Electric Scooters: An Ecological Impact That’s Still Unkown

This debate of what’s the more ecological means of transport has been very controversial, especially with the recent growth of the global electric cars’ market share.  Some accuse electric cars of being actually more polluting than the conventional fossil-fuel-powered cars, securing their arguments in the production and (lack of) recycling of the lithium-ion batteries. Others focus on the extraction of rare metals or on the production of electricity in countries with oil or coal-based grids.

Others say it is more eco-friendly because it reduces emissions during the use phase, meaning driving, especially if it is coupled with decarbonized energy (a renewable energies based electricity grid). Today, with the multiplication of scientific studies on this subject, we are almost certain that yes, the electric car is more environmentally friendly than diesel or gasoline car in virtually all cases.

Renewable energies (or renewables) are ways to generate energy from (theoretically) unlimited natural resources. These resources are either available with no time limit or replenish more quickly than the rate at which they are consumed.

But for the electric scooters, it’s more complicated. Indeed, the phenomenon is recent and we still have a little perspective on all the impacts they encompass. Although they’re starting to grow, not many reports have looked at the question. Still, some studies have attempted to evaluate the impacts of electric scooters, especially under self-service conditions. So here is what we can say today, considering the state of our knowledge on this subject.

Thinking which is more sustainable on electric car and electric scooter with urban commute and travel plan, that is a worth thing to look ahead. As for all means of transport, if we want to measure the environmental impact of electric scooters, it is necessary to analyze the 4 main phases of its life cycle. The first two are the phases of the vehicle’s manufacturing  (then the engine and other components are assembled) and the energy production phase of the vehicle (how polluting is the energy that enables the vehicle to be driven). Then comes the use phase of the vehicle (when it is driven) and then the maintenance and end of life of the vehicle (how it is maintained and recycled or destroyed when it no longer works). In each of these phases, there are different environmental impacts.