Abstract
Increased use of e-powered personal mobility vehicles is usually considered to be a positive change, while it is generally agreed that Personal Mobility Vehicles (PMVs) effectively and efficiently reduce the negative environmental impacts of transport and improve quality of life. There has been great technological progress made by all sectors in the field of personal mobility during the last decade. The use of PMVs for micro-mobility have been welcomed by the market, consumers, and governments and thus they are becoming increasingly popular in modern European society. New technology-driven PMVs provide opportunities to their users, but at the same time create problems with street space sharing, road safety, and traffic offenses. This study gives an overview of recent types of PMVs, offers some insights into upcoming changes and challenges, and raises a discussion on themes related to the increased use of e-powered personal transporters.
Highlights
Urban micro-mobility has been taking fundamental changes in the last decade
Increased use of e-powered personal mobility vehicles is usually considered to be a positive change, while it is generally agreed that Personal Mobility Vehicles (PMVs) effectively and efficiently reduce the negative environmental impacts of transport and improve quality of life
The use of PMVs for micro-mobility have been welcomed by the market, consumers, and governments and they are becoming increasingly popular in modern European society
Summary
Urban micro-mobility has been taking fundamental changes in the last decade. In dense urban environments, individual automobiles are being regarded as an unsustainable mode of transportation, and there is a shift underway in policy together with pragmatic considerations of society in favor of eco-friendly, compact, and light vehicles. Estimations of recent urban travel mode selection changes in the USA show that e-scooters can replace up to 1% of taxi trips in central city areas [4] By filling this gap in mobility, e-PMVs have the potential to decrease car use, but due to their higher relative cost on longer trips, e-PMVs would likely not result in a significant diversion away from public transit on longer-distance trips, services operating to and from jobs. According to market analytics [8], the global PMV market which includes scooters, walking aids, wheelchairs, and other similar vehicles is expected to grow at least until the year 2024 at a compound annual growth rate of 7.0%
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