EsCargo: a cargo motorcycle by Oscar Fehlberg

EsCargo

Oscar Fehlberg

A cargo motorcycle

Author and designer Oscar Fehlberg Supervising lecturer Simon Curlis University and course RMIT, Industrial Design Print and binding Impact Digital Date 11/2015 All images in this book were produced by Oscar Fehlberg unless captioned otherwise. Thanks to All RMIT workshop tech assistants Craig Longhurst of Mischief Makers Ron Ellazam Rafael Diem Drew Harper Blane Muntz of Cargone Couriers Peter Santos of PS Bikes Paul of Discount Motorcycle Wreckers Flexible Drive

Abstract Melbourne is a city undergoing a rapid population growth. Through the next 35 years an estimated 8 million citizens will see a sustained and increasing load placed upon our transport systems. Coupled with the adoption of online shopping and global distribution, these factors will further crowd our road systems and increase environmental pressures. This project addresses an emerging wicked problem where the demand for goods transport in an increasingly crowding city with minimal environmental impact appears to be impossible. EsCargo is a cargo motorcycle designed to address the need for moving small scale freight in a timely manner on congested urban streets. It is a proposition for a modal shift in the way that we transport goods without building more infrastructure and maintaining our current logistics paradigm of large loads on large vehicles.

EsCargo is an agile solution that augments localised delivery, but has the ability to cross the metropolitan area. A small footprint and nimble handling allow it to cut through congestion, while the clean, quiet and efficient, electric drive-train minimises impact on the environment. Combined with Green Energy infrastructure EsCargo aims to achieve zero emissions delivery. The cargo hold of the bike increases it’s carry capacity tenfold over existing motorcycles and the strong ladder-frame can handle loads up to 200kg. The design is easily adaptable to suit many jobs, whether it be delivering mail, consumer goods or even fresh foods. Time is of the essence with fresh food and waiting for a truck to navigate the city traffic can be costly. Whilst cargo bicycles are quick through the CBD, they become less practical towards the outer suburbs. It is these fast, short to mid trip distance scenarios where EsCargo steps in.

Contents An Unremarkable Morning

Melbourne and itâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s Future

Moving Goods 18 Powered Two Wheelers

Road To Rolling

The Application 76 EsCargo: A Cargo Motorcycle

Reflection 88 References 92 Appendices 96

An Unremarkable Morning

You rush out the door, now flustered and running late. Calves begin to burn as you power walk up towards the train station. Three timeâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s the charm as your MYKI finally decides to touch on. A sigh of relief that you havenâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t missed the train, that according to the schedule should have been and gone by now. It pulls up and you yank the door open, revealing the sheepish faces of your fellow sardines. Muttered apologies and sideways glances are exchanged as you squeeze aboard.

Your alarm jolts you awake and fumbling for your phone, you struggle to open tired eyes. The smell of ground coffee beans is sobering and you glance at your phone while the coffee machine warms up. A calender notification appears, reminding you that you have forgotten your partners birthday today. Bummer. As you sip your burnt coffee you rack your brain for present ideas. You finally remember the new camera they have been pining over, so you head online in the hope you can get one delivered before the days end. You finally manage to find a site with same day shipping and you cross your fingers the courier will just leave the package on the front veranda.

Peering out from your spot underneath a tall man’s armpit, you watch the outside world rush by. Although, rush hour traffic doesn’t appear to be in a hurry. The arterial road running next to the train line is clogged. Again. You lose count as you try to total the number of single occupant vehicles. A motorcycle followed by a scooter slowly carve a path through the cars, vans and trucks. They pass a courier van, which makes you wonder if that will be the one delivering the present later on.

In a flurry of human activity you navigate your way out of the central train station and you’re already thinking you need another coffee. As you enter your work building you notice the scooter from earlier this morning is parked on the footpath outside. You remark to the barista in the foyer cafe, that while this morning was unremarkable, it was not without it’s moments of frustration and anxiety.

Melbourne and itâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s Future

The context of this project deals with the city of Melbourne from now to the near future of 2050. The inspiration for this project came from current day problems and opportunities I noticed. Problems that will only become greater in the next few decades. Melbourne is a city with a population that is growing faster than itâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s infrastructure can handle. Alongside climate change and a growing industry of delivered goods, this is creating congestion in all forms of transport.

Melbourne’s Population Current 4.3 million 2051 7.7 million

Congestion in mobility Traffic congestion is a problem caused when there are too many vehicles traveling along a certain route, so that the optimal travel time cannot be achieved. Examples of this are; crowded main roads where cars are travelling well bellow the speed limit, or traffic having to wait multiple sequences to get through a signalled intersection. This is such a common occurrence we pretty much accept that it’s just apart of life. Things that impact traffic congestion are: time of day, the age, condition and quality of road infrastructure, total population, population spread, commute distances, location of major job centres, types of vehicles used, quality and availability of public transport, weather, traffic incidents, road works and so on. Melbourne’s population will increase substantially over the next few decades, so there will be almost double the number of people trying to move around the city by 2051 (PlanMelbourne, 2014). Something will have to change in order for us to overcome the

mobility issues it will cause. The current government is aiming to improve public transport to make it a more viable and appealing option. Money is also being put into cycling infrastructure to encourage people to commute by bicycle. This all works towards getting more people off the roads if they don’t need a car to commute or use for work. Incentives for using smaller vehicles like scooters and motorcycles are also being continued and implemented as more free parking and the legalisation of traffic filtering at lights is being introduced (Dow, 2015). As well as this, lower vehicle registration costs for motorcycles and scooters increase their appeal to many. This plan to steer people away from cars is because they are the major cause of traffic congestion (PlanMelbourne, 2014). The average Australian car only transports 1.1 to 1.2 people (Loader, 2011). This means a majority of the time we are using vehicles with capacity way beyond our needs and so we end up increasing congestion and carbon emissions.

Weather Climate change will impact Melbourne significantly through the next few decades. Not just a rise in average temperature, there will also be more frequent extreme weather events. It is predicted that as the average global temperature rises, El Nino and La Nina events will increase (BOM, 2015) These particular events are dictated by the Pacific Ocean temperatures and currents, which are being changed by the increase of global warming. Heat waves, drought, bush fires, storms, cyclones and flooding are all examples of drastic weather events caused by El Nino and La Nina. These events can have temporary and long terms impacts on how we live and how the city operates. If we look at the 2011 Christchruch earthquake we can see that the city is still being rebuilt over 4 years later and the function of the city is greatly different to what it once was. The New Orleans hurricane Katrina disaster is another example of the massive impacts natural disasters will impart on us. Melbourne is less likely to suffer from earthquakes like that of Chistchurchâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s, but we are still prone to other extreme events that could prove just as devastating. How we prepare, manage and rebound from these events is of great concern as we move forward. Whilst we deal with this, transporting ourselves and goods around will become difficult. Adaptable and resilient forms of transport will provide the best solution under these circumstances.

Traffic shut-downs Localised traffic shut-downs can happen for a number of reasons - weather events like; storms, flooding and extreme heat, but also sporting events, traffic incidents, road works and signal failures. Traffic shut downs happen on both road and rail and light rail networks. A shut-down within any network increases the pressure on our roads, creating more congestion around the affected areas. A rail shutdown, forces people to find an alternate mode of transport and this is most commonly via the road replacement bus, car or taxi. With a road shut-down people need to find alternative routes forcing more people along the same detours. Increased population, extreme weather events and proposed infrastructure construction will combine to put further pressure on our transport networks and traffic shut-downs will occur more frequently. Again, this is where resilient and flexible transport modes are beneficial. Cyclists are often the least affected by traffic shut-downs, while motorcycles and scooters are able to navigate their way through them.

