Design and Development of e-Shared Mobility (Micromobility) for First and Last-Mile Connectivity

Abstract

In Indian cities, public transportation lay the first stone for sustainability, particularly electric shared mobility. The major issue in public mode of transportation is the first and last mile connectivity as people find it difficult to commute from home to the nearest bus depot/ railway station and vice versa. First and last mile connectivity is considered to be an essential factor in providing greater integration and accessibility of mass transit networks for the benefit of urban residents that can be possibly achieved by e-shared mobility (micromobility). Shared e-mobility services can possibly lead to beneficial effect on transportation and the environment, such as greenhouse gas emissions and integrating mass transit networks. Shared mobility is not only a way of transportation with low cost but also enhancing the urban mobility and acts as a feasible solution for addressing the first and last-mile connectivity in accordance with public transit. It can extend the use and accessibility of public transportation, potentially playing a vital role in bridging gaps in the existing transportation network and it is found that there is a notable shift from personal vehicles to these solutions for bridging the last mile gap. This paper focuses on the public interest towards the need of micromobility which can be ensured by conducting customer survey. Based upon the public demand and the necessity of integrating the mass transit, the design and development of a micromobility electric three-wheeler that can operate in an environment friendly way was discussed for large scale introduction of these vehicles and thus enhancing the first and last mile connectivity.