Mechanical Design and Power Drive Improvements for Moovee’s One-seater Prototype

An emerging concept in urban transportation systems is utilization of small electric vehicles that meet the demands for enclosed personal mobility. These types of vehicles are generally small and lightweight but require much less space than more conventional vehicles such as the Smart Car. Furthermore, the vehicle is all battery electric. Recent developments have utilized innovative in-wheel electric motors mounted on carbon fiber platforms. In such systems, each wheel unit contains a drive motor enabled with regenerative braking, steering, and suspension, all digitally controlled by a computer. The in-wheel motor concept enables maneuvers such as spinning on the wheel's own axis, moving sideways into parallel parking spaces, and lane changes while facing straight ahead. Furthermore, the vehicle is foldable, resulting in smaller space requirements when parked. The folding mechanism also allows for safety in crash scenarios. The above features make the vehicle ideal for crowded cities with limited spaces. The proposed activity involves improvements in power drive and mechanism design for the Moovee's Insectra vehicle and their proof-of-concept demonstration.

Faculty Supervisor:

Drs. Mehrdad Moallem & Farid Golnaraghi

Student:

Chen-yu Hsieh & Amir Maravandi

Partner:

Moovee Innovation Inc.

Discipline:

Engineering

Sector:

Automotive and transportation

University:

Simon Fraser University