I/ Segmobyl
The Segmobyl is an intermediate vehicle that permits commuters to efficiently go from their home to their work. The Segmobyl is a two-in-one option that allows you to do the first km to the periphery of the city, park your vehicle, and finish your trip inside the city center with a smaller and less energy consuming means of transportation, e.g. the segway. It’s a solution to commute between rural areas or at least urban periphery to downtown.
● State of the vehicle: concept
● Type of vehicle: electric
● Amount of people: 1-2
● Max speed: 45 km/h.
● Weight: <250 kg
● Amount of wheels: 2+2
The vehicle is designed with several key features for efficiency and sustainability. It has four wheels for safety and aims to be half the length of a regular vehicle to optimize parking space. The rear wheels are the ones of the Segway, which propel the front part of the vehicle. The passenger compartment is weather-protected using light textile materials. Two swappable batteries, each around 20 kg, offer flexibility for different ranges. The vehicle's maximum speed is 45 km/h. It features two seats and relies on a user's smartphone for GPS and radio, reducing material and energy use. The vehicle is modular, with the Segway being removable for short-distance travel and with dismountable parts for separate battery use, promoting resource efficiency and reducing urban congestion.
II/ The vehicle
● The Segmobyl is a light vehicle with a Dyneema fabric weather protection which covers the passengers.
● There is one opening at the back of the vehicle. The outer shell of the vehicle can easily be lifted by one person.
● The vehicle has a minimalist interior, it is composed of a platform, seats, a place for batteries and the minimum elements needed to drive and control the speed of the vehicle.
● A jack at the back of the vehicle allows one to remove the segway when parked.
● Under the seats there is room for shopping bags.
More info can be found in the PDF below.
III/ Segmobyl V2
The Segmobyl V2 is an intermediate vehicle that permits commuters to efficiently go from their home to their work. The Segmobyl V2 is a two-in-one option that allows you to do the first km to the periphery of the city, park your vehicle, and finish your trip inside the city center with a smaller and less energy consuming means of transportation, e.g. the e-scooter. It’s a solution to commute between rural areas or from the urban periphery to the downtown.
- State of the vehicle: concept
- Type of vehicle: electric
- Amount of people: 1-3
- Max speed: 45 km/h.
- Weight: <200 kg
- Amount of wheels: 2+2
The vehicle is designed with several key features for efficiency and sustainability. It has four wheels for safety and aims to be lighter than regular vehicles to optimize parking space. The rear wheels are the ones of the e-scooter, which tract the back part of the vehicle. The passenger compartment is weather-protected using light textile materials. Two swappable batteries, each around 15 kg, offer flexibility for different ranges. The vehicle's maximum speed is 45 km/h. It features one pilot seat, a bench seat and relies on a user's smartphone for GPS and radio, reducing material and energy use. The vehicle is modular, with the e-scooter being removable for short-distance travel and with dismountable parts for separate battery use, promoting resource efficiency and reducing urban congestion.
IV/ The vehicle - Second prototype
- The Segmobyl V2 is a light vehicle with a Dyneema fabric weather protection which covers the passengers. The fabric is all around the passenger (the roof, left and right side and the back side)
- There is one opening at the front of the vehicle.
- The vehicle has a minimalist interior, it is composed of a platform, seats, a place for batteries and the minimum elements needed to drive and control the speed of the vehicle.
- A “roue jocket” at the back of the vehicle allows one to remove the e scooter when parked.
- This “roue jocket” is present at the back of the vehicle to prevent scale of the vehicle during travel also.
