Battery Monitoring
Motor Drive
Micromobility refers to a mode of transportation using small, light-weight vehicles [Electric Bikes and Electric Scooters] operating at low speeds, typically around 15mph, used for short distance trips.
Prepped as a sustainable and greener solution to the growing global warming, micromobility has gained a lot of traction in the past few years with the advent of remote work culture.
E-Bikes and E-Scooters exemplify product designs enhanced by sensor technology. These vehicles incorporate an array of sensors that regulate their functions, furnish valuable insights into usage trends, and capture other crucial metrics. The presence of these sensors significantly contributes to enhancing the operational effectiveness of these modes of transport. Notably, the integration of intelligent IoT sensor technology within e-bikes and e-scooters is driving a transformative shift towards data-powered mobility!
IoT sensors, e-bikes, and e-scooters are taking the wheel when it comes to data-driven mobility!
Let us look at some of the sensors used in E-Bikes and E-Scooters today!
Battery Monitoring Sensors help calculate the amount of charge in the vehicle battery – aka the battery’s state of charge or capacity. Ironically this functionality is referred to as “Fuel Gauge”
Their significance lies in their ability to calculate the remaining range until the next recharge.
They measure the current flowing in/out of the battery and the voltage of the battery to calculate the amount of charge left in the battery.
Powertrain Sensors help calculate the torque and power driven to the motor.
Electric vehicle powertrains use a closed loop control system to efficiently drive the motor called Field-oriented-Control [FOC] Algorithm. The implementation uses CURRENT sensors in the feedback path to measure and control the power to the motor.
These sensors measure a curtailed sample of the current flowing through the motor coils. The software then uses a lot of math [PID Regulators, Clarke, park transforms etc.] to calculate the current torque on the motor.
Speed Sensors help calculate it’s name sake – Speed of the motor.
SPEED is one of the feedbacks used by the FOC algorithm. The control loop adjusts the motor torque until it reaches the target speed set by the user.
Electric motors are made up of magnetic rotors. These sensors use magnetism to detect the angular position of the rotor and calculate the motors speed. The underlying physics is called the HALL Effect.
Two sensors can be used in finding the rotor’s position;
The Rotary encoders provide very high precision but they are expensive, while hall is less precise it is a lot cheaper. Hence hall sensors are widely used in EVs.
As the wheels of innovation turn, micro-mobility emerges as a sustainable option when it comes to transportation, powered by the synergy of sensors. We saw how these sensors are woven seamlessly into e-bikes and e-scooters, illuminating a greener path and a data-driven future.
Data-driven mobility: Where IoT sensors, e-bikes, and e-scooters pave the way!
From monitoring battery health to regulating motor torque sensors play a vital role in optimizing the performance and efficiency of micro-mobility vehicles.
Visualize these sensors, not as mere components, but as catalysts for change, driving us towards a new era of intelligent and sustainable transportation. As we ride into the future, the promise of greener, smarter mobility beckons even closer.