Examine the E-bike and E-scooter User Behavior and Optimizing Charging Locations for Sustainable Campus

This study examines the e-bike and e-scooter user behavior and optimizes charging locations to increase on-campus mobility and achieve sustainable development in King Fahd University of Petroleum and Minerals (KFUPM). To achieve this aim, our study used a mixed-methods approach: a parametric simulation model in Rhino Grasshopper was developed to identify optimal layouts for e-bike and e-scooter charging stations, and a questionnaire was designed to collect data on student user behavior. This user-preference data was converted into spatial coordinates for 29 station placements. Mostly, students need charging locations around certain academic buildings, bus stations, housing, and malls. The questionnaire results show that students are willing to use e-bikes and e-scooters if proper charging locations are available with a shared e-bike system at a subsidized rate, which resulted in 7.56% increase in BikeScore. Overall, the study suggests that having user-centered designs for choosing optimal charging stations will improve the sustainable mobility of the campus.