Tag Archive: E-scooter

  1. European city study finds that more flexible regulations increase e-scooter popularity

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    Deloitte has conducted a survey of 155 cities across the continent and found that the cities with the most flexible regulations for electric scooters resulted in more affordable pricing and a higher uptake level among customers.

    Source: Zag Daily, B. Hubbard

    Deloitte’s findings report that in cities with higher regulations that involve public tenders, users are found to pay roughly 19% more per ride.

    Since e-scooters were first launched in the mid-2010s, there has been a wide range of regulatory models that have been applied in various European cities however since then there has been a lack of research that examines the results and impacts of each model.

    Deloitte divided the regulatory models of various cities into three categories:

    Light regulation refers to open markets, meaning that e-scooter services don’t have to comply with regulatory restrictions, resulting in no restrictions for vehicle fleet sizes and an unlimited amount of e-scooter operators being allowed to enter the city market and offer their services freely.

    Medium Regulation means that e-scooter operators must obtain a permit from authorities to operate in the city. In this type of model, operators may have to comply with specific operational requirements such as redistributing vehicles that have been poorly parked within a set time and they may have to pay fees to the city.

    High Regulation refers to the involvement of tenders, which is when cities invite e-scooter operators to enter competitive proposals, which detail their planned offering on fleet size, pricing and fee structures, service quality, sustainability measures, and operational plans.

    Stijn Vandeweyer, ITRG sector leader at Deloitte Belgium, said: “There has recently been a trend among European cities toward stricter e-scooter regulations due to a perception among policymakers that the more stringent regulatory models enable better monitoring and management of shared e-scooter services in their cities, thereby improving the quality of the services for their citizens. However, the research for this report has shown that Light Regulation models (especially MoUs) and Medium Regulation models can both provide cities with the degree of control needed to ensure quality and responsiveness to the needs of their citizens.”

    Findings

    Deloitte have found that more European cities have changed their regulatory approach in adopting stricter e-scooter regulations rather than making them more flexible.

    Cities with lighter or medium regulations including Vilnius, Dusseldorf and Lisbon had a higher take-up of e-scooters, due to there being more competition between e-scooter operators, resulting in more affordable prices and therefore a higher usage rates from customers.

    Deloitte has also suggested five recommendations for optimising micromobility in cities, including the suggestion that at least four e-scooter companies should operate in each European city to enable competition for lower consumer pricing, so that more citizens are able to take up this sustainable form of mobility.

  2. Scotland explores the possibility of e-scooter trials

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    Source: Zag Daily

    Scotland’s Cabinet Secretary for Transport, Fiona Hyslop, has said that e-scooters will “inevitably” be legalised in the country. Currently, all e-scooters are prohibited from use on Scottish roads and pavements.

    In an interview with The Scotsman, Ms. Hyslop suggested the potential for Scotland to join e-scooter trials, following the UK Department for Transport’s extension of such trials for the fourth time south of the Scottish border.

    “When the UK Government announced that trials were to take place, a deadline was set for local authorities to register their interest in participating,” a Transport Scotland spokesperson expressed. “This deadline was set without consultation or advance notice being given to the Scottish Government, and therefore did not provide enough time for the relevant Scottish legislative changes to be made in the context of resources being deployed to respond to the pandemic.

    As a result, it was not possible for any trials to take place in Scotland, however we will continue to engage with the Department for Transport on developments in this area.”

    Transport Scotland outlined the required legislative changes, including amendments to devolved Primary Legislation, Secondary Legislation, and Traffic Regulation Orders.

    Welcoming e-scooters

    National shared transport charity CoMoUK is enthusiastic about extending e-scooter trials into Scotland, highlighting their potential contribution to climate change targets.

    “An e-scooter trial would give Scots a brand new and legal way of trying out this great new form of transport, which could make a significant contribution to helping Scotland and the UK overall meet their climate change targets,” CoMoUK Chief Executive Richard Dilks states. “This is especially relevant given that Scotland has recently given up trying to meet its shorter-term climate targets.“

    CoMoUK advocates for regulated rental e-scooter schemes due to their regulations, including top speeds, hours of operation, where they can be ridden, technical specifications, and rigorous safety standards. According to the charity, 1 serious safety incident only occurs in every 500,000 trips.

    This has been contrasted with unregulated and illegal personal e-scooter usage, stating that it’s “sadly being allowed to shape public perceptions about this mode of transport.”