Fichier Véhicule (AAP Ideation) : 2. Vehicule - Segmobyl.pdf
Fichier Véhicule (AAP Proto) :
Fichier associé au guide de montage :
Lien vers un espace de stockage des fichiers 3D : https://drive.google.com/file/d/1gP9ixOFMRKtLv_yOhWisO3_0rjpUOWDF/view?usp=drive_link
Partenaire impliqué (industriel, fablab, labo...) : Fabmobility ESTACA
I/ Energy calculations
The Segmobyl, as an innovative electric vehicle concept, stands at the forefront of energy-efficient urban commuting. With a sustainable design aimed at optimizing energy consumption, this two-in-one mobility solution reflects a forward-thinking approach to urban transportation. The vehicle efficiently covers the initial kilometers from a commuter's home to the city's periphery, and upon arrival, seamlessly transitions to a smaller and lighter means of transportation – the Segway. This transition not only reduces energy usage but also helps alleviate traffic congestion in city centers. Powered by electricity, the Segmobyl operates at a maximum speed of 45 km/h and is designed with a commitment to sustainability, making it a promising solution for environmentally conscious urban commuters. There are two 7.4 kWh batteries in the front part of the vehicle, and a third battery found in the Segway. The energy stored in these batteries will power the electric motor found in the Segway, which is used to propel the vehicle forward. We may need a second electric motor to help the Segway in the propulsion; the final decision will be taken after testing. With a focus on eco-friendly travel, the Segmobyl pioneers a new era of energy-efficient and environmentally responsible commuting within cities.
The ESTACA students who did their project around the Segmobyl did a simulation to calculate the energy needed for a 56 km trip with the vehicle.
They found that the Segmobyl would consume 4.58 kWh to complete the 56 km trip.
This means we will have an energy consumption of 0.082 kWh/km for our vehicle, which is 42% less than the average energy consumption km of existing EVs1 (0.195 kWh/km).
To calculate the charging costs, we took the average between the costs of public AC charging (0.4 €/ kWh) and domestic charging in France (0.27 €/ kWh), which gives 0.33 €/kWh.2,3
This includes both routine maintenance costs (e.g., tire replacements, brake pads) and potential battery replacement costs over the vehicle's lifetime. In the literature, it says that on average, maintenance costs are around 4600 USD over an EV’s lifetime. But we will assume 2000 € for our vehicle since it is much smaller than the average, and much more frugal with a minimum of components.
- Total energy costs calculation:
- Calculate the annual energy consumption by multiplying the kilometrage by the energy consumption per kilometer assuming 20 km traveled per day:
0.082 kWh/ km x 20 x 365 km = 599 kWh per year
- Calculate the annual energy cost by multiplying the annual energy consumption by the cost of electricity per unit (e.g., kWh):
0.33 €/ kWh x 599 kWh = 198 €/ year
Assuming a productlife of 20 years, we can assume that the maintenance costs will be 2000/ 20 which means 100 €/ year. So, adding the energy cost to the maintenance cost, we obtain a total cost of 298 €/ year.
Also, we can assume a salvage value at the end of the useful life equal to 40% of its initial value (which we are setting to be 5000 €.)
With this information, we can calculate the NPV using the discounted energy flow (DEF), assuming a discount rate of 5%. The DEF diagram is found in the figure below, giving an NPV of -7 960 €.
NPV = - 7960 €
The NPV is obviously negative since people will not win revenue from owning a car. But it would be interesting to compare it to the NPV of owning an ICE vehicle or even a larger EV existing on the market. The value we found is guaranteed to be higher since the vehicle has a lower price and lower operating costs. This means that if we consider a differential NPV that includes the savings we make by having our vehicle instead of another, the NPV will be positive, and hence we “gain” money from owning the Segmobyl instead of another vehicle.
II/ Bibliography
(1) EV Database. EV Database.
https://ev-database.org/cheatsheet/energy-consumption-electric-car (accessed 2023-10-19).
(2) Here is the real cost of charging an electric car in France - Gearrice.
https://www.gearrice.com/update/here-is-the-real-cost-of-charging-an-electric-car-in-france/#
The_real_cost_of_charging_a_car (accessed 2023-10-19).
(3) These European countries have the lowest and highest energy prices. euronews.
https://www.euronews.com/next/2023/03/29/energy-crisis-in-europe-which-countries-have-th
e-cheapest-and-most-expensive-electricity-a (accessed 2023-10-19).
Fichier Énergétique : 5. Energy.pdf