The demand for shared electric scooters in the Netherlands keeps growing. While they are branded as green, fun, and silent, in Trouw, Prof. Bert van Wee — the Transport Policy Professor at the TPM Faculty — warns that these very attributes are double-edged swords.
The Professor argues that the scooters perform worse compared to bicycles or e-bicycles in terms of environmental sustainability. When compared to public transport, the sustainability score largely depends on the occupancy. “If you compare a shared scooter to a fairly empty bus or tram, the scooter scores better. But if you compare it to a full bus or tram, that’s different,” Van Wee explains.
Furthermore, there is still a lot of sloppy parking and mischievous driving behaviour, drawing many complaints. There is also a silent danger. “On average, electric scooters cause more accidents than cars, ordinary scooters, and bicycles,” says Van Wee. “Pedestrians crossing the road are more likely to be hit by a silent electric vehicle because they cannot hear it coming.”
Despite the disadvantages, Van Wee estimates that the vehicle will survive for at least 10 years, considering that the sharing concept and simple apps are more attractive to young people than owning their own car. “Electric scooters are here to stay.”
Rayan Suryadikara / Science Desk Intern
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