Air and noise pollution In the government document PlanMelbourne (2014) the quality of our cities air was raised as an environmental concern. Smog events do happen in Melbourne in both the heat of summer and the cold of winter (EPAVic, 2012). When particular weather conditions meet peak hour vehicle emissions, smog is created throughout the city. The trapped exhaust fumes have a negative impact on the health of those breathing the air, including short term damage to respiratory systems (Healthline, 2013). EPA Victoria’s recommended ways to reduce air pollution on a personal level (EPAVic, 2012) mostly include tips for people with vehicles powered by internal combustion engines (ICE), which suggests this plays a major roll on our air quality. A shift from our reliance on ICE’s would reduce smog events and in turn improve the city’s air quality substantially. As far as ICE alternatives go, electric drive-trains are trending as the strongest replacement (IEA, 2013). Electric drive-trains have the added benefit over internal combustion engines in that they create very little noise pollution. Current motorcycle engines can create sound levels of over 100 decibels, while general street traffic sits around 80dbs (VicRoads, 2013). To put this in perspective, sustained exposure to noise over 90dbs can cause permanent hearing damage (DangerousDecibels, 2001). A noisy city decreases peacefulness, increases stress, hearing problems, communication problems, and can impact negatively on surrounding wildlife (Stansfeld and Matheson, 2003). Current electric motorcycles are so quite it is often reported by riders that wind noise drowns out any motor noise over 60km/h. For the reduction of both air and noise pollution, it seems that electric is the way forward.

Moving Goods

“Stuff” We create, sell and purchase “stuff” to fill our needs and wants. We need the basics to survive and we want the latest and greatest to enjoy life. This “stuff” is created and sold all over the world, near and far, so it needs to be transported to us, before we can use it. We can go to brick and mortar stores to select our “stuff” in person, or we can shop online and have it delivered to our door. With the internet came online shopping and we are seeing an upwards trend in this form of purchasing (Parke, 2014). In most cases the goods bought online still have to be sent to a distribution centre (where the online shop keeps their products) before being sent to the customer. In both cases our stuff has to be transported multiple times before it reaches the consumer. The benefit to the consumer with online shopping is the convenience of being able to shop around and find the exact item they want for the best price without leaving the house. Online shopping may in fact reduce congestion as one delivery vehicle can deliver many objects in one trip, rather than many people making multiple journeys going to the shop. There is no doubt that online shopping trends will continue to increase. Faster methods of shipping are also expected nowadays. As the speed of delivery is a big purchase driver for online shoppers, next day postage, overnight and express shipping are common place, More demand for quickly delivered goods brings about a need within delivery services to increase their speed and efficiency.

The goods we move Letters are reducing in popularity as they are being replaced by email. This is causing letter delivery to become unprofitable. They suit delivery by bicycles and postie bikes, which is the current method. The majority of online and delivered purchases are small to mid sized consumer electronics, books and clothing. The last kilometre delivery of these goods are suited to smaller vehicles like bicycles, cargo bicycles, postie bikes. Large items are bought less frequently and are more often purchased at brick and mortar stores (fridges, couches, mattresses etc.) They are generally delivered with a store van or truck. Items that are moved in bulk are also suited to single trips in larger vehicles.

Droning On A separate avenue within the future of goods delivery is in the field of automated vehicles. Specifically using small scale, automated multicopters, often referred to as drones. The idea behind drones is that they will individually deliver an item straight after an online order is placed and processed. This would reduce delivery times, costs and road congestion dramatically, while increasing convenience. The technology in this area is close to ready with battery performance still a major barrier. The legislation relevant to drones is almost non-existent, which places it in a grey area as laws struggle to keep up with the emerging technology. Amazon is a company experimenting with this technology in their American distribution hubs with a system they call Prime Air. They have said, “We’re excited about Prime Air — a future delivery system from Amazon designed to safely get packages into customers’ hands in 30 minutes or less using small unmanned aerial vehicles.” (Amazon, 2014).

On the ground Autonomous ground vehicles are already in serious testing stages and this is an extremely likely future outcome. Ground vehicles don’t face many of the previously mentioned problems drones do, but as of yet, still would not be able to negotiate through buildings. Societal impacts The social and economic impacts of continued automation within society is a big problem, commonly overlooked, as new technology and safety advantages take the forefront. Lower skilled jobs will be removed by automation and the profits from this are passed onto the small percentage of people at the top. Automation has the ability to skew wealth distribution even further than it is currently and this problem must be tackled side-by-side with it’s integration. The social impacts of decreased human interaction is another area that is not understood, but could become detrimental to the way we live.

Problem areas There are foreseeable problems with automated deliveries and drones. Melbourne has frequent, strong, gusty winds that blow through the city, which coupled with the amount of high rises, poses a threat to the stability and safety of drones. Technology may be able to overcome this, but it is yet to be seen. Delivery to reception desks within offices and multistorey buildings is also not yet possible as drones are unable to safely and practically negotiate indoors.

Standard Post

National 3-5 Business days

Sender First kilometre

Second kilometre

Receiver Last kilometre

Courier Post

Longest kilometre

Local Same day - overnight

Courier

Local 1hr - same day

Sender Sender First kilometre Receiver Receiver Last kilometre Last kilometre 24

Delivery services There are different ways to send and receive goods and these depend on the desired speed, convenience, care and cost of delivery, as well as the type of goods being sent. Standard and express post are the most commonly used, while couriers are generally used only in certain situations. There is also a new trend in which big retailers and supermarkets offer home delivery. The Last Kilometre There are often several legs within a packages’ journey from sender to receiver. The last leg delivers the package to the receiver and this is often known as the last kilometre (or mile). The last kilometre is the most relevant leg of the journey for the EsCargo project. It is where speed, efficiency and adaptability are the key concerns. Standard postal services The most obvious example of standard postal service is Australia Post. Standard post is used by online retailers, personal sellers (eBay, Gumtree) and just about everyone else. A journey map of a typical parcel delivery is shown top left. This shows the different legs of the journey taken by different stakeholders and completed by different vehicles.

Couriers Couriers are a more direct method of local delivery and generally deliver on the same day as pickup/drop off. Speed, convenience and customizable delivery solutions are the advantage here, however most couriers only deliver within a fairly local area. Couriers are commonly used by businesses and retailers to quickly move items to the receiver. A courier journey is always the last mile of a delivery and often the only leg. CBD businesses frequently use couriers to send documents short distances and as such, bike messengers are the most utilised courier. Retailer to home delivery An increasingly popular form of goods delivery is that of groceries and household items. This is another form of online shopping, but it differs as it’s purchases of multiple items from a shopping list. In the case of grocery shopping these might be frequent and repeated purchases rather than one-off’s. This delivery method works for consumers who don’t have the time or energy to go to the shops. It also works well for the office environment as it can be set up for repeat deliveries without placing that task on staff. The orders are placed online and are sent to a packing house run by the business. The order is then packaged and loaded into a company delivery truck and taken to the customers house. Once again this system is purely the last kilometre delivery of the goods.

Australia Post electric vans Australia Post trialled Renault Kangoo Maxi Z.E. electric vans between 2014 and 2015 citing environmental reasons for the trial (McCowen, 2014). The vehicles are charged from accredited GreenPower sources to create as little environmental impact as possible. This shows that environmental factors are on the minds of delivery companies. To add to that electric systems have more benefits for these companies. For example they can be recharged overnight at the companies facilities. The cost of electricity is also lower and more stable than petrol and it will outlast petrol in the future. Medical As our medical fields improve, Australia’s population shifts towards an older demographic (The Treasury, 2002). This field will remain incredibly vital into the future as the age shift continues. Hospitals are a big industry and sending equipment and samples around can be tricky. The availability and cost of transport, as well as the fragile nature of some tests, means that standard methods of delivery cannot be used. In the UK “Blood Bikes” are commonly used. These are volunteer motorcyclists that transport “diagnostic specimens, blood, notes, x-rays, scans and other medical equipment” outside of their own work. The riders operate out of the hospitals themselves and often work in networks with each other. Pathology centres in Melbourne also have their own couriers riding scooters (image left) for transporting blood and other vital tests around.

