Things are happening out on the street. Or more accurately, on the cycle paths and sidewalks. They are silent, speed along at 20 km/h, and are electrically powered. E-scooters are revolutionizing personal transport in many cities of the world. But is this just an ephemeral feel-good hype or are e-scooters a lasting, eco-friendly solution to the hassles and pollution associated with inner-city traffic?
Our cities are congested with cars and trucks, causing emissions of fine-particulate matter and carbon, and prompting politicians to consider total bans on road traffic. Car sharing and electric vehicles have provided some mitigation. But the micro-mobility market is blossoming, too – with e-scooters and e-bikes all the rage.
Use without owning
The aim is to get quickly from A to B in urban environments – but without the tailbacks and end-of-pipe emissions, and by leaving your (own) car behind. E-scooters are therefore an ideal addition to the range of options available, suggests Valerian Seither, founder and CEO of e-scooter hire service Emmy, in an interview with manager magazin*. And this feeds into the smart city vision: “We can, at any time, choose the means of transport that is just right for the occasion, make use of it, and afterwards, we do not have the hassle of looking after it,” states Seither.
E-scooters are therefore an eco-friendly alternative to cars, right? But there are downsides. For example, a heightened risk of falling off and over if the surface is uneven – and that, in conjunction with no mandatory crash helmet. There is also little in the way of infrastructure, forcing users to drive along cycle paths, the highway or the sidewalk. So there may be interaction with other vehicles traveling at higher speed, including cars. And if the scooter takes to the sidewalk, then pedestrians are in peril.
Under way to a more sustainable future… or maybe not?
In the interview with manager magazin, Ralf Kalupner, founder and CEO of bicycle hire company Nextbike, addresses the micro-mobility trash problem: e-scooters do not have to be returned to predefined docking stations. So, apart from a few prohibited zones, they can be left just about anywhere – and are. The devices are collected at night, by means of cars and vans, recharged in big central depots, and then redistributed the next morning – so the system is less than perfectly green: “The whole thing has nothing to do with sustainability,” emphasizes Kalupner.
The fact remains that e-scooters are a positive alternative to traveling short distances by privately owned car or a taxi. But it is not going to replace personal car ownership entirely. Still, it is good addition to the pool, alongside local public transit, car sharing, e-vehicles and other mobility models, creating a variety of solutions for diverse needs. How long e-scooters will continue to populate our cities, however, remains to be seen.
*German only