Can Scooter become the means of Transportation of the Future?

E-scooter is a great invention that has attracted hundreds and thousands of people within a short span of time. Though e-scooters were invented a century ago, but properly introduced in the 1980s and were streamlined in the recent decade. But in the last few years, the e-scooter market has seen tremendous growth. These are adventurous to drive, and they can fulfill our commuting needs with fun. That being said, can scooters become the means of transportation of the future? More information please click here.

Usage of E-scooters

If you visit Spain, you’ll be amazed to find out the exceptional number of E-scooters. Even a few areas have been reported with more e-scooters than cars or motorcycles. The other regions of the world are following the same path. Let’s first discover the region-based usage of e-scooters.

Area-based Usage of E-scooters

When it comes to the region, unquestionably, North America is the market leader. Considering the usage of adults electric scooters to commuter ones, American markets are expected to receive a compound annual growth rate (CAGR) of 28.4% from 2019 to 2024. The United States being the epicenter of e-scooters—followed by Canada and Mexico— is likely to lead this market.

After North America, Europe is the uncrowned king of the e-scooter market. The previous year, Europe received a record year-on-year unit sale by witnessing an 80% surge in it.  Latin America is also progressing in this sector. China and Singapore are leading the Asian Pacific Region. APAC e-scooter market is expected to reach 31.2 million units by the end of 2025.

A recent study conducted by Bird  —a scooter rental company— reveals that 50% of their customer use commuter electric scooters— traveling from home to workplace and then traveling back to home. Approximately 29% use these scooters for connecting DC Metro and bus— as this study is based on the stats of Washington DC users of Bird’s services.

In addition to these findings, let’s take a closer look at multiple facets of e-scooters as a source of transportation. Either commuter electric scooters are going to rock the transportation sector, or only adults electric scooters will be enough for fun and adventure.

Mode of Transportation or Just Fun

Seeing the exceptional growth of e-scooters and wide-scale acceptability by users, various researchers have turned their faces to access the actual potential of e-scooters. Previously, it was believed that e-scooters were just for youth to carry out their fun activities and to fulfill their adventurous dreams.

In contrast, research has proved e-scooters as more of a transportation source in the form of commuter electric scooters. Urban scooters are widely used by people to reach out to inaccessible places or cover shorter distances instead of preferring other means.

Survey-based research conducted by Rebeca L. Sanders and her team starts with the line that ‘E-scooters are more for transport than recreation.’

People are adopting e-scooters as a source of transportation because of their inexpensive nature and exceptional convenience attached to them. Multiple surveys conducted on Portlanders suggest that 70% of those who have ridden e-scooters frequently use them as a means of transportation.

The major reasons conveyed by these people include reliability, speed, cost, fun, and convenience involved in riding commuter electric scooters.  

Especially in hot regions like Phoenix, Los Vegas, and Arizona higher number of people have preferred e-scooters over walking just because of the heat of the sun. These people have quoted e-scooters as extremely convenient and fast over foot walking.    

Shorter Commutes

E-scooters are more preferred for shorter commutes. Like, multiple universities and research centers— spreading over hundreds of acres of land— are seriously considering the introduction of e-scooters as the primary way of reaching various spots in the institution.

A survey focused 1256 University staff members and inquired about their experience with e-scooters. 36% quoted that they have ridden e-scooters, while 40% showed a willingness to drive them in the next year.

Interestingly, the latest generation of e-scooters— like the one offered by Varla— can go for longer commutes of up to 40 miles within just one hour— but make sure to wear all safety gears at these peak speeds. So, e-scooter companies are investing their best efforts to properly streamline e-scooters as a means of transportation.

E-Scooter Sharing

Research conducted under the watch of MDPI focused on the role of shared e-scooter systems in Urban Sustainability . After the introduction of the shared urban scooter system in 2017, this industry received the biggest boom during the pandemic. The government-imposed restrictions limited the public transportation spectrum, and major car riding services were called off to comply with COVID-19 protocols.

This made people use shared e-scooter systems to fulfill their basic needs. The research paper concluded that though COVID-19 restrictions have been either lifted or partially called off, still those people are using e-scooters to fulfill their transportation needs.

All these factors emphasize the potential of the e-scooter market to grab a big chunk of daily commuters to start using commuter electric scooters. Even adults electric scooters, which were primarily bought for fun and recreational activities, have been turned into urban scooters to fulfill commuting needs. A few crucial steps can further increase their usage;

Future of Electric Scooters

E-scooters are becoming an essential mode of transportation in many countries of the world. Convenience, cost-effectiveness, readily available, and environment friendliness are core factors behind the instant growth of this sector. A few more steps can turn the e-scooter market into a billion-dollar industry.

Acceptance by Government

With the passage of time, more and more states of the USA and multiple cities of other countries are allowing people to officially ride e-scooters. Though a few safety concerns are obstructing the path of approval, but exceptional cooperation and positive attitude of e-scooter firms are eradicating the trust gap. The next five years will be extremely crucial regarding the future of this industry, but surveys are suggesting an outstanding growth of commuter electric scooters.

Investment and Funding

Seeing the potential of this evergreen industry, a lot of investors have turned their faces towards this market. That’s why, just after the launch of a few firms like Bird, investors packed them with a $415 million investment. The same is the case with multiple other companies. If this pace continues, soon global investors will spend a big chunk of their investment in this sector.

The Bottom Line

Though the next couple of years are extremely crucial, but recent trends have shown the potential of e-scooters as a complete mode of transportation. E-scooter sharing apps, governmental approvals, and investments are coming to further speed up the growth of this sector.

If the trends remain consistent, then there is significant evidence and potential for e-scooters to become proper means of transportation in the near future.