Recently, e-scooters have come to be seen in the city and in the media. That said, I still have a strong impression of minor mobility in Japan.
But what about overseas? In Germany, sharing services are already widespread as mobility for tourism, and in the United States, e-scooters are widespread as mobility for commuting. The number of users is increasing as a new eco-friendly and easy vehicles instead of bicycles and automobiles, mainly in the United States and Europe.
The boom in e-scooter sharing services began in the United States. In June 2017, the United States started with “Lime” which started in San Francisco, and three months later, Santa Monica’s “Bird” started, and it quickly spread all over the world centering on these two services. is.
Behind the popularity of e-scooter sharing services is the worsening traffic congestion in large American cities. Whereas a car takes about 20 to 30 minutes per mile, an e-scooter can run in about 5 to 10 minutes.
However, due to the limited number of supplies, some people buy “My Scooter” because they are not keeping up with the supply and demand and are not in the place they want to use when they want to use it.
Current status of e-scooters in Germany
In Germany, the ban on e-scooters on public roads was lifted in April 2019, so many people from businessmen to young women are using it, mainly in big cities such as Berlin. Currently, the sharing service of e-scooters is widespread in Germany, and there are many areas where it can be used, and both locals and tourists use it as a matter of course. Not to mention that there are many areas that can be used, the share e-scooter is easy to ride!
Bicycles are very often stolen in Germany, and it is natural to lock them with a sturdy chain. On the other hand, e-scooters can be dropped off without a key. This is because it has an “automatic lock” that does not work unless the user’s mobile phone and app are linked! This feature has boosted its popularity in Germany.
What is the reason for its popularity?
There are many possible reasons for its popularity, but the following four points are the main ones.
- Self-propelled
- Easy to use
- Space saving
- Easy operability
1. About “self-propelled”
Unlike bicycles and regular kickboards, e-scooters don’t have to pedal themselves or kick the ground multiple times, just one accelerator! The speed is around 20km / h, and the mileage is said to be around 30km on a full charge, which is a sufficient distance for sightseeing and city riding as one-mile mobility after getting off the train. It’s also an effective alternative to taxis.
2. About “easy to use”
Here, we will introduce how to ride the “Lime” e-scooter, which was born in San Francisco, California, and has the highest usage rate among the share e-scooters.
The basic way of riding is almost the same for all sharing services, but the way of riding “Lime” is very easy.
- Download the Lime app.
- Enter your credit card information.
- You will see a nearby e-scooter.
- Read the barcode on the handle of the e-scooter. (unlock)
- All you have to do is get on to your destination.
- Return it to a place that does not get in the way, take a picture, and send it.
The above is the introduction to how to ride to return. It’s really easy, isn’t it? This convenience is one of the reasons why e-scooters are so popular.
Countries where sharing kickboard (Lime) is introduced
Among the countries that have introduced sharing kickboards, we will introduce some of the countries with the highest penetration rates!
- America
- Australia
- Canada
- Czech
- France
- Germany
- Greece
- Italy
- new Zealand
- Poland
- Spain
Please check this out for details. https://www.li.me/locations
As you can see, it is becoming more popular, especially in the United States and Europe. Actually, South Korea is only in the urban areas of Busan and Seoul, but we have introduced this e-scooter. The boom is just around the corner in Japan!
3. Space saving
One of the reasons why e-scooters are so popular is the compactness of the body itself. The e-scooter has a length of about 1.2 m, a handle width of about 45 cm, and an occupied area of 0.54 m2, which is about half that of a bicycle, and the occupied space is overwhelmingly smaller than any mobility! We believe that this compactness has made it possible to “drop off anywhere” and has achieved rapid spread because it does not require a dedicated station.
4. Easy operability
The operation of the e-scooter is very easy! Accelerate with the accelerator at hand and decelerate with the brakes at hand and feet as well. No special practice is required to ride the e-scooter. In addition, because it is not necessary to sit down, the probability of falling is low compared to bicycles, and it can be said that the reason why the fashion was boosted was that no matter who rides it.
Current status of e-scooters in Japan
What is the situation with e-scooters in Japan? Due to the revision of the Road Traffic Act on February 8, 2021, the e-scooters rented out by the sharing service were classified as “small special vehicles” in the designated area. This made it possible to wear a helmet as an option and to ride on a bicycle path. The speed limit is 15km / h.
On the other hand, if you purchase “My e-Scooter”, the classification will be treated as “Moped” and you will need to prepare various things such as number plates and insurance, but the speed limit will be 30 km / h and you will be able to run on public roads. increase. This will lead to shorter travel times!
