For short-distance errands in the city, electric scooters and e-bikes might be the wave of the future.
It's called micromobility, and it represents a trend that is expected to continue as more people work from home, with a boost from the popularity of electric bikes and scooters.
Micromobility took a hit early in the pandemic as people stayed home. But then the opposite happened: Riders chose these options — particularly e-bikes and e-scooters — over subways and buses to do their shopping and grab takeout meals.
The rides became so popular that Inc. Magazine reported that the market is expected to grow by 9 percent for private micromobility and by 12 percent for shared micromobility.
As with everything, popularity has led to some controversy. E-scooters piled outside restaurants can block sidewalks, prompting passersby to take their frustrations out on the scooters. One e-scooter company has started requiring users to park and lock the device as a result.
Theft is something of a problem, although without the proper phone access, the scooters lock up.
Leading the trend are companies like Bird, Lime, Dott, Skip (which co-founded Boosted boards), Tier (which says it's the first climate-neutral micromobility company) and Voi.
Innovation includes things like the advanced emergency braking system highlighted by Bird on its website. The system "uses advanced diagnostics and motor controls to gently but swiftly bring riders to a stop in case of emergency."
Considering some of these vehicles can reach speeds of 37 mph, gentle but swift braking is a must. Lime and others are accessed via a smartphone app, in which a rider can unlock a scooter by scanning a QR code on the handlebars.