URB-E Electric Scooter: Innovative Design Made in California

Grant Delgatty, an industrial designer, inventor, and entrepreneur, came up with the concept for the URB-E portable electric scooter. About three years ago, he noticed a worldwide trend in urban commuting. Many people were taking public transportation to get to their jobs in the city, but upon arrival they needed something to bridge the gap between the bus or train and the office. So he teamed up with Sven Etzelsberger, an automotive engineer with a background in designing German sports cars. Together, they are the dream team behind the innovative design of the URB-E. The URB-E provides its riders with a revolutionary, affordable alternative to cars, buses, bikes, and walking. Delgatty and Etzelsberger strived to make it compact, lightweight, easy to use, and of course, fun to ride! Weighing in at an incredibly light 35 pounds, the unique scooter is based on principles from the high-end sports car industry. “We placed a lot of importance on ease of use,” says Etzelsberger. “We didn't stop until we came up with a solution that allowed for the URB-E to be folded and unfolded in one single move.” “I am a big believer in the German Bauhaus design movement,” agrees Delgatty. “And essentially, form follows function. What I wanted to create with the URB-E was something that was both beautiful and timeless in the design, but also very minimalist in its functionality.”

A high-quality, lightweight electric scooter

How can a strong, well-made vehicle be so lightweight? The answer lies in the airy and hole-filled design. Tubing made of high-strength aluminium alloys and carbon fiber was used to create the frame, then any of the material that didn't contribute to the structure’s strength was removed. The result is a lightweight frame that makes up less than half of the weight of the scooter, yet provides plenty of support, strength, and stability. After the frame was complete, the URB-E team contracted an independent laboratory to test its strength and durability. This was done by strapping it to a machine that repeatedly replicated pressures the scooter would endure during day-to-day use. When the URB-E passed all of the tests with flying colors, Delgatty and Etzelsberger knew they had created a lightweight scooter that was strong, structurally reliable, and ready to hit the road. “One of the most important things for us, at URB-E, is that we produce a product that is of the highest level quality and craftsmanship,” says Delgatty. “We thought about different ways to go about producing the product and we found that the best way for us to achieve this was to build it right here in Southern California.” Keep checking back to find out more about how the URB-E foldable electric scooter can make your life more mobile.

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