As electronics and data continue to make our lives easier and better, one of the different types of technology is slowly shaping the transportation sector.
From ride-sharing schemes to personal innovative units, electric scooter technology has changed the way people move in cities. These micro-mobile devices are no longer just for fun and leisure. Electric scooters are now a convenient way of commuting and travelling within cities.
The popularity of electric scooters is thanks to companies like Segway and Xiaomi who innovated and popularised electric scooters and to ride-sharing services like Lime who brought rental electric scooters to the public.
However, ultimately, the convenience and efficiency that e-scooters bring made it into a multi-million-dollar industry. However, are electric scooters just a trend, or are they here to stay? Ultimately, are electric scooters the future of transportation?
Here are reasons why electric scooters might be the future of transportation in cities globally.
It’s an affordable and efficient way of commuting
One reason why electric scooters are good for commuters is their convenience and affordability. After all, rental electric scooters are cheaper than a taxi and offer a similar cost to public transportation.
Meanwhile, personal units are significantly cheaper than a car or motorcycle. In fact, it’s affordable enough that some universities across the globe encourage electric scooters for students.
Overall, electric scooter riders enjoy the perks of bypassing traffic and getting to their destination faster without the hassles of commuting. As cities continue to increase in population and road congestion, electric scooters will become a convenient means for commuters to get around. Thus, it will continue to become a staple in the streets and bicycle lanes of major cities across the globe.
Electric scooters solve the first and last-mile issue
The first and last-mile problem refers to the distance between a location and nearby public transportation. Often, this distance is too far for commuters to walk and too near to drive with a car or motorcycle. Electric scooters solve this by providing lightweight transportation that can carry commuters for more or less three miles.
Best of all, electric scooters are portable. So, riders can fold them quickly and carry them on public transportation. Riders can then ride their e-scooter again from the bus or subway to their destination. Ultimately, it makes commuting easier, more efficient, and seamless. Because of this convenience, e-scooters offer all kinds of commuters easy access within and outside of cities.
It doesn’t occupy a lot of space in cities
Thanks to the electric scooters’ slim and compact design, it doesn’t take up much space on the road compared to motorcycles and cars. In a populated city, space becomes a commodity, so electric scooters maximise spaces efficiently. In fact, having more e-scooters than cars can help reduce road congestion.
However, the space-saving benefits of electric scooters also applied inside homes. It’s the right personal transport for people living in small apartments. After all, you don’t need a garage or parking space to store an electric scooter. It can be folded and stored securely inside a cabinet or under a desk. In a future where space becomes valuable in cities, e-scooters will offer a space-saving solution.
Electric scooters are eco-friendly alternative transportation
Another reason why more commuters will consider riding electric scooters is the fact that it’s eco-friendly. Road transportation is one of the highest contributors to greenhouse gases globally.
So, opting for electric, hybrid, or eco-friendly transport solutions is a good way to reduce the commuters’ carbon footprint. Electric scooters, in particular, can save up to 330 tons of carbon emissions in a city in a year.
Although many are still debating whether shared electric scooters are eco-friendly, ride-sharing platforms like Lime are committing to reducing their processes’ carbon footprint.
As carbon emissions and global warming continue to become a concern, eco-friendly micro-mobile transportations like electric scooters will surely dominate the streets in the future.
More cities are pushing for electric scooters
Finally, more cities across the globe are seeing the benefits of legalising and using electric scooters. Aside from its environmental benefits, cities are also seeing the economic benefits of electric scooters.
Some studies have found that electric scooters help keep small businesses and tourism alive as it encourages locals and tourists to explore local shops and attractions. Some of the cities that are already embracing e-scooters include San Francisco, Lisbon, Berlin, Dubai, Singapore, and Shanghai, among many others.
Many countries are already studying the benefits of legalising electric scooters and the necessary infrastructures and processes in implementing them.
It’s important to note that cities will need the right rules, infrastructures, data management, and regulations to make e-scooter riding safe for commuters and pedestrians. Although it might take time for more cities to legalise electric scooters, it’s not a far-off idea that it will soon become the norm in the transportation sector.
Micro transportation is the future
Electric scooters, along with different micro-mobility devices, will likely become a staple in road transportation. After all, a report predicts that the global electric scooter market will reach $644.5 billion by 2028. It will likely fill the gap left by public and private transportation.
So, what is the future of electric scooters? It may be a future where micro-mobility has become the norm in city streets.
