Press Release
Bronze A' Design Award in Scooter Design Goes to Ecool Modular Shared Scooter by Wai Yin Chai
Wai Yin Chai recognized for scooter design by the international grand jury of the 2024 - 2025 A' Design Award & Competition
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
COMO, Italy, April 18, 2025 /DesignNewswire/ A' Design Award & Competition has confirmed the Bronze A' Design Award in the Scooter Design category for Ecool Modular Shared Scooter by Wai Yin Chai, designed for Ecool. The result belongs to the 2024 - 2025 A' Design Award & Competition and was reached through blind peer review by an international grand jury panel of established academics, design professionals and press members, who evaluated anonymized entries against predetermined criteria.
What the Bronze A' Design Award Means
The Bronze A' Design Award is given to outstanding designs that showcase a high degree of creativity and practicality. It recognizes the dedication and skill of designers who produce work that stands out for its thoughtful development and innovative use of materials and technology. These designs are acknowledged for their professional execution and potential to influence industry standards positively. Winning this award highlights the designer's ability to blend form and function effectively, offering solutions that enhance people's lives and wellbeing.
About Ecool Modular Shared Scooter
Ecool is a modular scooter designed for shared mobility in 15-minute cities. A foot-activated one-step folding mechanism reduces the parked footprint and saves urban space. The folding action works without bending, which improves access for users with limited mobility. Railing charging stations support fleet management and reduce loss. The frame is made of recycled aluminum by die-casting, and recycled ABS and PC plastics add durability. Modular parts allow simple customization and maintenance, extending the service life of the scooter.
About Wai Yin Chai
CHAI WAI YIN is a designer dedicated to improving functionality, aesthetics, and sustainability. He enhances usability while adding cultural depth to products. Specializing in future-oriented strategies, he ensures lasting benefits for society, the environment, and commerce, creating meaningful designs that positively impact users and communities.
Award Record
This recognition makes Wai Yin Chai a winner of 1 A' Design Award.
About the A' Scooter Design Award
The A' Scooter Design Award is an international industrial design competition recognizing good scooter designs by scooter designers and manufacturers worldwide. The competition is organized within the A' Design Award & Competition and is open to scooter designers, industrial design studios, product designers and scooter brands from all countries. Entries typically include electric scooters, kick scooters, mobility scooters, folding scooters, off-road scooters and three-wheeled scooters. Awarded scooter designs are published at https://dezigners.org/design-category/scooter
About A' Design Award & Competition
A' Design Award & Competition is an international, juried design accolade organized annually since 2008. The competition is open to entries from all countries. The A' Design Award has a philanthropic mission to advance society through good design by recognizing and promoting superior products, projects and services that benefit society, and by creating a global awareness and appreciation for good design practices and principles. Entries are peer reviewed and anonymously evaluated by an international grand jury panel of established academics, design professionals and press members against predetermined criteria such as functionality, ergonomics, engineering, presentation, innovation, usability, sustainability and technology, with score normalization applied to remove biases. Awards are conferred at Platinum, Gold, Silver, Bronze and Iron levels. The A' Design Prize granted to eligible laureates includes the award trophy, the certificate of design excellence, the hardcover yearbook, a lifetime license to use the A' Design Award winner logo, exhibition of awarded works, an invitation to the gala night and award ceremony in Italy, inclusion in the World Design Rankings and Designer Rankings, and public relations and publicity services. Registration, the upload of a work and the preliminary score are free of charge, and Professional and Digital Edition laureates are not contractually obliged to pay further fees to claim the A' Design Prize. Further information is available at https://competition.adesignaward.com
Press Resources
- Winner Page: https://dezigners.org/161929
- A' Design Award Page: https://competition.adesignaward.com/161929
- Media Showcase: https://www.designnewsroom.com/!161929
- Laureate Profile: https://dezigners.org/d/355879
Media Contact
Giulia Ferrari, Press Office
Designers.Org
Via Leone Leoni 32, 22100 Como, Italy
press@designers.org
+39 031 4491953
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Fact Sheet
The Work
- Project
- Ecool Modular Shared Scooter
- Function
- Modular Shared Scooter
- Category
- Scooter Design
- Discipline
- Industrial Design
- Industry
- Automotive
- Colors
- Medium Sea Green, Light Sea Green, Dark Slate Gray, Black and Dark Gray
- Images
- 5
- Client
- Ecool
The Recognition
- Laureate
- Wai Yin Chai
- Country
- China
- Recognition
- Bronze A' Design Award
- Edition
- 2024 - 2025
- Design ID
- #161929
Design Details
- Unique Properties
- Ecool is designed for sustainability in 15 min cities, emphasizing environmental, commercial, and community benefits. Its one-step foldable design reduces its footprint when parked, optimizing urban space. Modular to suit various users, including delivery personnel, it includes railing charging stations for better management and reduced loss. Made from recycled materials, Ecool supports a circular economy by promoting resource reuse and minimizing emissions.
- Inspiration
- Inspired by the challenges facing shared scooters in Europe and bikes in China, including theft, vandalism, and sidewalk congestion, this project aims to redefine sustainable urban mobility. The excessive production and abandonment of scooters not only pose environmental threats but also burden enterprises economically. With rising skepticism towards shared transportation models, there is an urgent need for innovative solutions to ensure sustainability and reduce urban carbon emissions.
- Research
- The Ecool design study aims to enhance sustainable urban mobility, aligned with the 15 minute city concept. It focuses on creating a foldable, modular scooter that saves space, meets diverse needs, and uses sustainable materials. Participants including delivery personnel and commuters, prefer compact, versatile transport that reduces clutter and improves accessibility. Ecool supports shared mobility, lowers carbon emissions, and influences urban transportation policies for a sustainable future.
- Challenge
- The primary challenge in designing the Ecool scooter was creating a simple, optimal folding mechanism that allowed operation without bending, catering to users with limited mobility. This involved extensive ergonomic research and numerous design iterations. Additionally, compliance with diverse regional safety standards impacted the scooter is specifications. Efforts were also made to incorporate sustainable manufacturing processes to minimize carbon emissions.
- Realization and Technology
- Ecool production combines advanced materials with modern manufacturing. Its recycled aluminum frame, made via diecasting, ensures strength and precision, while recycled ABS and PC plastics enhance durability. Iterative prototyping used 3D printing for testing and CNC machining for final parts. This blend of sustainable materials and high tech processes underscores Ecool is commitment to innovation and environmental responsibility.
- Operation and Interaction
- The Ecool scooter is designed for intuitive use, featuring a foot-activated one-step folding mechanism for quick, effortless compact storage. This design enhances accessibility, including for users with physical limitations. A smart system connects to a mobile app, offering real-time data on scooter availability, battery life, and route optimization for efficient travel. The modular design allows easy customization and maintenance, extending the scooter’s lifecycle and performance.
- Project Duration and Location
- The project was initiated in January 2024 in Hong Kong and the design was completed in May 2024.
- Specifications
- Normal Mode: 1216 mm x 530 mm x 944 mm Folded Mode: 563.87 mm x 530 mm x 935.41 mm Wheels: 10 inches in diameter
- Keywords
- Sustainable Design、Foldable Design、Modular Design、High-tech、Eco-friendly、Shared mobility、Ergonomic、Carbon Emission Reduction、Space-efficient 、Accessibility
