Information Corner: Vehicle Classification (M1 & N1), Sedan, SUV, Station wagon, Hatchbacks, etc..

Vehicle Classification

Category of vehicle as per IS 14272 : 2011

M : A motor vehicle with at least four wheels used for carrying passengers

M1 : A vehicle used for carriage of passengers, comprising not more than eight seats in addition to the driver’s seat

M2 : A vehicle used for carriage of passengers, comprising nine or more seats in addition to the driver’s seat, and having a maximum GVW not exceeding 5 t

M3 : A vehicle used for the carriage of passengers, comprising nine or more seats in addition to the driver’s seat and having a GVW exceeding 5 t

N : A motor vehicle with at least four wheels used for carrying goods. These vehicles can carry persons in addition to the goods subject to the conditions

N1 : A vehicle used for carriage of goods and having GVW not exceeding 3.5 t
N2 : A vehicle used for the carriage of goods and having a GVW exceeding 3.5 t but not exceeding 12 t

N3 : A vehicle used for the carriage of goods and having GVW exceeding 12 t

G : Off Road Vehicles (Cross Country Vehicles) — Symbol ‘G’ A vehicle of category M or N satisfying the requirements given

N1 with GVW not exceeding 2 t and
M1 Vehicles in category N1 with GVW not exceeding 2 t and vehicles in category M1 are considered to be off road vehicles, if they have followings
Have at least one front axle and at least one rear axle designed to be driven simultaneously
Shall be capable of climbing a 30 present gradient with vehicle in the solo condition
Have at least one differential locking mechanism or at least one mechanism having similar effect

Micro car

Micro cars are usually designed and produced for economic purposes
Less than 3 meters in length and less than 85 cubic feet/2400 litre interior vol.
Earlier engine capacity were under 1.0 litre
A small car with very small engines being treated as motor cycles
Advantage in easy of parking

Sedan (Saloon)

Type of car design consists of engine compartment, passenger compartment and a separate boot
A sedan posses fixed roof with fixed B pillar which seats four or more
Accommodation — 4 or more seats in at least 2 rows
Most commonly it is a four-door; two-door models are rare

Hatchbacks

Saloon with a hatch at the rear end of the vehicle.
An automobile design, consisting of a passenger cabin with an integrated cargo space, accessed from behind the vehicle by a tailgate
Opening rear tail gate
The interior design include fold down rear seats, which can be used as a cargo area.
The rear seat can be folded partially (for instance 1/2, 1/3 or 2/3) or completely to expand the cargo space.

Notchbacks - Sedan

A Notchback sedan is a three-box sedan, where the passenger volume is very distinct from the trunk volume of the vehicle.
The roof is on one plane, generally parallel to the ground, the rear window (taillight) at a sharp angle to the roof, and the trunk lid is also parallel to the ground.

Fastbacks - Sedan

A fastback sedan is a two-box sedan, with continuous slope from the roof to the base of the deck lid, but excludes the hatch back feature
Typically this design is chosen for its aero dynamic advantages. Auto makers can no longer afford the penalty in fuel consumption produced by the traditional notchback three box form

Coupe

While hard tops (without the pillar, and often incorporating a sloping back light) are called coupes
Body — Closed. Usually, limited rear volume
Coupe was an enclosed two-seater mainly used in towns and was driven by a coachman.
Coupes generally two doors, but not necessarily, have two doors, although automobile makers have offered four-door coupes and three doors hatchback coupes, as well.

Convertibles

Vehicles whose roofs may be showed or who side windows may be completely lowered
It was activated by pneumatic cylinders,
The trunk lid of the convertible should be altered from its parent model
Space required for stowing the top, because the removal of the roof leads to a significant loss of rigidity
Need for high static and dynamic stiffness

Station Wagon

Body — Closed. Rear shape is designed in order to give a larger interior volume
Body style similar to a sedan but with an extended rear cargo area.
Station wagons are based on sedan platform, having the main interior area extended to the near-vertical rear window

How Station Wagon Differ From Hatchback?

A hatchback car would not enjoy the full height of the passenger cabin all the way to the back
Rear glass of a hatchback being sloped further from vertical, and the hatch tending not to reach fully to the rear bumper, as it commonly would in a station wagon.
Station wagons also have side windows over the cargo area, where as some hatchbacks have thick C pillars and no cargo area windows.

Sport utility vehicle (SUV)

An SUV is a passenger vehicle, similar to a station wagon, usually equipped with four-wheel drive for on- or off-road ability, which combines the towing capacity of a pickup truck with the passenger-carrying space of a sedan.
They have a power full engine, have sufficient passenger space along with luggage compartment behind the rear row seats and are designed for all terrains.
They are non commercial vehicles with the BIW built on the chassis similar to a light truck or a crew cab
An off roader needs a long hood and an upright position. That lends the vehicle self- assuredness and power