    Ms. Hyslop emphasized the importance of e-scooter safety considerations before permitting rental trials, echoing the sentiment shared by CoMoUK.

    Richard Dilks of CoMoUK added, “If there is to be a trial of rental e-scooters in Scotland, there should be an open dialogue between the UK and Scottish Governments so any lessons learned south of the border can be shared.“

  3. Why private e-scooters may pose a greater risk than rental models

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    Source: Chalmers

    A recent study published in the Journal of Safety Research reveals that privately owned, lighter e-scooters compare poorly to the larger versions designed for rental schemes.

    E-scooters can vary significantly in key aspects such as steering and braking capabilities, wheel size, engine, and suspension systems, all of which can have harmful implications in the event of a crash. 

    One of the authors of the study is Marco Dozza, Professor in Active Safety and Road-user Behaviour at Chalmers University of Technology, Gothenburg. “Individuals look for economical and transportable products, favouring light and foldable e-scooters that unfortunately also have the issues mentioned above.”

    E-scooters available in city rental schemes often feature larger wheels, superior steering and braking capabilities, and better suspension systems, than e-scooters available for private purchase, which tend to be smaller and less reliable in crash avoidance.

    In the study, Marco Dozza and his colleagues at Chalmers compared a large e-scooter, a light e-scooter, and a bicycle (both in power-assisted and non-power-assisted modes) in field trials to determine any variations in manoevrability constraints when avoiding a rear-end collision by braking and/or steering.

    The results showed that braking performance does vary between the different vehicles. Specifically, e-scooters are not as effective at braking as bicycles, but the large, rental-type e-scooter demonstrated better braking performance than the light e-scooter. Regarding steering performance, no statistically significant difference was observed. The bicycles were perceived as more stable, manoeuvrable, and safe than the e-scooters.

    Influence of previous experience

    An individual’s previous experience in riding a bicycle can be assumed to have some influence on a rider’s ability to handle a critical situation when riding an e-scooter. There is the potential for a false sense of ability and confidence driving a seemingly similar vehicle.

    “The results from the study suggest that new micromobility vehicles necessitate ad-hoc training to be safe. The fact they resemble a familiar and possibly overtrained vehicle – the bike – may trick us to believe that we know how to master them but that is not necessarily the case,” says Marco Dozza. 

    Because we can transfer our balance skills directly from a bicycle to an e-scooter, there can be an initial sense that it is easy to ride an e-scooter. However, when faced with an emergency and need to brake, the expectations we have from our previous experiences of cycling do not match – we may overestimate the braking ability of the e-scooter, with clear hazardous implications.

    “One third of all e-scooters crashes happen on the first ride. Our results suggest that an expectation mismatch on manoeuvring performance would explain this puzzling finding that has been confirmed in multiple studies.”

    Vehicle weight and steering

    The study authors note that the heavier rental e-scooters could, in the event of a collision, pose more of a hazard. Furthermore, they advised that riders should familiarise themselves with alternative collision-avoidance strategies to braking.

    Marco Dozza states: “In general, when vehicles are heavier, collisions are more severe. While larger e-scooters proved to brake better, any time they collide they may cause more damage than lighter vehicles. Further, harsh braking on low-friction surfaces, like ice or wet leaves, may also destabilise a vehicle. In our trials, the tarmac was dry and smooth so we do not know if larger e-scooters would perform well in wet or icy conditions as well.”

    “If there is space for moving aside, and braking is not enough to stop in time, steering is a better alternative. Because small e-scooters suffer from longer braking distances than bikes and larger e-scooters, the situations in which steering is a better alternative than braking are more common. Unfortunately, our study shows that participants are less comfortable steering away to avoid a collision when riding an e-scooter than when riding a bicycle.”

    Marco Dozza shared crucial advice for riders new to e-scooters: “Practice braking and steering avoidance maneuvers in an empty space. Do not wait for a critical situation to happen before testing how the vehicle can brake or steer. The simplest exercise is to imagine a line on the road and try to brake as late and as close as possible to the line. Most people will overshoot, and many may be surprised by how much. Repeating this exercise a few times may already be enough to make a difference.”

  4. MD of Deutschen Städtetages speaks on e-scooter liability

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    Source: Deutscher Stadtetag

    Helmut Dedy, Managing Director of the German Association of Cities, told the German Press Agency, “If e-scooters are misused or improperly parked, leading to accidents or damages, it must be clear who is liable. The best solution would be for the owner to be liable, as with cars. In this case, it would be the providers. If that is not the case, then those who use the scooters must be liable.”