Powered Two Wheelers

Powered Two Wheelers (PTWs) Motorcycles and scooters are a growing form of transport as they are cheap to buy, run and maintain. They are an efficient mode of transport, and due to their narrow design they are not as likely to be slowed down by congestion like a car. Between 1996 and 2012 the number of motorcycles and scooters on the road jumped from around 300,000 to 730,000 (Rose & Delbosc, 2012). Also mentioned in Rose & Delbosc’s State of Australian Cities report, safety is a large concern for those considering a PTW and is in turn a limiting factor in the take up. Motorcyclists are more vulnerable on the road and suffer far worse in the case of road incidents when compared to occupants of cars. This is simply due to the crash, safety features that can be inbuilt into cars. An enclosed shell with crumple zones, seat belts, air bags protect the driver from outside dangers. A motorcyclist has only a helmet and protective riding gear to save them in a crash. Beyond this, they are completely exposed and vulnerable. Crash avoidance technology is also implemented better in cars, but most new motorcycles come with electronic safety aids as well, like ABS brakes and traction control. The statistics surrounding chances

of being in a serious road incident on a motorcycle vs car are murky and often conflicting, however a 2007 “Victorian Auditor General’s report into motorcycle and scooter safety describes that between 2002 and 2007, Victorian motorcyclists experienced a 53% reduction in fatality rate, despite a 28% increase in the number of registrations.” (victorianmotorcyclecouncil, 2015). The biggest safety feature a motorcyclist has is themselves. A rider’s attitude, approach, skill and experience all impact massively on their safety. This is where making sure rider education and time spent on the bike are done properly. As motorcycle ownership and road safety education continues to increase, there is no reason why the trend towards safer motorcycling should not continue. Aside from statistics alone, technology in road safety is also becoming much better. Multiple detection systems are being put in vehicles by manufacturers. A notable system would be blind spot detection systems that was first introduced by Volvo, named BLIS (volvocars, 2015). A common danger for motorcyclists is being stuck in the blind spot of a vehicle - this exposes the threat of the vehicle merging across the lane and colliding with the motorcyclist. In this situation the BLIS alerts the driver that there is a vehicle in the blind spot and will make further alerts if the driver signals to turn/merge across the lane. Technology is always improving and more and more vehicle companies are implementing safety features like these, improving the safety for all road users, including motorcyclists.

Popular PTWs Sports bikes are a hugely popular motorcycle style and they make up 42.5% of 2 wheeled commuters in Melbourne, the largest of any category (Rose & Delbosc, 2013). The design of a sports bike stems from the motorcycles used in track racing - often utilising high power engines, light weight sports suspension, brakes and components and aerodynamic fairings etc. Itâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s interesting to note the popularity of a race inspired mode of transport for commuting, especially compared to the car market where this is not the case. As enjoyment was at least important to 60% of Melbourneâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s 2 wheeled commuters (Rose & Delbosc, 2013), it can be inferred that sports bikes are not popular solely for commuting, but also recreational riding. Motor scooters and Mo-peds are the second most common category for commuters at 36% and this makes sense as they are designed almost specifically for commuting, practicality and economy.

Electric PTWs Electrically powered motorbikes and scooters have been around commercially for a few years now. They are popular in large parts of Asia and the US has a number of the leading electric motorbike companies, namely Zero, Brammo and Native Cycles (Cobb, 2010). On paper, an electric PTW seems like an optimal commuter. They’re cheaper to run than ICE powered bikes (Ergon energy, 2015) and can be charged at home or work, meaning no petrol station visits. They require very little maintenance and all the while offering the same advantages as any PTW such as congestion avoidance and free/easy parking. Aside from the safety concerns mentioned earlier, the drawbacks with electric PTWs is the price tag and the range anxiety that comes with electric vehicles. The technology is still young and advancing, so the cost of electric systems is currently higher than the well established petrol systems. Even though the running costs of an EV are lower, the high initial investment is a huge drawback for most consumers. The range from a full charge of a typical EV is much less than a petrol powered vehicle with a full tank. This is the main cause of range anxiety, but it’s not the only problem. Depending on the bike itself, an electric PTW can still managed between 50km and 250km (Zero, 2015), which will easily cover most people’s daily commute, especially if charging at work is possible. The anxiety with EV range comes about due to not being able to quickly and easily recharge the vehicle at a “charge station” like you would refill an ICE vehicle at a petrol station. The technology and infrastructure just isn’t advanced enough yet. With a limited amount of charge locations including; home, possibly work and the very few public car recharge bays, EV users have the added stress of making it to their destination, or becoming stranded. With no easy way of recharging a stranded EV on the fly, this becomes very problematic, very quickly. An E-bike might not yet be able to handle entire day trips, but statistics show most current motorcyclists still own another car or vehicle, which would be better suited to these instances of longer journeys (Rose & Delbosc, 2013).

Electric perception As battery, motor and controller technology improves, designers and engineers are working out where the electric motorcycle stands within the current combustion engine market and how best to utilise the electric systems created. Critics will often point out the differences between a petrol and electric bike the visuals, the sound, the shifting of gears etc. It seems companies are taking note as the interest in the electric market grows. Most large electric motorcycle companies have steered towards more refined packages and more traditional motorbike styling cues. Harley Davidson’s experiment with project LiveWire is a good example of this. Harley is also the only company to address the sound of electric bikes in order to match their target market. Using a helical bevel gear, Harley engineers have attempted to create a “jet turbine” sound (Harley Davidson, 2015). Despite the bike actually remaining fairly quiet, it does bring up an interesting point that is often mentioned around the safety of electric vehicles: They are so quiet, people won’t hear them on the road (Bartlett, 2015). ICE motorbikes don’t have this problem and bicycles, which are also near silent, move at slower speeds, mingle less with heavy and high speed traffic and also have warning bells. The counter point to the quietness of electric motorcycles is that sound should not be relied upon as a safety method.

Electric tech The largest and most commonly proposed advantage to electric propulsion is the constant torque motors put out at all operating RPM. Thus, most electric motorcycles are direct drive, meaning they only have one gear. This is set up to produce the desired top speed at the max RPM of the motor. Whilst gears theoretically would make things more efficient, through allowing the motor to run at it’s nominal (most efficient) RPM more often, there are problems with adding gearboxes. The high motor torque means gearboxes must be more resilient, gearboxes add weight and take up space. It also complicates the on-board computer set up and it brings a clutch and gear shifter back into play. The US bike company Brammo uses a 6-speed gearbox in their Empulse R, which they created in house (Cobb, 2010), but this decision is not reflected by the competitors in the EV market. Aside from any efficiency benefits, gearboxes are also targeted at motorcyclists who may feel that a single speed removes from the traditional experience of riding. As range anxiety is the common cause of doubt in the electric vehicle, the development of better battery technology is a key concern. Motor and controller efficiency are already a large percentage more efficient than internal combustion engines (Saurin, 2009) , but it is the capacity of the current day batteries that lowers the range figures. Battery tech is a much newer area compared to motors and controllers, so there is huge room for improvement and money is being put into furthering battery research and production. The electric car company Tesla is designing and making their own “Gigafactory” (battery plant) in the US to produce their own batteries inhouse (Teslamotors, 2015). As the field of battery tech grows and becomes more advanced, the range figures are predicted to equal and surpass that of ICE’s.

