In our series ‘How green is it really?’, we dig into eco-trends and find out if they’re as sustainable as we thought. This week: electric scooters.
Surely, those annoying E-scooters will at Minimum Be good for the environment
Well, it’s kind of. Lorna Stevenson, who’s doing a PhD in qualitative transport policy that focuses on E-scooters at the University of Westminster, says the most recent estimates show E-scooters emit around 61 grams of carbon per kilometre travelled. ‘For a private car, it’s about 209 and for a ride hail about 299. A bus is around 77 and the tube is about 28.’ Cycling can be as low as six.
What’s the biggest issue with them?
One word: batteries. ‘They’re carbon-intensive to make and the mining to get the lithium is damaging to the environment,’ Stevenson says. Liana Cipcigan, Professor of Sustainable Transport at Cardiff University’s School of Engineering, says that batteries can also become an environmental hazard if scooters are dumped.
How does E-scooters compare with electric cars?
It’s complicated. ‘You’re doing all this [carbon-intensive] manufacturing for the scooter’s short life cycle and for only one passenger, versus an electric car that would have more passengers,’ Cipcigan says. ‘But we need a clearer analysis.’
The verdict E-scooters are more efficient than cars and rideshares for most journeys, and as good as public transport (depending upon how you weigh different factors). But they’re less environmentally friendly than walking or cycling.
Meet the eco-innovators who are making our city greener.
Are reusable coffee mugs actually good for the planet?