Multibody Modeling of an Electric Kick Scooter for Vertical Dynamics

The growing emphasis on environmental sustainability and urban mobility has driven a global rise in the adoption of electric micro-vehicles. Among these, electric kick scooters have emerged as a leading choice, owing to their ease of integration into existing public transportation networks and widespread availability through shared mobility services. As a new transport mode, the scientific community has recently focused on this vehicle category to address regulations and enhance safety and comfort aspects. This study presents the development and experimental validation of a multibody model of an e-scooter and its rider, specifically tailored for ride comfort analysis. The model, implemented in MATLAB/Simscape Multibody, includes a detailed representation of a commercial electric scooter and integrates a custom tire–road contact subsystem, suitable for vertical dynamics. Special emphasis is also placed on the rider model, where a torque-based control strategy of the joints is introduced to replicate the human body’s biomechanical response to external inputs. Experimental validation is carried out through on-road tests, consisting of riding at constant speed over a bike path with speed bumps while recording acceleration data. The results highlight the significant impact of the rider on the vertical dynamics of the scooter and demonstrate the importance of incorporating a detailed tire model to accurately capture the interaction with road irregularities.