release mechanism 608, the locking pin 612 being movable along its longitudinal axis. The housing 613 of the release mechanism 608 is connected to the second end 603 of the hinge mechanism 600, and serves to connect the second end 603 of the hinge mechanism 600 to the inner surface 602 of the first door 110. The handle 610 is connected to the locking pin 612 via a slot formed in the housing 613, so that the handle 610 can be used to move the locking pin 612 along the cavity 614. The locking pin 612 includes a set of grooves (or channels) 616 formed therein which are engageable with corresponding engagement portions 618 of the first door 110. The engagement portions 618 may be in the form of elongate bars that are connected to the inner surface 602 of the first door 110, and that protrude from the inner surface 602 of the first door 110.

[0089] Each of the grooves 616 in the locking pin 612 includes a portion that extends along the longitudinal axis of the locking pin 612. When the locking pin 612 is in the locked position (FIG. 7a), the engagement portions 618 of the first door 110 are engaged in the grooves 616, such that the first door 110 is fastened to the housing 613 and thus to the second end 603 of the hinge mechanism 600. In particular, the grooves 616 are shaped such that, when the locking pin 612 is in the locked position, engagement of the engagement portions 618 in the grooves 616 prevents the first door 110 from being pushed away from the housing 613. When the locking pin 612 is moved to the released position by pushing the handle 610 (as indicated by arrow 620 in FIG. 7a), the engagement portions 618 of the first door 110 can be disengaged from the grooves 616 by pushing the first door 110 away from the housing 613, as shown by arrow 622 in FIG. 7b. Thus, when the locking pin 612 is in the released position, the first door 110 can be disengaged from the hinge mechanism 600, and therefore removed from the body 104.

[0090] A spring 624 is provided in the cavity 614, and arranged to bias the locking pin 612 towards the locked position. In this manner, the locking pin 612 may be retained in the locked position due to the spring 624, such that the first door 110 remains secured to the hinge mechanism 600. In order to release the first door 110 from the hinge mechanism 600, a user can push the handle 610 along the direction indicated by arrow 620 in FIG. 7a, in order to overcome the bias provided by the spring 624 and move the locking pin 612 from the locked position to the released position. Then, with the locking pin 612 in the released position, the user can push the first door 110 away from the housing 613, as indicated by arrow 622 in FIG. 7b, in order to remove the first door 110 from the body 104.

[0091] The handle 610 may be removably connectable to the locking pin 612. In this manner, the handle 610 may be stowed away during everyday use of the vehicle 100 (e.g. in a glove box of the vehicle 100). A user may then connect the handle 610 to the locking pin 612 when it is needed, in order to remove the first door 110 from the body 104. This may avoid the handle 610 constantly protruding within the cockpit 106 when the first door 110 is closed. The first door 110 may also include an opening formed in an outer surface of the first door 110, via which a person outside the cockpit 106 may engage a handle with the locking pin 612. This may enable the release mechanism 608 to be operated from outside the cockpit 106, so that an occupant of the cockpit can be rescued from outside.

[0092] Additionally or alternatively to providing the release mechanism 608 for removing the first door 110 from the body 104, the hinge mechanism 600 may be provided with an explosive charge (not shown). The explosive charge may be arranged to release the first door 110 from the hinge mechanism 600 when it is set off, e.g. by breaking part of hinge mechanism 600 and/or by breaking engagement between the second end 603 of the hinge mechanism 600 and the first door 110. Thus, in situations where the first door 110 cannot be opened in the usual manner, the explosive charge in the hinge mechanism 600 may be set off so that the first door 110 can be removed from the body 104 to allow an occupant of the cockpit 106 to exit. The vehicle 100 may comprise a button, handle, or other suitable interface arranged within the cockpit 106 for setting off the explosive charge. In some cases, the vehicle 100 may be configured to set off the explosive charge automatically under certain circumstances, e.g. if the vehicle 100 becomes inverted.