E-scooters and electric bikes are all the rage around the world. They are cheap, fun and easy to ride. They don’t cause congestions and their carbon footprint is much less than an average car. So, why isn’t everyone ditching their cars for e-scooters?

Automobiles have their place, obviously. You don’t want to ride your bike in the rain when you have a car. You can’t take your family for a road trip on a single scooter. But in spite of the minor inconveniences, e-scooters have a great place in the future. Their environmental advantage is proving too good to ignore.

All around the world, cities are holding debates on how to integrate shared e-scooters into public transport systems. Manufacturers can’t keep with the demand and Silicon Valley is fast endorsing them. So, what’s the big deal about the scooters? How do they benefit the environment? Here is a list of the advantages of e-scooters/ e-bikes:

Most Convenient Options for Short Distances

Whether you have a car or not, moving around crowded cities like Los Angeles and London can be a nightmare. If there is a traffic problem, traveling for one mile can take up to an hour. You can’t take the train unless there is a route to where you are traveling.

Electric scooters beat any other alternatives when trespassing through the busy streets of any big city. You don’t get to pedal hills or have to push the bike when you get tired. You don’t contribute to environmental degradation by using fossil fuels. Simply charge your bike and ride it conveniently around the city.

Also, read Best Electric Scooters/ Bikes Companies In India

Easy and Fun

While some owners had the environment in mind when buying e-scooters, many people just buy them because they are fun. Unlike bicycles, you don’t pedal and risk getting tired at the end of your trip. You also don’t have to worry about balancing issues.

E-scooters are designed to hold you stable and take you wherever you want to go. Most people use them for short distances but you can ride up to 100 miles on the device. Of course, you’ll need to take breaks to rest and recharge. But you can live a car free life with the scooters.

The best e-scooters have enough space for an adult. They are strong and durable. Of course, not all scooters are created the same. You can find the best-selling scooters here. Review each for height, speed, and other features and decide whether to buy one.

Shared Rides

The concept of sharing rides has been around for decades. From taking the bus instead of a personal car to sharing cabs, traveling with others isn’t a new idea. However, it wasn’t until recently that governments began emphasizing the concept.

With most cities around the world experiencing population, leaders are looking towards electric scooters to solve the issue. In Los Angeles and neighboring cities, sharing e-scooters has become a big deal.

Bird, the name of an e-scooter sharing business, makes millions of dollars giving willing payers access to the machines. Riders download an app that can help them locate the nearest Bird parking spot. With the same app, they are able to unlock the scooter and ride to wherever they want to go. The company charges you 15 cents per minute plus $1 for unlocking the bike.

Compared to traversing your city using a car, the scooter-riding industry is helping the world go green in a big way. Scooters save about 350 grams of carbon per mile. A city with 10,000 scooters saves 35,000 kilograms of carbon or about 17,500 tons in 500 cities with the same number of scooters. By contrast, an average car emits 24 pounds of carbon per one gallon of fuel used. Per year, one car emits 4.6 tons of the same emission, translating to millions of tons.

E-Scooters can Help Achieve Zero Carbon Emission

There are different types of energy. And depending on what cities use, they could emit more or less carbon. Fossil fuels contribute to environmental pollution the most. When burned, the fuels release toxins that can lead to global warming.

While no city in the world is yet to reach zero carbon emission, electric scooters can make that dream happen. The small bikes utilize very little amounts of power. And if that power is sourced from solar or wind turbines, there is no carbon emission.

E-vehicles rental companies have the funds and the potential to produce electricity for their scooters from renewable sources. Cities like Las Vegas already have solar power projects and could help provide power to e-scooter users.

Infrastructure Already Exists

Unlike starting new subways and other public transport systems, e-scooters don’t require new infrastructures. Almost every developed city in the world has bike paths and lanes designed for motorbikes.

The scooters don’t require new kind of powers or spare parts. Everything about the scooter already exists. All that is required is to invest in the electric machines and in renewable energy. Countries will save millions that could have been spent building new transportation systems. Scooter riders already have the roads to ride their bikes and parks to place them while at work.

The Scooters are in Demand

Like the explosion of car demand in the last century, electric scooters are fast becoming the ‘in thing.’ Since 2014, the e-scooter industry has witnessed a boom. There is a war in Silicon Valley as startups compete to have a piece of the business by starting ride-sharing companies.

Startups aside, bike lovers are purchasing e-scooters for all sorts of reasons. The fun of it, the convenience and affordability are all factors in it. A typical electric scooter costs between $90 and $150. With such low prices, e-scooters are cheaper than electric bikes, the once considered future of green.

While e-scooters still fight for demand with bikes, the increase in demand has renewed hope among those who believe they are the future. Of course, it could all be a fad and e-scooters could lose value in the next one decade. But at present, the electric devices have all the signs they could be the next big thing.

To Conclude

Electric scooters are in so much demand that cities have begun regulating any scooter riding startups. Bicycles are no longer the only two-wheeled vehicles on the sidewalks. Motorcycles have new, cheaper competitors as well.

Electric scooters are appealing to city commuters thanks to their low prices and convenience. When you add the devices’ low carbon footprint, the future may all be about electric scooters.