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Vessel is an electric cargo trike, designed for electric scooter sharing companies operating in an urban environment.

With the ever increasing presence of electric scooter sharing in large cities, it has become more and more difficult to manage the service behind the products.

In this context, Vessel optimises the reloading, relocation and repair operations of electric scooters, guaranteeing practicality and agility while moving around a busy city. The product is designed to minimise physical effort for operators, while being unobtrusive for the general public.

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Problem setting

Has the service managed to keep up with the explosion of its popularity?

Not really...

Many companies employ freelancers who collect, move and recharge electric scooters.
Others organise for vans to circulate at night, parking haphazardly and accessing pedestrian areas.

Three product requirements:

  1. Comfort
    The product must facilitate pedalling, manoeuvring and interaction with the cargo, reducing physical effort.
     

  2. Adaptability
    The product must be versatile, readily usable by different sharing services, welcoming different people and products (scooter sizes vary).
     

  3. Capillarity
    The product must be able to travel legally in the city centre, at all times of the day, without causing discomfort to traffic or pedestrians.

Product features:

  1. Scooter attachment points
    Scooters must be redistributed around the city, placed in busy areas (stations, universities, squares...) 
     

  2. Battery trunk
    Modern electric scooters have replaceable batteries, which facilitate charging.
     

  3. Maintenance kit
    For minor repairs in loco.

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The design process looked into many factors:

  • Product architecture
    Weight distribution and compact dimensions.
     

  • Case study research
    Comparing materials, uses, components.
     

  • Product language
    Which shape would allow easiest use?

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Ramp

Experiments were conducted to ensure that scooters could be easily reversed and secured onto the back of Vessel thanks to a ramp.

Special clips, used to secure bikes to camper vans are quick to open and close. Furthermore, height regulation makes them adaptable to different brands of scooters.

Trunk:
ABS, thermoformed

Scooter batteries are contained in a back trunk.
The material is treated in order to survive long exposure to UV radiation and rain.
The shape ensures structural integrity.

The batteries are housed in custom sponge which is:
 

  • Fireproof.

  • Resistant to oils and acids.

  • Vibration dampening.

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Pedalling not strenuous, thanks to a Bosch motor and battery.

 

The transmission is designed in order to allow for comfortable pedalling rhythms, considering the urban environment.

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Electric trike

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FEM Analysis

To evaluate how the frame performs:

  • With a heavy load.

  • During pedalling.

  • Hitting a sidewalk with the front wheel.

  • While braking.

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Designed in collaboration with
Filippo Viciani, Leonardo Giovanelli,
Pedro Augusto Pereira Basile
at Politecnico di Milano, 2021

What next?

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