The Project
Electric Assisted Vehicle
A group design project, requiring us to design a Food Truck / Vendor Van based loosely on the Electric Assisted Vehicle (EAV) solutions electric quad-cycle product. The van would be for a coffee / tea shop franchise that wanted to expand their operation to events and public spaces in the city, where they currently did not have a presence.
The selection of the franchise was our decision, settling on Costa Coffee.
The branding had to become a strong feature of our ongoing work and in the final vendor van.
Please note that although a group project, I have only included and discussed sketch work, renderings and decisions made solely by me.
Initial Designs
Before even starting to design, as a group we split into sub-sections: interior, exterior and chassis. I was placed within the interior section, focusing on the storage and incorporation of elements from water tanks, batteries, coffee machines and generators. To fit all elements within such a small, set space was challenging, so exploring different layout options and space-efficient fastenings was a priority.
Once we had settled on an overall dimensioned form, myself and the exterior team focused on the specific placement of the interior elements. Some key decisions included ensuring the heavier components had their mass evenly distributed, as well as the different drawer, cupboard and door locations as well as their closure mechanisms to ensure they remained closed and secure in transit.
Design Refinement
The Technicalities
One of the main challenges was keeping the product's weight down, because although electrically assisted, there was an element of user force required.
Capitalising on lightweight materials for the frame and exterior, and research to find the most compact and lightweight fridge, coffee machine, etc, available was essential, as well as then securing these elements to enable safe transport.
The Final Design
The challenge both of the complexities associated with a product of this nature, as well as that of group working, this project pushed me to make significant progress in terms of CAD, and rendering. This was by far the largest file I had worked on to that date, and to do so collaboratively was challenging, yet rewarding.
