Learning to Segway Effectively with Micro-Mobility Products
Incentivization is critical when it comes to implementation of micro-mobility products, and Washington D.C. took a stand this year to do just that.
According to a recent report, the global micro-mobility market was valued at $44.12 billion in 2020 and is projected to reach $214.57 billion by 2030. This uptick in growth bodes well for smarter transportation initiatives.
Micro-mobility products encompass a wide range of motorized and non-motorized offerings including bicycles, e-bikes, electric scooters, electric skateboards, shared bicycles, electric pedal assisted bicycles and more.
The key for success will be ensuring innovation equals value vs. innovation for the sake of simply innovating a cool new technology. Case in point—Segway’s original product that ended production in 2020 for a variety of reasons. The company has now made headlines again with the launch of its e-moped.
Like with all modes of transportation—smart or not—there are pros and cons. Let’s take a closer look at both for Segway’s e-moped.
The Highlights
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From a sustainability perspective, it is fantastic. Any vehicle that you can charge and continuously ride is great.
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It is also very mobile and easily accessible, which ticks more boxes on the pro front.
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In general the torque is strong—also a big plus.
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This product speaks to the diversity of the way people move. You want to meet people where they are and with the kind of mobility they want to use.
Areas for Improvement
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Safety is a big point of concern. Yes, it’s a form of mobility that you can use, but guidelines around how to use it have not been properly addressed. These also pose hefty liabilities for insurance companies.
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Regulations vary across states and cities, and those need to be taken into consideration prior to implementation. These mobility options need to be safe for the user as well as the public.
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Promoting these at scale out of the gate could be problematic because they take up room. They’re not active modes i.e. walking or a non-motorized bicycle, and they do not address some of the broader needs for decreases in congestion and emissions.
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While accessibility was a point on the pro list, there are factors encompassed that leave room for improvement. E-scooters cost 90-95% less than Segway electric scooters while offering more value. Additionally, people do need to have a place to charge them. Currently with electric cars, only 50% of Americans have a place to charge it.
The Net Net
Indeed, overall segways are a solid solution for providing that first mile last mile factor; however they are only good for a percentage of the population. They take up curb space and as mentioned require levels of safety and regulation that have not been addressed properly to date. It is not wise for any city to enter into an agreement to add segways or scooters to their transportation system until they fully understand the implications it will have on the city.
Many cities will accept and use them because they seem innovative, but that innovation is only accessible to a subset of the population. Equity and equality are essential. Sometimes these types of options can create more problems than they solve if they are not strategically executed on.
For example, when people ride scooters on the sidewalks it pushes people into the road to go around them. This poses a significant safety hazard. In addition, at times it can actually add to the congestion problem when regulations are not rolled out effectively. San Francisco previously posted pictures of scooters littered all over the sidewalk because every scooter company had different rules. They took that as a teachable moment and have since implemented overarching regulations as well as licenses.
When considering Ubers and Lyfts as it relates to equity and equality, they have a habit of staying around higher income zones. Each city should be able to say, “Yes you can be in Zone A, but you need to prove you’ve also been in Zones B, C and D.” Mixing forms of mobility and providing equality, regulations and accessibility with those forms is where the sweet spot exists.
Incentivization is the Future for Micro-mobility Products
Yes, e-bikes and regular bicycles are a sustainable alternative to driving for shorter, local journeys. However, in North America, the cycling culture is currently only 1-2% of trips versus in Europe, which varies between 15-40% of trips.
The U.S. also has a far less diverse ridership profile, which is mostly men. The biggest reason cited for why women, children and older populations do not cycle is safety. This is compounded by evidence that most of the still sparse bicycle infrastructure is found in advantaged areas.
Companies like Segway are advancing these technologies—albeit at a price point that is considered too expensive to be considered equitable. If we are serious about transformative, intelligent mobility solutions and encouraging uptake so that these options are viable alternatives to driving for everyone, there needs to be education for users, infrastructure investments like dedicated cycling lanes, improved safety technology at intersections, and secure storage options in communities and at major transport hubs.
Incentivization is critical when it comes to implementation of micro-mobility products, and Washington D.C. took a stand this year to do just that. The city just instituted a municipal law that requires employers to provide cash to workers who turn down company-sponsored parking benefits. This is a huge step forward for smarter transportation initiatives, and it will serve as a model for other U.S. cities and their efforts to de-incentivize car commuting.
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