Micromobility electric vehicle with walk-assist mode

A micromobility electric vehicle, comprising:

• a throttle on a handlebar, the throttle configured to be moved to a throttle position in a range of throttle positions;
• one or more sensors including a force sensor configured to detect a pushing force on the handlebar;
• and
• a controller operatively coupled to receive inputs from the throttle and the one or more sensors and to provide a motor control signal to a motor, wherein:
• the controller is configured to generate the motor control signal based on inputs received from the throttle and the one or more sensors;
• the controller is configured to selectively operate in a riding mode based on an input received from the one or more sensors indicating that a user is riding the micromobility electric vehicle and a walk-assist mode based on an input received from the one or more sensors indicating that the user is pushing the micromobility electric vehicle;
• and
• in the walk-assist mode, the controller is configured to provide the motor control signal so as to provide a speed that corresponds to the throttle position based on movement of the throttle on the handlebar and is lower than a speed in the riding mode for the same throttle position, and the controller is further configured to:
• increase the speed corresponding to the throttle position when a magnitude of the pushing force in a forward direction of the micromobility electric vehicle detected by the force sensor is greater than a first threshold;
• and
• decrease the speed corresponding to the throttle position when a magnitude of the pushing force in a forward direction of the micromobility electric vehicle detected by the force sensor is less than a second threshold;
• in the walk-assist mode, the controller is further configured to:
• determine that a sensed speed of the micromobility electric vehicle exceeds a first predetermined maximum speed corresponding to the walk-assist mode;
• calculate, in response to the determination that the sensed speed exceeds the first predetermined maximum speed, a maximum torque required to propel the micromobility electric vehicle at the first predetermined maximum speed under specified loading conditions;
• and
• provide the motor control signal such that an output torque is proportional to the calculated maximum torque, thereby delivering a speed corresponding to the throttle position.