In the past decade, almost $200 billion has been invested globally in mobility to improve transportation. As a result, micro-mobility transport such as electric scooters and e-bikes have grown in major cities across the globe. With the current demand that electric scooters are experiencing, a study by Grand View Research Inc. says that the e-scooter market will continue to grow up to $41.98 billion by 2030.
This begs the question: Are electric scooters a better investment than cars? After all, with increasing traffic and fuel prices across the world, micro-mobility may be the future of transportation. If you’re still undecided on whether to buy an electric scooter or a car, here are four reasons to consider investing in an e-scooter.
Save more with electric scooters
From purchasing to maintenance, electric scooters will save you more on costs, especially in the long run. With only $350 to $500, you can already buy a decent budget electric scooter for adults in Australia, the US, Europe, and most parts of the world. These budget-friendly scooters are already perfect for everyday commutes or errands. Meanwhile, buying a car can cost you an average of $36,718 in the US. That’s a significant amount, especially if you only need transport for short distances within your city or neighbourhood.
A car has an advantage when it comes to long-distance travelling. However, electric scooters are more cost-effective when it comes to an everyday routine lifestyle. Moreover, electric scooters remove the need for fuel, reducing another cost in your expenses. According to the Australian Automobile Association (AAA), the average two-car Australian family pays an average of $3,500 per year just on fuel costs. Electric scooters significantly reduce this amount if you use electric scooters more often, or completely.
Lastly, compared to cars, electric scooters require little to no maintenance, as long as you care for and handle it properly. The only cost you might have to pay for is purchasing a new drive chain yearly, which does not generally cost much. Overall, the cost of powering electric scooters only make up one per cent of the cost of running a car.
Travel short distances faster and more convenient
Electric scooters solve the first and last-mile problem. The ‘last mile’ is a term used to describe the final leg of the movement of people and goods to the final destination. It’s also called the ‘first mile’ if the movement goes out from the origin or destination.
Unfortunately, the last mile is always the least efficient for people, or even businesses, as it includes up to 28% of the total cost of movement, and it consumes plenty of time and effort for people to move. After all, for those who can’t afford cars, public transportation can’t fully take people in front of their homes. However, a one-kilowatt hour of energy that makes a car travel 1.2 km can make an electric scooter journey for 133 km. The best electric scooters in Australia, the US, and Europe can travel longer distances with that amount of energy. Micro-mobile transportation like electric scooters makes the last mile more energy-efficient as well.
Occupy less space
Cars are a highly-preferred mode of transport for many. However, this may change in the future, since cars are becoming less feasible due to the lack of parking spaces, rising fuel costs, and the additional costs of parking and tolls.
On the other hand, electric scooters are portable and space-saving. It doesn’t need a parking space because it can easily be stored next to the entrance of a store, under your office desk, or placed anywhere within your home. Electric scooters are a great option for people living in apartments or condominiums because they occupies less space and do not need a parking slot. Most scooter brands like the City Coco electric scooter feature portable e-scooters, making it easy for riders to carry them around if they don’t have a space to keep it in public spaces.
It’s also worth pointing out that 95% of cars are mostly unused, and each car occupies 10 times the space of electric scooters. This means that reducing cars increases space on public roads, sidewalks, and public areas.
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