(Unconventional) two wheeled vehicles for sustainability

In recent years, the use of sustainable transportation has increased exponentially, especially in cities where traffic is never-ending. New among electric vehicles, in addition to the bicycle, the scooter has emerged as the real star of urban mobility. For city dwellers, electric scooters provide convenience and ease, thanks to the numerous sharing services available and how easy they are to handle.

As the latest additions to the fleet, scooters have already conquered most of Europe and Italy. In addition to being in over 100 international markets, the service is also active in several Italian cities thanks to the official go ahead from the Ministry of Infrastructures and Transport for the road testing of electric scooters, Segways, monowheels and hoverboards.

The rules of the road for scooters haven’t been written yet, but several sharing services have already started making these vehicles available. The main feature of the electric scooter, besides its ecological footprint, is how economical it is. They cost around 20 cents a minute and, for now, they can also be ridden on pavements.

All the service providers operate the same way. All you need to do is download the app for Android or iOS, register and enter your credit card details. Then, you will have access to the service’s map. Depending on the company, you may then be able to book a scooter, activating it by scanning a bar or QR code.

The maximum speed is usually around 20 km/h, while the range is around 30 kilometres per charge. Each company has personnel responsible for charging the scooters, called “juicers” or “chargers”, who pick up the spent scooters, charge them and get them back on the street. The market is also hot with regard to the outright purchasing of these small vehicles to use as the preferred method of daily transport.

The appeal of e-mobility is the highest it has ever been. According to the study “Global Electric Vehicle Market Outlook”, in 2018, two million electric vehicles were purchased, and the forecast for 2019 is that this figure will reach almost three million. It is further confirmation that electricity is the energy system of the future, in addition to the role in plays in reducing CO₂ emissions and mitigating human impact on the environment.