The kick-scooter can become one of the leading means for a more sustainable urban mobility  when it is safe and flexible.

The Turin pilot project of the DREEM electric scooter, financed by the Horizon 2020 program (101007085) and involving three important companies in the area, PUNCH Torino Spa – coordinator of the project itself – which has the role of leading the development and design of innovative propulsion systems and advanced technologies for the PUNCH Group, TO.TEM S.r.l, a start-up created by PUNCH Torino that develops micro mobility systems, and 5T Srl.

The pilot on the territory started in April and ended in July, involving 35 PUNCH Torino employees and 11 5T employees, most of them in the 35-44 age group. During the pilot, the testers were able to use the electric scooter and inflatable helmets developed within the project for a period of 7 days each. During the test days, the testers filled out a daily report  on their usage experiences  and were interviewed  upon return of the scooter ride.

An interesting preliminary finding emerged from the results collected: 15 percent of the participants routinely use or have used a scooter (owned or shared) as a means of commuting in the past. But 28 percent of the total said they had never tried one.

The feedback collected was mostly positive, especially concerning  safety aspects: most testers highlighted the stability of the vehicle and its perceived safety, thanks to the 3 largeshock-absorbing wheels.  Rides were described as pleasant, even on uneven surfaces.  The  driving position with parallel feet – thanks to a larger deck – and the ability to carry the vehicle like a trolley were highly appreciated, as was the “Navigator” function of the app associated with the scooter while in use.

A few critical aspects also emerged, which will be useful for DREEM partners to calibrate the project, such as: the size and weight of the scooter in its “folded” mode, which does not facilitate short walking trips in case oftwo-way roads.

Federico Galliano, Public Affairs Manager of PUNCH Torino Spa and coordinator of the DREEM project says, “DREEM fits into our vision of sustainable mobility that is accessible to all European citizens, because it realizes a mobility tool that is accessible to all and sustainable, both from an energy and safety point of view.”

Alessandra Chianale, Growth & Sales Manager of TO.TEM said, “Participating in the DREEM project is a constructive and  formative experience for TO.TEM. Using  the scooters we produce for testing in Turin provided an organic collection of data, making the analysis highly meaningful. The feedback collected is a stimulus  to improve the product and making it as aligned as possible with users’ expectations.“

For Fabrizio Arneodo, Chief Information and Technology Officer of 5T: “For us, it was very interesting to be involved in a project of this kind because user needs have always been the starting point of our work. Experiments that put us directly in touch with their experiences allow us to build more accessible and efficient mobility solutions. In particular, the DREEM project has allowed us to carefully evaluate the sustainability and safety aspects of mobility.”