Freight Transporting goods is a massive industry and one that is extremely important to isolated nations such as Australia. This industry is however, one of the largest producers of carbon emissions. Freight transport produces 6% of Australia’s total carbon emissions, with 89% of that being used on road transport (LINC, 2011). The Logistics Information & Navigation Centre suggests initiatives to reduce carbon emissions. One of which is, “Encourage the take-up of clean engine technologies such as hybrid trucks.” While this project is not dealing with the wider problem of freight emissions or trucking it does show the freight industry is looking at alternate energies to reduce their environmental footprint. Cargo Bicycles Cargo bicycles are bicycles built specifically for carrying increased loads a standard bike can’t manage.. Some cargo bikes simply have large racks and storage bags, while others have the entire frame extended either forwards (long John), or backwards (longtail). These bikes, already being utilised for transporting goods including foods in urban areas, are surprisingly capable of high loads, but it is the economic and environmental benefits that these bikes bring about that makes them appealing. Two examples using cargo bikes within Melbourne are Cargone Couriers, a bike messenger company and Tiffins Melbourne, a food delivery company. Australia Post also uses electrically assisted bicycles for their standard mail delivery in the city. Bicycles work extremely well in the CBD as they can slip through built up traffic and use informal roads like bike paths, footpaths and laneways. Cargo bikes are also incredibly adaptable, allowing the user to creatively make the bike work for the scenario at hand. While cargo bicycles dominate in speed and efficiency within urban areas, motorcycles/cars/vans/ trucks are still used for longer trips, where less congested, higher speed, arterial roads allow them to be much faster. 39

Road To Rolling

The ways in which a designer tackles a problem have a huge impact on the final result. The “Design Process” is the overall path that the designer will follow. Usually starting with, “I’ve found a problem” and ending with, “Here’s why my solution will solve that problem”. The path looks like a linear process, but there are in fact feedback loops between every stage in the process (see diagram left.)

Within each stage of the design process the designer will use various methods to create the outcomes needed to move further through the project. These include methods that directly benefit the designer’s understanding and those that display the designer’s understanding. The diagram (left) is perhaps the most basic description of the design process. It assumes a smooth sailing and a relatively simple project. This is not usually the case, as complications occur and a designer will regularly have to redo sections. This usually creates smaller feedback loops between each section of the process. It’s constantly one step forward feedback - half a step backward - progress - one step forward, and so on, sometimes including one or more steps backward. Propositional Design This is a variant of the design process that I am using for my project. Instead of finding a problem or asking a question and searching for a solution, propositional design involves proposing a vague and mouldable solution that asks a question. This “pre-solution” is based off previous knowledge and understanding. The design process in this situation is used to understand the implications of the proposal in order to refine or rework the concept and create a positive outcome. The advantage of working this way is the speed at which one can start useful research. By having a vague direction we can see which areas of research are relevant to us and we don’t end up drowning in a massive pool of information that may or may not be useful. The danger of propositional design is becoming so focused on the final outcome that the basis of the project is neglected and important factors are overlooked. To overcome this a designer should not become overly attached to any one idea. Instead, let the process mould and change the outcome.

heat sinks

active Electronic

Passive

ESC also

Naked/trussed frame

Roleplay courier

Fenders Theft Prevention removable cargo box

Motor cooling

Hydrolic

Open structures project

less worry about mileage

EV builders Poly-coated spandex cargo cover

feet forward seating

short trips commuter

city runabout

tough How do you - refill/recharge

camping

Simple

Cargo Motorbike Electric

Propos

Discussion/feedback/analysis

Sketching CAD Development

PMI Informal discussion with public

Easy maintainence + replacement Reddit

G torque long recharge times

Drive Train

Compilation of work so far

Knowledgeable about cargo bikes

v efficient still Most common + existing

Subreddit

Have created /r/eCargoBike

Community

cheap run cost Blog

low energy density abundant

Website

LocalMotors Project

CargO2

Reasoning

Allows further expansion of project

LIT Motors Cargo Scooter

More utility to bikes Congestion reduction

HERO Motocorp EQUS

Cargo Cruiser (Berlin)

Greener transport Independance and freedom of bikes

Can carry large/multiple things

Elian

VAC

Efficient tranport

Existing Projects

Douze

VicRoads

Cargo Bicycles

YarraTrams Motorcycling Vic

Cycling Victoria

Transport

Bullitt Butchers & Bicycles

Tech

Electric Motorcycles Brammo

Safety I'm over full faring sports bikes I'm over the desire for high performance bikes

Feild of Practise Design Aesthetics

DIY - Open source

German Cargo Bike Network

Local Motors

Sustainability

Zero

Market survey a comparison

To share and get feedback

Peers

Quick Battery Swap

Online

Include problems + fuck ups

Needs a Wiki

Petrol Air

Video

Informal discussion with experts

Knowledgeable in Electric Vehicles/Motorbikes

Open Source

Plans/build document

Diagrams

Thesis Possibilites explored

E-Moto Cargo Methods

2nd Semester

Low mileage

Eco~

upright seating

Modelling

bike shop yarraville

Local Motors

Bike Style Scrambler/tracker/ tourer/trail

Sketching

Sketch modeling Materials exploration

/r/cargobike

/r/motocycling

Bike might be v. heavy

Scooter

Touring possible

Comfy

Collaboration

Bike stand

A day in the life

Rough CAD

Body storming

Ideation

Radevski's friend workshop

Cargo cyclists

Road testing

Prototyping

Oil stained brain

Custom bike builders

2 seater

Miscelaeneous

courier

1:1 pin up

1:1 Ergo model (want to do before mid year)

solar panel within cargo bed

Steering

refill/charge at home+work

Ergo testing cargo bike

magentic/zip/clip

By wire

Riding cargo bikes

Blocked frame - correct human factors with tech components

Safety

radiator

Linkage

Learning to ride motorcycles

Strong, functional, low tech

Steering options

Very responsive steering if done well Talking point creates interest Seperates braking from suspension loads Space saving

Exploring forms, technical layouts, geometery and human factors

Advantages Simple Cheap Very common Rubust

Lit reviews

sitional design

Creating future scenarios for E-Moto Cargo

Hub centre steering

Linkage

Fiddly/fraggile Uncommon Expensive Complex

Mind mapping

Cargo Bike Steering

Disadvantages

and

Braking adds to suspension load Takes up more space

Simple

Infographics

Easy instal and maintainenance Cheap Efficient

Easier on motor

Chain

More complex rear swing arm Quite

Advantages

Efficient Low maintainence

Cargo carrying options in motorcycle market

Belt drive

No cluth needed for E-gearbox

Boring, un-innovative

Lower gearing better for slow speed - motor will do less work

Hydrolics

Cable

Forks

Steer by wire

Motor cannot stall and can be stopped by releasing throttle

Better for hill climbs, headwinds, heavy loads

Compact Shaft drive

Bevel gear not effecient

Better city traffic efficiency

Motor will run at a lower work load more often

Methods

Complex

Cargo bicycle market

Very simple Low maintenance Compact Quite

Added weight

Hub Motor

Not entirely neccesary - motor torque

Gearbox

Demanding on motor Disadvantages

Drive train

increased drivetrain complexity More to go wrong

RPM reduction

Batteries

Lithium

Li-ion

13" maxi scooter

Cargo bike powertrain

Reduction of 1:4.7 (motor @ 2800RPM)

Both

Wheels Front

Sava MC28S 130/70 -12 62 P TL REINF. High load, maxi scooter wheel Wheel Dia - 487mm

