Citation

Vella AD, Vigliani A. SAE Int. J. Veh. Dyn. Stab. NVH 2022; 7(1): 10-07-01-0003.

Copyright

(Copyright © 2022, Society of Automotive Engineers)

DOI

10.4271/10-07-01-0003

PMID

unavailable

Abstract

The segment of micro-vehicles has experienced an increasing spread in recent years since its positive implications for both individual road users and the whole urban scenario. An experimental and numerical analysis on a standing electric scooter (e-scooter) is proposed with the aim of evaluating the longitudinal performance and the influence of rider positioning on the dynamics of the whole system; for this purpose, an e-scooter available in Europe and at mid-range price is considered. The vehicle is instrumented to monitor its longitudinal position, velocity, and acceleration. Test procedure and data processing are defined to homogeneously acquire and manage the signals. The experimental campaign is divided into three main categories corresponding to different maneuvers, i.e., acceleration, braking, and coasting. Specific attention is given to the electric motor modalities, both in driving and regeneration; moreover, the dependency of the rolling resistance force on tire inflation pressure is investigated. Braking maneuvers are performed on different surfaces and with different drivers.

A three degrees of freedom (3-DOF) lumped parameter model is developed in Matlab/Simulink and validated using the experimental results where the DOFs are the translational motion of the entire system and the rotations of the front and rear wheels; a fourth DOF is then added, separating the rider and vehicle masses, to better fit the real dynamic behavior and the experimental evidence. Finally, the effects of rider features related to his anthropometry and driving experience are assessed in severe braking maneuvers.

Language: en