JOYRIDE Is a DIY electric scooter kit designed to introduce people of all experience levels to mechanical and electrical skills as they build and customize their own electric vehicle.
The Process
The idea behind JOYRIDE started as an answer to the decline of skilled trades. Less people are learning how to work with their hands, and are becoming increasingly reliant on technology and corporations to meet their needs for transportation.
A 50cc sized scooter was the perfect fit for an entry-level DIY vehicle because it would be accessible to anyone with a driving license while not being so complicated that it would be intimidating.
A scooter is also a practical commuter vehicle for students in high school and college and would give them freedom of mobility while being a relatively smaller investment than a car.
A scooter is also a practical commuter vehicle for students in high school and college and would give them freedom of mobility while being a relatively smaller investment than a car.
Talking with riders, visiting retailers, and online research, were all necessary to understand more about the scooter industry. While becoming increasingly popular in Europe and Asia, electric scooters were still relatively rare in the US market. Using an electric drivetrain would also reduce the mechanical complexity of the project making the building process significantly more accessible. Further research interviews with the younger target demographic also revealed that they felt gasoline engines were becoming a thing of the past and many wouldn't feel compelled to build an internal combustion powered vehicle.
Building The Brand
It was important not just to design a scooter, but to build a brand around the idea of DIY transportation that the target users could truly connect with and build a community around. The three pillars of this brand would be self-expression, self-empowerment, and freedom of mobility. The wordmark was designed to express these ideals by looking modern, exciting, bright, fun, and clear.
Nasalization was chosen for the wordmark for its readability while offering just enough sci-fi style to fit the with the fun-loving electric scooter branding. The color is a bright orange with a slightly red hue dubbed “Vivid Peach”. This color was chosen to fit the bright and fun personality of the brand while also incorporating color trend research that showed a trend towards peach colors.
Creating a Visual Brand Language
Brand Attributes: Creative, Approachable, Exciting, Maverick
Design Principles: Modular, Bright Colors, Customizable
A mood board was created using images of products that exemplify different design principles and attributes of the Joyride visual brand language.
Ideaton: Form & Function
Early ideation focused on creating a simple and recognizable profile while also experimenting with different kinds of frame construction. Ideas for different modular components such as removable fairings were also explored and would influence the modular aspect of the design later. As the ideation progressed, the design moved toward a traditional step-through scooter design to make Joyride more practical and approachable, and to make it more recognizable as a 50cc style scooter.
Concept Refinement
The many iterations were refined into a concept that focused on a simple form that could be achieved with the electric drivetrain. The different sections of the scooter were easily recognized as distinct modules with the rear portion of the scooter forming a distinctive triangular shape.
Preliminary CAD models were created to give a sense of the design’s proportions in Three Dimensions.
The frame became one of the primary focuses of the design and the main icon of the overall form.
The frame became one of the primary focuses of the design and the main icon of the overall form.
Signature elements for the Joyride visual brand language: Contrasting Body & Frame Colors, Soft Edges, Visually Distinct Modules, Simple Shapes, and Minimal Form.
Final Concept
The final design for the Joyride DIY electric scooter kit further refines the signature elements defined in the conceptual phase and combines them into a form with exciting new aesthetics and innovative functionality. The frame is made from extrusion featuring an inner and outer slot to which all the components attach using off-the-shelf hardware. This design makes it incredibly easy to build your own scooter and customize it as well. The mechanical components are housed in two main modules. The front module contains the handlebars, forks, and interface, while the rear module contains all the drivetrain, including a removable battery, motor controllers, suspension, and wheel and motor.
Making your own ride
The slot extrusion style frame and modular design make assembling your own electric vehicle easier than ever. The frame itself is three pieces that join together with the floor and front brackets, creating a solid base construction to which the other modules can be easily attached. The rear module utilizes its own subframe so all the drivetrain components can be assembled to it before
being attached to the main frame as a singular module. The seat and rear bodywork are also separate pieces so they can be easily swapped out if damaged or replaced with different parts to customize.
being attached to the main frame as a singular module. The seat and rear bodywork are also separate pieces so they can be easily swapped out if damaged or replaced with different parts to customize.
Make your ride stand out
Joyride’s modular design and extrusion frame make it ideal for personalization. A variety of different colors and finishes would be available for the frame and bodywork and it would be easy for users to swap out parts for others with different finishes. Attachments such as lights, bodywork, or additional storage could also be easily attached to the frame, ensuring your ride is truly your own.