Another Expense

Rear wheel RPM is ~600 @ 60km/h with 600mm Dia tyre

Li-Po Sava MC28S 130/70 -13 63 P TL REINF. High load, maxi scooter wheel Wheel Dia - 512mm

Hard to find/no existing gearbox

Motor RPM's around 2000-6000

LiFePO4

Heat sinks

12" Scooter Rear

Radiator

ME0907 or ME1305

Air Cooled Water cooled

Motenergy

Motor supplier to Zero

ME0909 or ME0708

17" Motorbike 110/80 - 17 57 P TL Wheel Dia - 608mm

16" Motorbike

Brushless 12-48v 5kw cont // 15kw max (30s) 100A cont // 300A max (30s) $517

Brushed 12-48v 4.8kw cont // 15kw max (30s) 100A cont // 300A max (30s) $420

Controller

Kelly KEB controller KBL48401E 24V-48V, 400A $500

Dimensions L - 235 W - 162 H - 82 1.9kg

Alltrax AXE controller 4855 24-48v, 500A $500

Dimensions L - 220 W - 150 H - 71

Zero motocycles Golden Motors China

130/70 - 16 61 P TL Wheel Dia - 588mm

5kW 2000-6000RPM 2.2Kg (motor only) 88% eff

10kW 2000-6000RPM 17kgs (full kit) 91%eff

40kW @ 4,300 92Nm 129km/h Top sustainable speed

20kW @ 3,700 rpm 95Nm 113km/h Top sustainable speed

Literature reviews Research was undertaken to understand what is being said by leading experts about the future of Melbourne and relevant fields pertaining to my project. It was critical for me to know how Melbourne will look and perform as a city in the future if I want my design to remain valid beyond the current day. Understanding the future of delivery systems was also important for the same reason. Looking at what critics are saying about current vehicles and technology, whilst also understanding what the future trends are, gave me valuable information to inform where my concept sits in the ongoing design landscape. Mind-mapping Mind mapping is great for quickly and succinctly preserving ideas. To me, they are not a way of nicely presenting thoughts, but a way to rapidly unravel and plot pieces of the project. Through this I can find areas of weakness or entire gaps within the project. I created different maps for different areas of the project so I can really explore my options and ideas.

Market survey and comparison I had to explore and compare the market for various aspects of my project like cargo carrying methods, steering examples and drive-trains. I looked at existing projects to see what they did or didnâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t do well and I used PMI charts to compare them. PMI charts Plus, Minus, Interesting. I used this to simplify the market comparisons I carried out. It helped me break down each component and devise the best application for my project. PMI charts mean I donâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t have to think too hard, or break certain aspects into categories. Itâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s just positive and negative things as well as other interesting information. It gets to the point quickly, but still presents very useful data.

RAW

Mood Boards Mood boards helped depict my inspiration, feelings and intent towards the project. I made 2 boards: A standard one that contains all the ideas I like and want to include in my project, and an anti-mood board that shows everything I donâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t want to be included in my project. I found this a useful tool to use when explaining why I made certain decisions. Particularly useful to depict an overall visual aesthetic or design attitude.

MOOD BOARD

BONGO

UTILITY HONEST

TOUGH

ODDBALL

Photo by Jacob Cruden

Immersion - Road testing, Body storming. Road testing different cargo bicycles was vital in understanding their performance dynamics. It gave me an excellent chance to discover what differences, quirks and problems would have to be dealt with or overcome. Having a cargo bike meant I could body storm a typical courier scenario and test out various human factors, like riding positions and see how they might apply to my project. I also went through the process of getting my motorcycle learners licence so I could experience motorcycling for myself. I ended up buying a bike and using it to commute as much as possible to really understand what itâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s like as a motorcyclist in the real world. This was, and still is an amazing and invaluable experience and I feel itâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s been a very useful research method. There are factors that come into play with motorcycling that I had never expected or experienced in a car or bicycle. For example, wind has a huge impact on the bike and rider, especially at speeds over 60km/h.

My previous foray into the world of EVs Throughout the EsCargo project I was lucky enough to call back on my past experiences I have in building a working electric vehicle. Throughout the end of high school and into the beginning of my degree at RMIT I was involved in a 5 year project with my good friend Guy McCauley in which we designed, built and raced two single seater electric vehicles. The EV project sparked my interest in designing and building vehicles as well as the future of electric drive-trains. Developing a working prototype of EsCargo would not have been possible without the prior knowledge and experience picked up through the EV project.

Testing the EV in 2011 (photo by Guy McCauley)

Guy racing the EV in 2011

Photo by Alin Coop

Courier Shadow There came a point in the design process where I realised I had not consulted with any potential users. I needed to find out what couriers do in a day to understand if there are any quirks to the job that could be designed for. I didn’t like the idea of just interviewing couriers as I felt that would be too formal and would only scrape the surface. I really wanted to get first hand experience with a courier on the job. Cargone Couriers is a “bicycle courier service that operates in Melbourne’s CBD and surrounding suburbs.” (cargonecouriers, 2015), and they were the first company in Melbourne to utilise cargo bicycles. This made them the perfect candidate to understand what it is like couriering small to mid sized freight through the city. I contacted Blane Muntz, the owner and lead courier of Cargone and set up a shadow session in which I followed him around throughout his day on my bike, documenting events and asking questions as we went along. It was not only an eye opener to the world of bicycle messengers, but also a fun experience allround.

These were the take away points from the shadow session: The smartphone is centre of the job system and must be easy to access and use at all times. Using informal roads such as laneways, tram tracks and footpaths are common to achieve the fastest route. The length and weight of the cargo bicycle does not hamper the manoeuvrability in the hands of an experienced courier. Navigating through buildings to drop off goods takes longer than a typical bicycle leg of a journey. Safety of goods is generally reliant on the good of the public, not high security locking systems. Huge insurance cover takes care of the rest. Bicycle messengers are a tight-knit and passionate subculture. 52

Informal discussion and ideation with experts Just through talking to people I was able to more thoroughly develop my ideas. Every new person I introduced to the project gave me a new reaction and new advice. This became difficult at times due to the ambitious nature of the project, however the outside knowledge it brought to the project was invaluable. I did this through talking to people at a motor show, seeking out local relevant experts and just people Iâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;ve bumped into that have shown an interest. A large amount of discussion has also been done through emailing people I found via online research and asking them questions. I ended up talking to many different experts including custom motorcycle builders, electric motorcycle builders, sailors, aviation engineers, couriers, cargo bike users and of course, designers. Online discussion The internet gives you access to a wide audience of people. There are also avenues to discuss specific topics with people invested in that area. I use the online world to gain insight from everyday people as well as experts. Reddit is a website with an online community where people can discuss anything and everything anonymously. Itâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s allowed me to see and discuss common opinions about relevant topics to my project through subreddits like; /r/Melbourne, /r/ Motorcycles, /r/bicycles and /r/cargobicycles. I also entered the original E-Moto Cargo project into a Local Motors design challenge. Local Motors is a crowd sourced automotive design company that is run by a handful of various experts in automotive fields. By submitting my design to an LM challenge I was able to gain feedback from these experts and community members.

Sketching Throughout the project sketching was used extensively to portray and work through ideas and problems. While sketching within the automotive field is usually a refining process of the aesthetics, the majority of my sketching was used to understand and solve technical and engineering problems. As EsCargo is essentially a utility vehicle I wanted to let the function almost completely dictate the form. This was controversial for many designers, but it is the approach I felt suited both myself and the project best.