    Dedy further stated, “This requires proof of identity. Other cities will definitely closely observe the developments in Gelsenkirchen. What all cities want are clear rules for e-scooters and more decision-making power for municipalities.“

    “Improperly parked scooters often become a tripping hazard. Many users do not follow traffic rules while riding, going too fast or riding where it is not allowed. Both could be prevented if Federal Minister of Transport Wissing finally allows so-called geofencing for e-scooters.“

    “This could, for example, prevent an e-scooter user from ending a ride in a location where parking is prohibited. With geofencing, it would also be technically possible to automatically limit the speed of scooters in certain areas, such as parks or pedestrian zones. So far, however, the Federal Ministry of Transport does not seem willing to do so, even though it is responsible for digitization and could enable a genuine digital innovation in the transport sector here.“

  5. Multiscope E-bike Monitor: The latest updates in the e-bike, e-scooter and LEV market

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    Source: Multiscope

    Multiscope has launched the fourth edition of its E-bike Monitor, a comprehensive study focusing on electric bicycles, electric scooters, and other light electric vehicles (LEVs) within the Netherlands. This report offers insights into various aspects of the market, encompassing providers, insurance, maintenance, usage patterns, and user satisfaction levels.

    What can you expect?

    The study delves into the market landscape, addressing over 50 pertinent research inquiries. Key questions explored include the size of the Dutch market for e-bikes, e-scooters, and LEVs, expenditure trends on these vehicles, market expansion dynamics, and average prices for both new and used units. Additionally, the report identifies major providers and insurers, along with user satisfaction levels for different service providers.

    The E-bike Monitor holds relevance for all Dutch organizations and businesses directly or indirectly associated with e-bikes, e-scooters, and LEVs. This encompasses roles in development, sales, consultation, maintenance, and insurance services related to these products.

    The report covers numerous providers such as Amslod, Batavus, Cortina, Cube, Flyer, Gazelle, Giant, Koga, Sparta, Stella, Trek, and Vogue Bike, as well as insurers like Allianz, ANWB, Centraal Beheer, ENRA, FBTO, Interpolis, Kingpolis, Unigarant, and Univé.

    For further information, please see the website, table of contents, and brand list.

    Key findings

    • Ownership of e-bikes, e-scooters, and LEVs is stagnating
    • There’s a difference between online and offline purchase prices
    • Used city bikes are significantly cheaper
    • There are different market leaders in online and offline insurance

  6. ITF publishes Safe Micromobility report

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    The report examines recent micromobility safety trends and risks and includes recommendations for authorities and operators

    Source: ITF

    In 2020, the ITF published Safe Micromobility, a report assessing the safety of micromobility and emerging mobility services. Over the past four years, significant changes have occurred in the evidence surrounding micromobility safety. The report presents an analysis of the current evidence on recent trends and risks in micromobility safety, offering safety recommendations for both authorities and micromobility operators in line with the Safe System approach.

    The analysis is grounded in a comprehensive technical report authored by the same individuals, which contains more extensive information and a complete list of references for all data and findings presented in this publication.

    Policy Insights:

    • Micromobility is becoming safer, but the rising incidence of severe injuries resulting from e-scooter accidents is a cause for concern. Overall, shared e-scooter crash risk is decreasing as their usage is increasing faster than injuries.
    • Safe infrastructure and vehicle design cannot be overstated. Rider behaviour and safety equipment must be complemented by better infrastructure and improved vehicle design, particularly for e-scooters.
    • Reinforcing existing policies improves safety. Road safety measures also make micromobility safer – managing speed, providing training to road users, and enforcing rules against impaired driving and riding.

    Download the full report here.

  7. UK government publishes new guidance to enhance e-bike and e-scooter safety

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    Source: GOV.UK

    Guidance includes information on how to safely buy, store and charge e-cycles and e-scooters.

    Information around how to safely purchase, charge and use e-bikes and e-scooters has been published by the UK government to improve consumer safety.

    After thorough consultation with the industry, guidance on battery safety has been developed for both e-scooters and e-bikes, which aims to enhance awareness among owners regarding the safe purchase of e-cycles or e-scooters, ensuring compliance with manufacturing requirements, and promoting transactions with reputable sellers. The documents cover information on secure storage and charging, the warning signs for fire risk and how to address them, and responsible battery disposal. The guidance also emphasises that legal use of e-scooters on roads is restricted unless they are part of an official rental trial.

