Patent ID: 8317257

Claim:
A pneumatic vehicle comprising: a first sub-assembly including a chassis, a pair of B-pillars, and a pair of rear rails to provide support for the vehicle body; an air tank supported on the chassis, wherein the air tank is generally cylindrical and extends longitudinally and provides a load-bearing structural member in the chassis; a second sub-assembly including at least a part of a vehicle body, the second sub-assembly being supported on the chassis; a structural adhesive bonding the second sub-assembly to the first sub-assembly; a first series of side support members connected to the air tank and extending laterally outboard from a first lateral side of the air tank; a second series of side support members connected to the air tank and extending laterally outboard from a second lateral side of the air tank opposite of the first lateral side; a first side panel connected to the first series of side support members at a lateral end thereof; and a second side panel connected to the second series of side support members at a lateral end thereof; wherein each B-pillar extends upright from one of the side panels to provide support for the vehicle body; and wherein each rear rail extends upright and rearward from a rearward portion of one of the side panels, the rear rails providing support for a rear wheel, and the rear rails serving as C-pillars to provide support for the vehicle body.