The very first 1:1 tape drawing and basic component package

CAD Package and 1:1 tape drawing The first piece of CAD work I had to complete was â&#x20AC;&#x153;the packageâ&#x20AC;?. For EsCargo this involved compiling human factors, components, vehicle foot print and cargo capacity to create the basic vehicle plan from which I could work from. By adding a rough frame I was able to print the bare bones of my design in 1:1. This enabled me to better understand the scale and proportions of the vehicle much better. Working at 1:1 is vastly different when compared to small scale or through the computer screen. I could visualise how one might interact with the vehicle and then find any problem areas that might arise, ready for re-design.

Iterative development This was the overall process that took place once my design direction had been fairly solidified. It did not involve any intense research aspects or any major changes to the project, but it was a slow and methodical refining of the concept. It was simply creating an iteration, attaining feedback and then creating another iteration from that. This was achieved mostly through sketching, CAD work and model making. The EsCargo was constantly going through development, right up to the final moments of the completed prototype. CAD The CAD work I produced for the EsCargo project was mainly in order to assist the manufacturing process, rather than creating amazing renders. It allowed me to recognize problems areas early on, but also create drawings from which to build. Being able to print frame components off in 1;1 to work from was a huge help when constructing certain parts. Being able to show the experts I was in discussion with the updated CAD designs gave me access to valuable feedback. The CAD work for EsCargo was as much a planning tool as it was a design tool.

1:1 modelling Creating a physical representation is the clearest way to explain to someone your design. Everything is implied within the model and the viewer should be able to immediately understand the form and hopefully function. While small scale modelling is often quicker and easier to produce, I decided to jump straight to 1:1 early on, as the functional aspects and proportions are much clearer. Sometimes what looks “right” at small scale often doesn’t work at full scale, so I found it best to work 1:1 in most situations. The first model created was a quick and dirty white model, made quickly with cheap materials. It was functional as an ergonomic model as well, which allowed me to asses rider position and usability aspects. Many changes were made to the design due to this model. Photo by Justin Achammer

Steering Geometry The steering system planned for EsCargo changed and evolved many times and in the end was completely designed from the ground up. Early on, centre hub style steering was settled upon as it allowed for more room above the front wheel and shifted the loads lower down, onto the ladder frame. Traditional forks are simple and work well, but for such and unconventional motorcycle it was decided that I would do something different. Initial research led me to traditional centre hub steering, in which the wheel turns around a pivot point on the axle and inside the wheel hub. This would have required extensive CNC milling and machining, which was not favourable. Single sided knuckle steering was also considered, but the high stress loads of a cargo motorcycle were a concern. In the end a system Iâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;ve named â&#x20AC;&#x153;double knuckle steeringâ&#x20AC;? was chosen as it had the same benefits of centre hub, but allowed the use of a standard front wheel and axle. I came across this system through research into cargo bicycles and noticed a few bicycles using it. So far, I have not come across this steering geometry on any motorcycle, and thus everything had to be designed from scratch. Key considerations were the turning angle of the wheel and the lean angle of the bike. Other considerations for the front end were the rake and trail angles and the stiffness of the turning rate. Much of the design formation was made through CAD to rapidly understand the dynamics and limitations of certain components within the steering geometry. After this I made a 1:1 working prototype of the front end out of wood and this allowed me to really wrap my head around the characteristics of the steering and spot any areas of concern. From there, tweaks were made in CAD and the final design was created, ready for manufacturing.

Spreadsheet planning Building a functional prototype such as a motorcycle is an involved process with a high number of components that all need to fit and work together. Planning was a huge part of making sure I knew where I was in the build process, what I needed and what was next. Spreadsheets and job lists were my main source of organisation. Spreadsheets were continuously updated as parts were sourced or built, while job lists were remade almost daily. Important plans to note were, a detailed cutting list, a complete parts list (on page left) and a costing sheet. It gave me a clear sense of direction and meant there was very little time wasted on deciding what needed to be done next.

Circuitry Whilst I have worked on electric vehicle projects similar to this in the past, there were gaps in my knowledge when it came to the circuitry of a project this serious. The power of the EsCargo components were a magnitude of roughly 13x more powerful when compared to the previous EV project on which I have worked. It took a lot of reading and asking questions before I fully understood the various ins and outs of wiring an electric motorcycle. With that said, once these nuances were understood, it was a fairly smooth process of piecing it together. The difficulty lay in how best to protect components within the circuit from the large current output by the battery. Specific contactors, diodes, pre-charge resistors, heavy duty fuses are all components vital to a safe circuit. At first I was inclined to believe they merely complicated the circuit for very little gain, but through research I discovered their importance. I had been told stories of circuitry going bad on a project similar to mine and I did not want to repeat those mistakes.

Building by hand The majority of the prototype build was made by hand. Cutting, grinding, notching, welding and drilling were all done by a human. In an age of increasing automation and improving rapid prototyping techniques this may have seemed like an odd call, but it was the right decision to make in the end. Making things by hand is how I was taught and is what Iâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;m confident with. This wasnâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t the main reason behind going hand made though. Flex-ability within the design was always important and having human intervention at each step meant that any changes could be carried out efficiently and on the spot. CNC machines are extremely precise, but also unforgiving. Once the CNC process has started, there is no going back and refining things, without remaking both the CAD and physical parts. Going CNC means the decisions are also made on a computer screen, so it can be hard to judge if your plan is the right one. When you have a physical object in your hand it makes it easier to assess what needs to be done.

Photo by Michael Maguire

Flexible development The planning for manufacture was fairly rigorous at the beginning of the prototyping stage, however because I knew things don’t always run smoothly I left space within the design specifically to allow for any changes that might need to occur. Ideal components were planned, but not all were possible to source and compromises had to be made. For instance, sourcing a rear 13” wheel wasn’t going well, so in the end a 15” front wheel from a scooter was used as a rear wheel. Even though the rolling diameter was slightly larger, the flexibility within the design meant it would still work. It also meant I had to make an adapter plate for the drive sprocket to attach to the brake rotor mount of the wheel. It widened the chain line, but I had left room within the rear swing arm in case situations like this occurred. The changes imparted from using different components to those specified were made possible through the flexibilities designed into the vehicle and this was one of the strongest design points in the prototyping stage.

Further Testing There was a huge amount of further testing that needed to be carried out after the rough frame had been put together. The steering system, drive-train, bodywork and finishing all needed to be tested before they could be finalised. The ambitious cable steering proved to be the most important of these steps. It was hard to acquire the help of experts in this step of the project as many people would become caught up in whether it would work or not. I had my doubts too, but felt the only way to really know would be to try it. I ran a trial system with rope to get the dimensions accurate before ordering custom cables for the final steering set up. Some drive components had to be CNC waterjet cut as they needed to be precise to work correctly. To check the dimensions and tolerances of these parts, I first had them lasercut in MDF, as itâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s much quicker and cheaper. I then made a few changes and repeated the lasercut test before having the parts waterjet cut out of steel.

The bodywork for EsCargo had always been planned, however parts of the design had changed, meaning the fit of the planned body pieces was no longer perfect. I had to make some rough test panels in order to understand how I could create the final pieces in harmony with the frame and components. Painting is something I have done many times before, but I have never done a job exactly by the books. For this project I had to do it right, and this involved getting advice and doing research on the matter. It’s a nerve racking part of the project, but also an enjoyable one. Running a “dry fit” test of all critical components was carried out in order to make sure everything went together correctly. Through this I found the centre stand was a problem and I could then work out a solution for that. It also allowed me to take some early context photo’s of the bike in the real world.

