Lithuanian company Ostara develops Krampus hybrid buggy with autonomous driving system.

The Lithuanian company Ostara is developing Krampus buggy, an innovative hybrid vehicle that will provide new mobility possibilities for defense and security organizations. Ostara plans to present the first prototype at the international DSEI Exhibition to be held in London in September 2021.
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Krampus is a compact buggy with a hybrid electric-diesel engine (Picture source: Ostara)

Krampus is a compact vehicle with a hybrid electric-diesel engine. It will ensure reliable operation of the buggy even in harsh conditions, that is designed for security and defense purposes. The buggy will be able to be driven by a human or operate in the autonomous driving mode, which will be supported by advanced artificial intelligence systems.

Due to its design and software features, the Krampus will be able to run or operate in standby mode for a long period using only battery power and electricity generated by a diesel generator. At that time, the option to switch to fully electric mode will allow the buggy to drive especially quietly, which will be useful in tasks that require stealth and invisibility,” said Darius Antanaitis, the CEO of Ostara.

The Krampus buggy has two electric motors generating a power of 60 kW. With a diesel generator and fully charged batteries, the buggy will be able to cover a distance of up to 1000 km, and with an electric battery alone and in silent mode – up to 200 km. The vehicle can reach up to 120 km/h. The buggy is designed to carry up to 0.5 t of payload.

Autonomous driving system programming and sensor integration will allow the Krampus to be sent for independent exploration of territories where people would be in danger, such as high in the mountains, where there is a lack of oxygen, in areas with high pollution levels. The buggy will be able to overcome routes independently even where there is no GPS navigation signal, for example, in tunnels.

“The idea to develop the technology introduced in the Krampus buggy came about 7 years ago by observing global trends and realizing that artificial intelligence and autonomous vehicles will inevitably change many areas. Together with the team, we started looking for ways to apply these innovations in the field of environment and security, and gradually refined the idea of the buggy. However, the buggy is not the final goal. The technologies and solutions created in the process of its development can be applied to other modes of transport: from lightweight buggies to heavy-duty transporters,” stated Antanaitis.

The team is currently working on the programming of the Krampus systems and subsystems. At the same time, the preparatory work for the integration of autonomous driving systems is in progress. The Krampus prototype Mk1 is planned to be completed before the Defence and Security Equipment International (DSEI) exhibition in London this September, later expecting to be developing customized versions of the buggy according to the customer’s needs.

“Without any doubt, in developing this type of product that based on new technologies, there are plenty of challenges in every step – from body manufacturing to design and adjustment of various controllers. In any case, we need to find solutions that do not yet exist. A hybrid electric-diesel vehicle of this size and capability is being developed for the first time. However, it is the desire to overcome these challenges that leads our team forward,” added Antanaitis.

Krampus is a compact vehicle with a hybrid electric-diesel engine (Picture source: Ostara)