EcoCar: A Human-Centered Design Approach to Sustainable Urban Micro-Mobility

Abstract

The EcoCar project emerges as a response to the urgent need for decarbonization and for a new paradigm in personalised urban mobility. Rather than extending existing solutions, EcoCar proposes a structural transformation in a sector that has consistently failed to meet environmental targets. The project aims to establish the foundations of a simplified and efficient mobility ecosystem, breaking away from the complexity and material intensity typically associated with conventional electric vehicles. Positioned within the L-category, EcoCar aligns with requirements for low energy consumption, accessibility, and the principles of Sustainable Urban Mobility Plans. Its design challenges the traditional automotive model by retaining only essential elements and prioritising modularity, customisation, additive manufacturing, and circular-economy values such as repair, reuse, and recycling. Compact and intelligent, it draws on lessons from existing micro-vehicles while defining clear objectives for safety and commercial viability. Integrated into a smart-city context, EcoCar supports communication between vehicles and users, facilitating access to traffic, pollution, and charging information, and promoting a connected urban mobility ecosystem. Its reduced dimensions contribute to more efficient traffic flow, with the potential to significantly increase circulation capacity compared to conventional cars. Developed from a blank-slate approach, EcoCar was conceived strictly around real user needs. Human-factors research, anthropometric data, and iterative physical experimentation guided the development of a full-scale prototype, enabling the evaluation of ergonomics, visibility, usability, and interior layout. The construction and public presentation of the prototype validated the concept and established a solid foundation for future development towards a functional electric vehicle.

Keywords: Sustainable Urban Mobility, Ergonomics And Prototyping, Transportation Design, Human-centred Design

DOI: 10.54941/ahfe1007443