Expandable modular vehicle for lifting and transporting cargo pallets

A road train comprising:

• a first vehicle and a second vehicle connected to one another, each of the first vehicle and the second vehicle including:
• a body including a chamber and a lifting mechanism, the lifting mechanism disposed at least partially within the chamber and configured to engage and lift a cargo pallet, and the chamber configured to receive the cargo pallet through an opening in the body and accommodate the cargo pallet and the lifting mechanism within the chamber;
• a propulsion system including a first independently driven wheel and a second independently driven wheel disposed at opposing sides of the body, the propulsion system configured to drive the first wheel and the second wheel to cause the respective vehicle to pivot about a rotational axis of the vehicle;
• and
• a bi-directional hitch disposed at an upper portion of the body and including a first connector and a second connector, the first connector and the second connector configured to pivot relative to one another and relative to the body about the rotational axis of the respective vehicle, each of the first connector and the second connector configured to attach the respective vehicle to one selected from the group consisting of (i) another vehicle and (ii) a trailer;
• and
• with the first vehicle disposed in a front position of the road train, at least the propulsion system of the first vehicle is configured to drive the road train in a direction of travel.

A system comprising:

• a first vehicle and a second vehicle connected to one another in a road train, each of the first vehicle and the second vehicle including:
• a body including a chamber and a lifting mechanism, the lifting mechanism disposed at least partially within the chamber and configured to engage and lift a cargo pallet, and the chamber configured to receive the cargo pallet through an opening in the body and accommodate the cargo pallet and the lifting mechanism within the chamber;
• a propulsion system including a first independently driven wheel and a second independently driven wheel disposed at opposing sides of the body, the propulsion system configured to drive the first wheel and the second wheel to cause the respective vehicle to pivot about a rotational axis of the vehicle;
• and
• a bi-directional hitch disposed at an upper portion of the body and including a first connector and a second connector, the first connector and the second connector configured to pivot relative to one another and relative to the body about the rotational axis of the respective vehicle, each of the first connector and the second connector configured to attach the respective vehicle to one selected from the group consisting of (i) another vehicle and (ii) a trailer;
• and
• memory hardware storing instructions that, when executed on data processing hardware in communication with the memory hardware, cause the data processing hardware to perform operations including:
• with the first vehicle disposed in a front position of the road train, operating at least the propulsion system of the first vehicle to drive the road train in a direction of travel.