Electric urban transport, e-scooters, is a new urban mobility trend in many cities worldwide. With an adoption rate four times superior to bike-sharing, e-scooter sharing has gained substantial traction, with approximately 20 million users in Europe alone (Latinopoulos, C. et al., 2021). This trend is paving the way to more sustainable mobility patterns and shifting users from private motorised transport.
However, it is still unclear whether e-scooters will replace car traffic, as some argue that they compete with cycling and walking (Achim T. et al., 2019). Moreover, cities are still figuring out the best way to deal with this usage uptake, and there are many different approaches, ranging from outright prohibitions to unregulated open market access.
Objective
The overarching objective of the focus group is to explore the e-scooter use patterns and existing policies. Four main objectives are defined:
- Pinpoint specific e-scooter user needs, including which features, services, and accessibility options are prioritised when choosing this mode of mobility.
- Understand the usage patterns for e-scooters, specifically the frequency of use, distance travelled, and most common routes.
- Gather views on e-scooter usage from different transport stakeholders.
- Compare regulations, best practices, current solutions, and pilot programs across European countries.
Approach
The outcomes of this Focus group will include at least one academic paper published in a Q1-qualified journal, a report highlighting the group's findings, and at least one public webinar presenting the outcomes to the mobility community.
Participants – who should join?
Organisations with experience and interest in the topics of energy management, energy communities and smart districts, namely:
- Local Authorities with existing or planned regulations on e-scooters
- Citizen associations focusing on e-scooters
- E-scooter service providers
- Research experts
Co-Chair of the Focus Group
Szemere Dorottya, International Department, National Research, Development and Innovation Office