How Electric Scooters are Changing Urban Transportation

Electric scooters for adults have become increasingly popular in cities globally. As demand for these micro-mobility devices continues, more governments are allowing private and shared electric scooters in the streets. Shared electric scooters have become particularly rampant as legislators conduct e-scooter trials using these platforms.

These ride-sharing schemes provide low-cost, convenient, and portable rides that commuters can access anytime and anywhere via a dedicated app. However, these devices offer lower speeds and less power than commercial or private e-scooters since they need to adhere to specific requirements.

Nonetheless, these portable urban transportation solutions are changing the way people travel in cities. Most people would buy or rent a car or motorcycle to make personal travel more convenient. However, electric scooters now offer more convenient, affordable, sustainable trips, especially for short distances.

Before you buy an electric scooter online, learn more about how e-scooters are changing urban transportation.

The Changes E-scooters are Making

1. Convenient Transport

One major reason that commuters prefer riding commuter electric scooters is their convenience. E-scooters offer a compact, lightweight, and foldable ride that is smaller and slimmer than a motorcycle. However, they don’t fall short of performance, especially higher-end e-scooters.

As a result, these micro-mobility devices make great rides in traffic-prone areas. Riders can bypass traffic easily because of their small size. Moreover, they can go through alternate routes, such as footpaths, shared paths, and public spaces as long as it is allowed. This results in less travel time and fewer hassles on the road.

Aside from these, their portability makes them convenient to bring anywhere or store in small spaces. Riders can fold their e-scooter and bring it inside buses and subways if allowed. E-scooters are also small enough to fit under office desks or large lockers, making them easy to store. Overall, their portability makes them a convenient ride, especially for those who are looking for a short-range ride to and from work. 

2. Accessible Transport

Although cars and motorcycles are widely available, they limit most commuters from buying them due to their costs. These costs include their retail price, fuel costs, parking fees, and maintenance costs, among others. However, electric scooters make personal transportation more accessible due to their affordability.

A new car in Australia costs an average of $40,729 according to a Canstar Blue survey. Meanwhile, you can get a well-equipped foldable electric scooter at around $500-$800. The initial cost of buying an e-scooter is significantly lower than a car.

In addition, e-scooters don’t require fuel to run, so you don’t have to worry about fuel costs. Moreover, these urban mobility devices can be brought and stored anywhere, eliminating the need for parking fees. Plus, they contain fewer parts that break down, making maintenance less costly.

Lastly, e-scooters make personal commutes accessible as they are easy to ride and usually don’t require a license. Students and young adults can ride them as long as they are within the allowable age. Overall, e-scooters allow commuters to travel freely without the burden of costs and maintenance.

3. Greener Trips

More governments and organisations advocate the use of sustainable transportation. These bodies often cite electric vehicles as a greener solution to increasing carbon emissions in road transportation. However, electric vehicles, like cars and buses, don’t completely solve urban mobility issues, as they continue to cause congestion, require space for roads and parking, require a license to operate, and cost high prices.

This is where micro-mobile urban transportation comes in. These devices produce no carbon emissions or harmful gases while travelling. Moreover, they produce less carbon dioxide throughout their lifecycle, unlike other vehicles.

A study by Lime, a shared e-scooter service, showed that e-scooters in the city of Paris helped save over 330 tons of carbon dioxide emissions after a year of implementing them. The study also stated that continuing to use e-scooters will save the city over 10,000 carbon emissions by 2030.

Overall, electric scooters are greener than you think. As urban transportation shifts towards greener vehicles and systems, e-scooters will continue to meet transport demands and contribute significantly to sustainable transport systems.

4. Healthier Rides

Finally, electric scooters for adults promote a healthier way to commute. Although walking is the best form of exercise to get around, e-scooters and other micro-mobility devices offer a good balance of comfort, convenience, and low-impact activity.

The health benefits of electric scooters include increased core strength, improved balance, and better posture, among others. Although riders only stand on the e-scooter and don’t push it like a traditional scooter, their body requires balancing on the e-scooter. As a result, it targets certain muscle groups and provides a low-impact activity.

Aside from this, e-scooters also offer stress relief as they provide a quick break from work or studying. Just take a quick ride and enjoy the wind on your face as you leave work or study behind. Overall, riding electric scooters may not help with weight loss or developing muscles, but it will help you keep moving.

What is Preventing E-scooters from Moving Forward? 100

Despite the scooter’s popularity, it is still too early to tell whether they will make a significant change in the future of transportation or if they will remain relevant in the future. After all, they continue to face challenges in mass adoption.

For example, electric scooter law in Australia varies per state and territory. Most don’t allow private electric scooters in public, but many now start or will start to implement e-scooter trials. Strict legislation continues to pose a significant hurdle in fully legalising private and shared electric scooters in Australia. Moreover, reports of e-scooter-related accidents and injuries make it difficult to push for their legalisation.

However, it can’t be denied that e-scooters contribute to the transportation system’s steady transformation. Moreover, transportation is indeed moving in a new direction as electric vehicles, hydrogen buses and trains, and ride-sharing services become more available and accessible in cities globally. These new vehicles will surely transform the way we move in the future.

As transportation systems make micro-mobility devices available to the public, Mearth aims to be at the forefront of e-scooter innovation to bring efficient, hassle-free, and sustainable electric scooter models to commuters in Australia. Check out our current electric scooter series and find one that suits your commuting needs and lifestyle.