Electric scooter

Initially, the design of the first scooters assumed a sitting position for the pilot and looked more like a bicycle than a modern scooter ^{[1] [2] [3]} .

In 1761, coachman from Germany Michael Kassler designed a self-propelled platform for movement, vaguely reminiscent of a modern scooter, and a little later Count de Sivrac from France made a “Selyarifer”, very similar to the Kassler model. The British improved the design, equipping it with an iron frame.

Around the same time, the scooter was invented in Russia by the master Artamonov. It was an iron product with a large front and small rear wheels, located one after the other. Pedals were fixed on the axis of the front wheel, during which the scooter was set in motion.

In the 1910s, teenagers began to install engines on scooters already produced. This design was mastered in the production of the company Autoped Company of America. Since 1915, it has been producing a motorized scooter (“ auto-pedal ”) with tiny wheels (the rear was covered by a casing), a wide platform (on which the pilot stood), a direct folding steering wheel and a 1.5- horsepower low-valve 155 cc engine. It is known that autopeds were used by employees of the US Postal Service.

Throughout the 20th century, the scooter was mainly used as a children's toy for outdoor activities. However, in some countries ( Czech Republic , Poland , Australia ) the scooter is used in sports , everyday life for walks and business trips around the city.

At the turn of the 20th — 21st centuries, the scooter is changing: design, scope, principle of action are changing. So, in 1985, Steve Patmont designed a scooter equipped with a motor and called it go-ped.

There are two main areas of development of the design of modern scooters: with an additional engine (electric motor or internal combustion engine ) and without. Scooters without an additional engine are lighter, more compact, can be folding. The development path of the scooter with an additional engine is much more diverse. There are scooters with an internal combustion engine, an electric motor, a pedal drive, an inertial drive, there is an idea about a scooter with a flywheel engine. A variety of options for wheels, batteries, structural materials. Scooters with an additional engine appeared in military service, in cross-country races, they become fashionable gadgets of modern citizens.

• Walks, trips to work and to the store for residents of cities with equipped sidewalks, ramps, parking lots;
• Use by residents of innovative territories;
• Airports, logistics centers, storage areas and the like;
• Work of employees of city services, enterprises and organizations (including employees of law enforcement agencies, medical and social services);
• Intra-factory operational transport (for workers often moving around the enterprise).

• The “muscular” mode allows you to maintain the physical condition of the user and to avoid the time-consuming carrying of the device in the event of a battery discharge .
• The presence of an electric drive makes it possible to quickly move around the city (with a maximum speed of up to 100 km / h).
• Small weight and dimensions allow transportation in public and individual vehicles, increasing the scope and geography of application.
• Storage of the electric scooter is not difficult - it is compact, there are no unpleasant odors, it can be stored in any position, as well as partially disassembled.
• The cost of one charge of the battery of an electric scooter is about 2 rubles, and the mileage is up to 60 km (in electric mode only)
• Maintenance of an electric scooter consists only in maintaining tire pressure, washing, and charging the battery.
• Control of an electric scooter does not require much effort: the throttle sets the speed of movement, the rudder sets the direction of movement, and the speed is extinguished with the brake lever. The user's field of view (review) by electric scooter is higher than cars, which positively affects the safety of movement in parking lots, crossings, and so on.
• An electric scooter in operation is safer than its “relatives” - gyro scooters , segways, monowheels - because the user has a third support - the steering wheel, so it is impossible to fall forward (due to collision with an obstacle) or backward (due to loss of balance or “rolling out” devices from under the user).
• A spacious platform and a steering wheel support allow women to ride an electric scooter in heels, in skirts and dresses.

The most important drawback of the design of the electric scooter compared to bicycles is the short base and a high center of gravity, which seriously increases the risk of falling forward during braking and in case of various unforeseen situations. To reduce the risk of falling forward, many manufacturers do not equip the scooter with a front brake, depriving the user of the ability to quickly and efficiently brake, which is extremely dangerous in difficult situations. Therefore, when riding an electric scooter, users must wear the protection of the elbow joints, knees and head.

In addition to the danger associated with insufficient braking and a high risk of overturning, there are still problems associated with the design features of electric scooters: when hitting an obstacle or during sudden braking, the steering wheel load increases, which leads to breakdowns, and accordingly, is traumatic. Failures are also susceptible to mounting the saddle, folding mechanism and shock absorbers. To reduce the risk, it is necessary to check the condition of the electric scooter before each trip, to change parts that are subject to wear in time.

Electric scooters equipped with reflectors, head and rear lights, disc brakes are characterized by increased passive safety.

Large rental services for scooters are organized in several cities in California ( USA ), Germany and Singapore ^[4] . For example, Bird and Lime in the US were able to attract hundreds of millions of dollars of investment ^{[5] [6]} .

• Scooter
• Electric bycicle
• Electric scooter
• Kicksharing