Photo by Marcel Gleeson

The Application

Through analysing the research and various design methods carried out in this project I began to understand how it all informs my design decisions. There are certain areas and aspects I discovered that played a roll in the development of my concept. The environmental future will play a huge role in how we live. Our transport systems have a large impact on the environment, so itâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s important to take a conscientious approach when developing a vehicle for the future. Moving and delivering goods is a growing area as the population and online shopping increase, so how and what we move is essentially the basis for this project. Vehicle technology, performance capabilities and safety are aspects that will also directly influence the form and design details of my concept. Due to the propositional approach I undertook I had to question certain decisions I made early on. Why an electric power-train? Why a single track vehicle? What size load will it carry and how? Through research I looked to see whether there was evidence to support or alter my concept.

Air & Noise Pollution EV’s end up being far more efficient when compared to even the best petrol cars. This is mostly due to the efficiency of electric motors (85-95%) and the inefficiency of ICE’s (18-23%). They also produce no carbon emissions from the tail pipe, meaning they don’t directly impact on the air quality around them. As renewable electric energy sources (wind, solar, wave, geothermal, nuclear, etc.) are further adopted, the total carbon emitted within the whole EV system will drop much lower than current petrol systems. Noise pollution is not often discussed, but as EV’s are quieter than ICE vehicles and this helps maintain a city’s peacefulness and reduces the occupants stress levels. These are just part of the reason and electric drive train has been chosen for the EsCargo project.

EV Advantages As society looks towards alternate energy sources for our vehicles, we can see that electric is the forerunner to replace fossil fuels. Aside from dealing with peak oil there are many other advantages in switching to electric. An electric power-train is much simpler than an ICE drive-train, is less likely to break down and as such requires far less maintenance. Unlike petrol cars that are refueled at petrol stations, EV’s can theoretically be recharged anywhere there is an electrical power source, as this allows a recharge station to be implemented. The easy and broad access to recharging points makes it extremely convenient, for instance charging at home and work is possible and for delivery companies this means EV’s can be charged on site. Battery swap systems are also possible with EV’s as an extremely quick way to get a power drained vehicle running again with 100% battery. Battery swaps involve removing the flat battery, inserting fresh batteries back into the vehicle and placing the flat battery on charge with an external charger.

Electricity has a lower and more stable price compared to petrol, helped due to the fact that Australia currently produces it’s own electricity from our coal and gas resources. As we move to renewables, the energy production will remain local and prices will level. Renewable energy sources like solar are also easily implemented on-site, so individuals and businesses can generate their own energy to recharge their EV’s. There is an opportunity for partnerships to form between delivery or courier companies and businesses, in which businesses offer recharging or battery swap stations for the delivery vehicles. In return the delivery/courier companies could offer a discount or rebate from the cost of their service. The driving dynamics of an EV are simpler. There is no clutch, no gear shifter - just throttle, brakes and auxiliary controls. On most electric PTW’s this means there are no foot controls as it all fits on the handle bars. Regenerative braking systems are implemented in most modern EV’s and mean that the energy from braking can be put back into the batteries. Along with the fact that no power is used at a stop, this means an EV uses no unnecessary power and increase their efficiency advantage of ICE vehicles.

Technology Mainstream electric powered vehicles are only in their infancy and there is a lot of room to continue improving the technology powering them. The fact that EV’s are already competitive in many situations and applications is encouraging for their future. Battery technology is the largest area of discussion surrounding EV’s. Range is the only area that doesn’t meet the standards set by ICE powered cars and this is due to the limitation found in battery technology. This area is developing and growing, and the performance and safety of batteries has been getting substantially better and wil continue to do so. Electric motors already match and out perform ICE’s in terms of efficiency, torque, size and weight. The constant torque at all RPM’s is one of the biggest performance advantages as it provides fast and smooth acceleration. Computer systems are easy to integrate into electrically powered vehicles as everything in the power-train is essentially electrically operated rather than mechanical or chemical. These imbedded computer systems include: - ABS (anti-lock brake system) - TCS (traction control system) - Active suspension - GPS and logistic unit - Instrument panel - speedo, odometer, range - Entertainment unit - Key and security system - Battery charging

PTW Advantages There are many reasons as to why there should be a modal shift towards powered two wheelers. In terms of the space they take up, the energy they consume and the time they spend in traffic, PTW’s are the most efficient way of moving a single person around with a powered vehicle. PTWs are proven to reduce traffic congestion as they move through traffic easier and quicker. The size and simplicity of powered two wheelers make them cheap to produce and maintain, and along with lower registration costs make them cheaper to own. The lower weight, less rolling resistance and smaller engines make PTW’s more efficient in their use of fuel at city speeds. Melbourne is the only city in Australia that allows motorcycles and scooters to park for free on footpaths and the government is continuing to actively advocate the use of them for the future of the city. The small physical size of PTW’s make them incredibly easy to store. 4 motorcycles fit comfortably in the space of one car park bay. The average Australian car transports just over 1.1 people, which means the average car bay could be occupied by 1.1 car users or 4 motorcyclists. PTWs save space, both on the roads and in parking. Powered two wheelers also offer a fun and unique way to travel. You are exposed to elements and surrounding environment, but also free to move around however you like. There is a reason so many people find joy in motorcycles and scooters, and in some cases it’s even found to be a stress reliever.

729.54

620

2 51

530

700

199.02

560

960.44

820

120

1500

SolidWorks Student Edition. For Academic Use Only.

Performance Capability and Usability A utility cargo motorcycle like EsCargo would be best suited to deal with dense urban areas and as such it would make sense for it to perform best in these conditions. This would mean optimising the electric drive-train for speeds around 30-50km/h. It would also need to be able to comfortably handle slow speed manoeuvres and have the capability to reach top speeds of around 80km/h. For the EsCargo prototype I have chosen a power-train that I can program to provide an easy test bed for the bike. A max speed of around 3540km/h is more than enough to gain a feel for the bike and the small battery still allows a decent run time for testing whilst remain lightweight. For the ideal balance in stability, manoeuvrability, compactness and ride comfort, wheels of a rolling diameter around 500530mm were chosen. Due to the nature of a courier or delivery person being on the road for long hours, the riding position should be comfortable with an upright and relaxed posture.

Safety concerns There are safety concerns when it comes to PTWs as they are more vulnerable in traffic incidents due to the rider being directly exposed to danger. A rider and cargo will suffer more damage from a traffic incident on a PTW than they would if the same incident were to happen in a car. Cars have safety features that shield the driver from dangers - a full enclosure, crumple zones, seat belts, air bags, etc. PTW riders do not have this luxury so it’s generally accepted that they must ride defensively for their own safety and wear a helmet at a minimum. The use of extra protective gear generally depends on the rider, style of riding and type of PTW. Wet weather is a further safety hazard in all forms of transport, but PTWs are especially vulnerable to loosing traction and crashing under wet conditions. A PTW doesn’t have the stability of a car or trike and so traction loss can be very dangerous. If we add heavy cargo to a PTW in the wet, the risks could be further compounded. Handling performance and braking distance are affected by heavy cargo as the weight changes the dynamics and means more kinetic energy for the brakes to slow down. Melbourne is often hit with strong winds. Cross winds will push on a PTW and the rider has to allow the bike to self correct in order to remain in a steady line. Strong cross winds can be hard to manage and the larger the PTWs cross sectional surface area is, the more impact the wind will have. If EsCargo were fully loaded with cargo, cross winds might pose a big safety hazard. The road surface in Melbourne also varies and there are certain things that affect PTWs more than other traffic. Tram tracks, painted road directions, vehicle debris, man hole covers and cobble stones for example.