    Separate guidance has been issued to assist public transport operators in evaluating and managing fire risks associated with the transportation of e-bikes and e-scooters on trains and buses. Similar information has been produced for those managing premises such as schools and workplaces.

    Minister Anthony Browne, responsible for Technology and Decarbonisation, affirmed that “Safety has always been our top priority, which is why our latest guidance aims to improve the awareness of e-bike and e-scooter users in the trial areas where they’re authorised.”

    This announcement follows the Home Office’s advice on fire safety for e-scooters and e-bikes published last year. To further understand the safety of lithium-ion batteries used in e-cycles and e-scooters, the Office for Product Safety and Standards (OPSS) is presently conducting a safety study and taking enforcement measures when unsafe products are found.

    The extension of e-scooter trials until May 2026 will facilitate further insights across various areas, including usage, safety and environmental impacts, and the exploration of travel behaviour changes since the onset of the COVID-19 pandemic.

  8. Brussels drastically cuts e-scooter numbers starting February 2024

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    Source: The Mayor.eu

    Starting February 1st, 2024, Brussels is implementing significant changes to its e-scooter landscape. The city plans to reduce the available e-scooters from over 20,000 to just 8,000, exclusively operated by Bolt and Dott. Alongside this reduction, designated drop zones will become the sole spots to conclude a ride on these vehicles.

    To accommodate this shift, Brussels Mobility will increase specially assigned parking spaces for shared mobility vehicles from 1,000 to 1,500 in the coming month. Leaving an e-scooter outside these allocated zones will be prohibited from then on.

    This move aligns with a broader trend across European cities to address the unregulated spread of shared micromobility vehicles, which often encroach on pedestrian spaces in urban areas.

    Brussels Mobility highlighted their commitment to providing the safest and most advanced vehicles to the city’s residents. The fleet, comprising e-scooters, bicycles, and mopeds, will boast 100% zero direct emissions. Moreover, special pricing schemes for various target audiences are in the works.

    With licensed operators finalized, other entities now face the task of removing excess vehicles within a six-week grace period.

    Furthermore, regional authorities have selected operators for shared bikes, mopeds, and cargo bikes, establishing quotas for each category in the city.

    The new regulations take effect on February 1st, 2024, across 11 Brussels municipalities. In the remaining eight, operators will utilize GPS tracking systems to restrict parking to locations sanctioned by local authorities.

  9. Research assesses physical activity levels of bike, e-bike and e-scooter trips

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    A study published in the Journal of Transport and Health reveals micromobility patterns in the city of Barcelona, Spain, by assessing physical activity levels associated with bike, e-bike and e-scooter usage.

    Conventional bikes and e-bikes are the most active transport mode for health benefits.

    To examine the physical activity and health benefits for each travel mode, researchers Bretones, Miralles-Guasch, and Marquet, measured the amount of energy used by riders as METs (Metabolic Equivalents of Tasks). Findings showed that energy conversion with all micromobility modes was 2.47 and 2.65 METs (under specified real time and traffic related conditions, respectively).

    Out of all vehicle modes, E-scooters received the lowest energy conversion, with 2.20 METs on average, with researchers recognising the physical activity level required for it as being similar to that of automobile trips. Results also revealed that a minute of riding a conventional bike achieves 28% more physical activity than that of riding an e-scooter, with a difference of only 1.4% between electric scooters and e-bikes.

    In terms of distribution for physical activity, the study states that e-scooter usage patterns showed intermittent peaks of physical activity with extended sedentary periods, while e-bikes and bicycles had a more even distribution, with more intense bursts of exercises during these trips.

    The results revealed non-electric, conventional bikes as having the highest energy expenditure, with researchers highlighting both conventional and electric bikes as being key transport modes to help improve public health benefits through physical activity.

    Vehicle usage in distance and location context

    E-scooter trips covered shorter distances (1.96 km) compared to the mean distance covered by other modes of micromobility (2.28 km). The article does acknowledge that e-scooters can be a great transport replacement for more sedentary travel, such as private vehicles, and recognises that in the context of dense and compact cities like Barcelona, the short journeys that e-scooters tend to cover are often already undertaken by walking or biking.

    The researchers indicate that this study can be a useful source to help improve public health policy, and suggests that e-scooter and bike sharing should be further promoted to replace car usage, thus helping to maximize health benefits for citizens.

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