Designing useR centric E-kickscooters & business models for Enhancing interModality

Project Information

DREEM

Grant agreement ID: 101007085

DOI 10.3030/101007085

Project closed

EC signature date 23 October 2020

Start date 1 February 2021

End date 31 January 2023

Funded under

• SOCIETAL CHALLENGES - Smart, Green And Integrated Transport

Total cost € 2 617 468,75

EU contribution € 1 925 415,63

Coordinated by

PUNCH TORINO SPA
Italy

Periodic Reporting for period 2 - DREEM (Designing useR centric E-kickscooters & business models for Enhancing interModality)

Reporting period: 2022-02-01 to 2023-01-31

Summary of the context and overall objectives of the project

The use of different and optimally combined transport modes in a seamless way is one of the key challenges to achieve greater sustainability in smart cities transport systems. Each mode of transport has its own advantages and satisfies different mobility purposes and needs. The core of new electrified microvehicle concept is to combine design and user needs for an easier usage within traditional transportation modes (e.g. public transport) in both urban and suburban areas.The project aims at finalizing and testing a safer and modular electric kick scooter (e-KS) for personal urban and suburban mobility. It presents 2 main innovation levels: on the vehicle side with the development of new features in term of modularity, foldability and improved safety; on the systemic side, the consortium will study and present (a) new business model(s) for a win-win situation for all stakeholders.

The main objectives of the project were:
Ratio of accidents involving electric kick scooters
Higher perceived safety and stability
Overall weight 9kg for 50km range with slightly weight increase for longer range
Perceived easiness of foldability and size once folded.
Offer a flexible range for users
Successful Integration with PT with traffic information, best trip option and e-ticketing services
Successful integration with cars
Offer an adapted business model for each use case
More than 90% of users download the application
More than 75% of users of the app found it useful & user-friendly
Increase the sustainability of the vehicle materials
Increase the sustainability of the service

Evaluation of the objectives is reported in chapter 1.1 of the technical report

Work performed from the beginning of the project to the end of the period covered by the report and main results achieved so far

Feedback in the pilots directly fed the business model generation. The surveys included questions relating the preferred payment mode and business model, the willingness to pay, the preferred arrangement with the organisation.
This feedback was used in the co-design sessions to build the most adapted business models for each type of use case in DREEM.
Besides, circular economy aspects were also integrated in the final choice of options and arrangement among the different actors involved in the business model.

A benchmark was also carried out at EU level to identify best practices and include them in the final desing of business models.

The most important experience gained around the pilot projects are:
● improving specific urban usage needs. For instance, DREEM vehicles can be the last-mile solutions in those areas where local PT is lacking, or PT cannot cover.
● Via pilot demonstrations, DREEM demonstrated the benefit of a personal “last-mile” solution integrated with major public transportation networks such as subway or bus and then using a DREEM kickscooter to their destination, or vice versa. In this way, DREEM kickscooter can be seen as an extension of public transportation.
● More comfort and stability = enlarging the acceptance of such vehicles among different ages groups and gender (pilot to test and demonstrate it).
● Reducing the use of other, more polluting and space occupying mobility solutions. These electric kick scooters are suited for areas with limited parking due to their small size, eliminating the need to drive around looking for parking as cruising for parking can lead up to 30% of traffic increase . Furthermore, personal DREEM kickscooter also addressed social misconduct behaviours associated with shared kickscooter parking issues.
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Progress beyond the state of the art and expected potential impact (including the socio-economic impact and the wider societal implications of the project so far)

The consortium started from a mature design, accelerating the production readiness of the kickscooter. The design proposed was focused on customer pain points currently not addressed by micro mobility. Several loops of vehicle design, were done, based on design thinking methodology and dedicated customer clinics. Similar approach based on WP3 test Pilot has been used to release final prototype: feedback from users have been reviewed and two of main pain points addressed on kickscooter review. In particular battery durability has been increased and brake system improved. The design adopted has been also analysed in terms of manufacturability, leveraging on knowledge of kick sooter starting device. As per current status, a contracted manufacturer has to be preferred versus an in-house. Pilots feedback brough improvement that Bumpair has already introduced in the production line (New pressure indicator to check if the helmet is inflated correctly, new inside design, to improve comfort of the helmet, review external design, to reduce the volume of the helmet when it is deflated.
Besides, Bumpair has reached an agreement with French retailer Decathlon to commercialise its inflatable helmet, ensuring scalability and industrial production.

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