The world of transportation is changing; car congestion is only getting worse and people are looking for cheaper, faster ways to get around their city. With public transit back on the rise and advancements in electric drivetrains, lightweight electric vehicles are a key part of the future of mobility.

This is Boosted’s DNA – high-power electric vehicles is what we do.

CONCEPT EXPLORATION

Scooters come in many sizes; all the way from tiny folding versions to downhill standing bikes. We started honing our concept by riding and experimenting with various tire sizes and types, battery placement, rake angles, handlebar widths, etc. Once we settled on a use case, we focused on the overall form and how to visually handle critical junctions and details. People really resonated with our bike-like tubular structure concepts because of their familiarity and approachability. This form language helps communicate the dependability and legitimacy of our scooter as a viable form of transportation.

vehicle dynamics 101

We knew from the beginning that getting the scooter’s core dynamics right would be critical for achieving a product that’s truly exciting to ride. Most scooters on the market lack basic prioritization of ergonomics and vehicle dynamics, leading to unstable, uncomfortable, and unsatisfying riding. After study and testing, we came away with understandings about a few critical factors for a good ride:

• A low CG, wide deck, and beefy tires provide stability and confidence.

• A low standing platform helps users feel less conspicuous and makes hopping on and off the scooter more intuitive.

• An agressive rake angle with just the right mechanical trail makes handling both nimble and stable.

• Bars with just the right backsweep, upsweep, offset, and width give an “in-the-cockpit” feeling of connection with the scooter.

These factors combine to make a vehicle that just feels “right”, inspiring confidence in riders so they can focus on the busy road around them instead of their scooter.

the rubber meets the road

Our large, wide tires are optimized to handle bumps and potholes. They’re also a blast for carving and cruising around. In order to prioritize performance ride characteristics, we made our own tire from the ground up with the right diameter, width, and tread. To further optimize the UX, we designed a patented split-ring design into our motors that allows the tire to be easily removed for service. Other tires approximately this diameter require professional help in order to change a tube, but ours are serviceable by anybody who can wield a 4mm hex.

“Mo’ Powa, Babeh!”

James Pumphrey – Donut Media

Somewhat surprisingly, we found that providing ample torque and speed enables riders to be safer on the street. So, with the user in mind we built two powerful motors and packed them with power – power that puts the rider in control, allowing them to be in command off the line, merge smoothly with moving traffic, and get out of sticky situations with ease. This capability also means we are able to provide incredibly capable regenerative braking – so good that most riders forget about the disc and stomp brakes entirely.

THROTTLE

The throttle is the scooter’s most critical interaction point. To that end, we poured countless hours into defining and refining this interaction. We started by testing any existing throttle we could get our hands on – paddles, thumb levers, finger levers, twist throttles, etc. Out prototypes based on the Boosted skate remote fit this form factor best, providing the most intuitive and fine control for both throttle and braking. From that understanding we optimized the scrolling motion to fit a variety of hand sizes, dialing in the fore, aft, axis of rotation, and spring force.

The surface of the wheel itself is shaped to allow effortless contact with all thumbs, even while wearing gloves. We explored several surface shapes, textures, and patterns. The resulting machined-aluminum part demands a premium to produce, but it’s a fine detail that we believe makes a real difference.

DISPLAY

When riding, the scooter’s display naturally sits quite low and close to the body, which mean’s it’s difficult to look at while riding. We prioritized the display’s information and hierarchy to be glanceable. Rather than including tiny details and non-essential information, we focused on speed, ride mode, and state of charge indicators. A single button keeps operation simple, while deeper functionality can be found in the Boosted app.

BARS

Our bars have just the right rise, back sweep, and upsweep, creating the feeling of being “in the cockpit” while riding. We constrained ourselves to a standard 31.8mm stem clamp, allowing people to swap their bars if desired. These bars also have a major influence on the Rev’s overall form language, communicating the scooter’s legitimacy to anybody familiar with bikes.

We also use standard lock-on grips that eliminate accidental rotation. The right grip also integrates into the throttle, so you can choke up on the throttle. Users can swap these for any off-the-shelf lock-on grip for more customization.