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Motorized scooter

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A motorized scooter is a small vehicle used for micromobility.

Manscooter
Manscooter

Micromobility refers to lightweight modes of transport used for short distances. Most motorized scooters feature a large center deck for the rider to stand on. These vehicles are powered by either a small internal combustion engine or an electric hub motor. The motor is typically located in the front or rear wheel.

Front electronic brake
Front electronic brake

This design allows for efficient travel in crowded urban environments. They serve as alternatives to walking or bicycling in many major cities.

Modern electric kick scooters, or e-scooters, rely on specific mechanical components to function. Many models utilize a brushless hub motor to drive the wheels. A brushless hub motor is an electric motor built directly into the center of the wheel. These scooters are often powered by rechargeable lithium-ion batteries.

Pneumatic Tire
Pneumatic Tire

Some advanced designs include a two-speed transmission to manage speed and power.

E-scooter with Pneumatic Tires
E-scooter with Pneumatic Tires

Other models feature full suspension to help the rider manage bumps in the road. In 2009, designer Nimrod Ricardo Sapir patented the first folding e-scooter. This allowed the device to be collapsed for easier storage and transport.

There are several distinct types of motorized scooters used today. The earliest models were powered by internal combustion engines. Later, Go-Ped introduced modern stand-up versions like the Roadster and Sport in 1986. In 2001, they also released the Hoverboard, which was the first full-suspension e-scooter. Today, we see a major distinction between privately owned scooters and rental scooters. Rental scooters are part of scooter-sharing systems.

These systems use mobile apps to allow users to rent a scooter by the minute. These shared fleets are often seen in major cities across the western world.

The history of the motorized scooter began in the early 20th century. The first motorized scooter was manufactured by Autoped in 1915.

Autoped 1919 Ever Ready 1
Autoped 1919 Ever Ready 1

In 1916, Florence Norman was documented using an Autoped motor-scooter.

Lady Florence Norman
Lady Florence Norman

Production of these early models continued until 1921. During this time, the German company Krupp built Autopeds under license from 1919 to 1922. The modern era of e-scooters began around 2010 in Avihayil, Israel. This was when the MyWay brand began producing folding e-scooters using lithium-ion batteries. This brand later became known as Inokim.

E-scooters have a complex relationship with the environment. They have the potential to reduce carbon dioxide (CO2) emissions. Carbon dioxide is a gas that contributes to global warming. If e-scooters replace car journeys, they can be beneficial for the planet. For example, Lime estimated that one in four of its trips replaced a car journey. However, the manufacturing of batteries requires significant resources. These resources are often not recycled. A 2021 Swiss research paper found that rented e-scooters sometimes emitted more CO2 than the transport modes they replaced.

Safety is a major concern for riders and city planners.

NYC-eScooter-2021-Accident
NYC-eScooter-2021-Accident

Because scooters have small wheels, they can become unstable when hitting a pothole. In Europe, where speeds are often limited to 20 or 25 km/h, shared scooter casualties are estimated between 1.5 and 20.6 per million trips. In the United States, a study in Los Angeles found injury rates similar to those of motorcycles.

Different Electric Scooters in Long Beach, CA - 2023-3-15
Different Electric Scooters in Long Beach, CA - 2023-3-15

Some riders engage in risky behaviors, such as riding against the flow of traffic. In China, researchers found a six-fold increase in mortality rates related to these types of injuries. Proper gear, such as helmets, is a key part of reducing these risks.

Neuron scooters in Civic during December 2020
Neuron scooters in Civic during December 2020

Regulations for e-scooters vary significantly by country and city. In Canada, e-scooters are often classified as power-assisted bicycles. They must follow laws such as a 32 km/h speed limit and a 500 W output limit. In Denmark, wearing a helmet is mandatory. In France, the legal framework is still being defined by legislators. Some cities, like Paris, have even voted to remove rental e-scooters from their streets. In Australia, rules differ between states like Queensland and the Australian Capital Territory. These laws cover many areas, including age limits, speed, and where the scooter can be driven.

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🖼️ Images & Media (15)
File:Manscooter.png
Manscooter.png
File:Autoped 1919 Ever Ready 1.jpg
Autoped 1919 Ever Ready 1.jpg
File:Lady Florence Norman.jpg
Lady Florence Norman.jpg
File:Vosh, Stockholm ( 1090722).jpg
Vosh, Stockholm ( 1090722).jpg
File:Electric scooters, Warszawska Street in Tomaszów Mazowiecki, Łódź Voivodeship, Poland, August 2020.jpg
Electric scooters, Warszawska Street in...
File:NYC-eScooter-2021-Accident.png
NYC-eScooter-2021-Accident.png
File:Neuron scooters in Civic during December 2020.jpg
Neuron scooters in Civic during December 2020.jpg
File:E-Scooter-Verbot.jpg
E-Scooter-Verbot.jpg
File:E-scooters in Christchurch.jpg
E-scooters in Christchurch.jpg
File:Sosnowiec Hulajnogi Elektryczne.jpg
Sosnowiec Hulajnogi Elektryczne.jpg
File:Different Electric Scooters in Long Beach, CA - 2023-3-15.jpg
Different Electric Scooters in Long...
File:E-scooter with Pneumatic Tires.jpg
E-scooter with Pneumatic Tires.jpg

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