For delivery use, cargo would be loaded and unloaded from EsCargo frequently, so it’s not unforeseeable to imagine an event in which the cargo comes loose due to hastily and improperly securing the load. This is dangerous for the rider and other vehicles around them, as well as being damaging to the cargo. The city is shared by many, and pedestrians on foot outnumber all other traffic on the streets. The silence of an electric vehicle is beneficial to reduce noise pollution, but the question is: Is being quiet a problem for pedestrian safety? In the two wheeled world there is a term, SMIDSY (Sorry Mate I Didn’t See You) used to describe people who end up causing a road incident with a motorcyclist or cyclist, claiming they couldn’t see the rider. There is a debate within this problem: Is it because the rider isn’t visible enough, or is it because the driver is inattentive? There’s no clear cut answer, but there are solutions to both sides of the argument. 1.) It’s the riders responsibility to make themselves visible through apparel choice and use of lights (fluro, reflective material, light/bright colours). 2.) The driver needs to be better educated in attentive driving and how to act around PTWs. The problem is the fact that neither side particularly wants to compromise or take responsibility. One interesting factor is that as the number of PTWs on the road increases, the percentage of them involved in incidents lessens. This would suggest that as road users are exposed to more PTWs their awareness and ability to react safely around them increases.

Methods of carrying goods I looked into the many ways people and couriers attach cargo to their bikes, cargo bikes and motorcycles to assess the best option(s) for EsCargo. The more popular methods were: - Lashings - ratchet straps, quick straps, occy straps - Cargo nets - Removable plastic tubs - Permanent strong boxes - Bags - panniers, tailbags, tankbags or backpacks The important factors when considering what tie down method would suit EsCargo best were: - Speed of use - Ease of use - Theft deterrence - Waterproof - Cargo protection

Application opportunities The possible applications for the EsCargo motorcycle is far reaching. In some ways I beleive the cargo motorcycle is merely a tool with which people can explore itâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s possibilities. It is a platform that allows it to be customisable to any job the user requires. This same principle is proven to be successful in the cargo bicycle market, and I feel the same can be predicted for cargo motorcycles. I did not want to design EsCargo for every specific user requirement, but instead design it so it could be modified by the user for as many applications as possible. I targeted couriers as my main user group when designing the bike, because they have to deal with the most diverse range of jobs and cargo. If the bike can work for a courier, it theoretically should work for most other user groups. EsCargo has a large scope in terms of uses. Bellow is a collated list of some of these uses. -

Couriers Postal and delivery companies Retailers (electronics stores, florists etc.) Food (Groceries, fast food or food vending) Hospitals (Blood Bikes carrying tests and equipment) Construction companies Construction delivery services (Bunnings/Masters) Call out trades (plumbers/electricians) Road side assist (RAC)

EsCargo

A cargo motorcycle

Reflection

Having never committed to a project on this scale and depth before, there are many areas to reflect upon. Further to this, a project as ambitious as EsCargo is never really finished and there are research and design components that could be developed to a higher level. The build process of the prototype ran somewhat smoothly in the end, however there are plenty of ways it could have gone better. Time management and research planning were handled okay in some situations, butpoorly in others, which definitely hindered the project. Working by hand meant I was always contributing something towards the final piece, however outsourcing or relying on others often didnâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t work out. Given the chance to redo a similar project or continue this over another year, there are many things I would do differently or add.

Current research Through the EsCargo project many different avenues of research were glanced upon and as the project grew, more and more areas were uncovered. It became almost overwhelming and eventually reached a point where I had to stop in order to keep the writing concise. Entire papers are written on the emerging fields of electric vehicles, cargo bicycles, powered two wheelers, online shopping, moving goods through cities and the changing global climate, so fitting them all into this book meant I could only scratch the surface. Given more time, I think the research could be carried out in a much deeper and more meaningful way, really exploring the future of all fields and unravelling the impacts a vehicle like EsCargo would have on the city of Melbourne.

Insert Motorcycle Here

Further research My initial concept for this project was to make, produce and distribute a rough set of plans for anyone in the world to covert their ICE motorcycle or scooter to an electric cargo motorcycle. Alongside this, there would be an online community dedicated to furthering the knowledge of members through sharing ideas, designs and skills. This could be particularly huge for developing, emerging and crowded nations. The field of open source design is still in itâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s infancy, but adding this component to the EsCargo project would have doubled the work involved and was not feasible in the time frame. It is still something I would like to look into in the future, as I feel there is merit to this approach as well as the current EsCargo outcome.

The build process The construction of the prototype was by far the most involved part of the project. In the months of the build, most of my effort and time was being spent in the workshop making the frame and components. The 1:1 print out working drawings of certain frame components were an excellent help in making parts of the frame accurately and quickly. The cutting list was a huge help too, but having the exact part I needed to build on paper in front of me was essential. The parts list and costing sheet were also great in keeping a track of what I needed and how my budget was shaping up. My time planning was poor during the lead up to the build. I fell about 2 weeks behind after becoming stuck on technical and construction problems. The GANNT chart I created was my only means of time planning and I really found it hard to follow and see how I was going for time. I feel that my lack of experience with projects of this size was a factor in not being able to tell if I was falling behind or not. Sourcing components was much harder than I anticipated. I started looking at EV components early on, but finding them in Australia was not easy. I was lucky in that I ended up getting most of my power-train components from a previous student, but all other motorcycle components were hard to come be easily. I should have started looking around for suspension, steering, cables, wheels and other parts much earlier. Any CNC or outsourcing should also have been organised much further in advance as I didn’t allow any room for error and ended up doing more work by hand because I left things too late. I think giving up more of the build to outsourcing would have sped it up, but more time would have been spent on the computer and working through the bureaucracy that comes with outsourcing. I definitely learnt more and enjoyed myself through making most parts myself. Building EsCargo has reminded me of what I like doing. I’m a designer-builder. Working side by side with skilled manufacturers was an amazing experience and really revealed to me where I’d rather hone my skills - in making.

Photo by Jordan Grech

I’m glad I made use of the RMIT workshops, but it was always a win/loose situation. On the plus side it was accessible, free, had the right tools and tech staff. It also meant sharing those tools and tech staff with the rest of the design and architecture students, so things did not always get done as fast as they could have. I could not have completed this project at home however and did not have the budget to have the build outsourced. In the end I learnt to work within the system of the workshop and found a way to work independently, while still being able to call upon help when I needed it. Overall the build was a monumental challenge and I’m surprised and happy to say it went relatively smoothly, despite falling behind on the schedule.

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Appendices

An early photo mash depicting the bike layout I was after

Early sketching

100

Development sketching

101

Performance comparison

102

Ergonomics exploration

103

1 PERNCITILE MAN

WHEELS - BOTH: 130/70 13” SEATING POSTITION: UPRIGHT

72L CONTAINER

LARGE BAR FRIDGE

A4 ARCHIVE BOX

COMPONENTS NOT FINAL. PLACEHOLDERS FOR NOW.

BATTERIES 48V 50AH (15 X 3.2V)

CONTROLLER ALLTRAX AXE

MOTOR ME0907

Package development

104

Development sketching

105

Development sketching

106

Development sketching

107

Ergonomic testing

108

Development sketching

109

Development sketching

110

Development sketching

111

385.89 367.50 1200

285.62 195.62

600.39

244

203.63

85.29

3.90

270.39

900

450

656

527.70

596

256.13 256.13

1:1 model planning

SolidWorks Student Edition. For Academic Use Only. 337.50

112

60 198.22

SCALE 1 : 5

201.92 601.92

321.86

232.21

164.28

150

195

256

250

300.02

1:1 model build

113

1:1 modelling

114

1:1 modelling

115

The original E-Moto Cargo pitch

116

The original E-Moto Cargo pitch

117

CAD development

118

CAD development

119

Final prototype process

120

Final prototype process

121

Final prototype process

122

Real world exploration

123

124

Early CAD model

125

126