Electric Scooters and the Environment – Is there a Downside?

Electric scooters sold in Australia are known to be eco-friendly, time and energy-efficient. They can do several things to help decrease greenhouse gas emissions, reduce traffic, and increase efficiency.

Indeed, all of those reasons intertwine, and in a very powerful way. But it’s not as simple as it seems.

But...are electric scooters really good for the environment?

Yes, electric scooters are generally great for the environment, as their use doesn’t result in greenhouse-gas emissions. They are very energy-efficient and use only as much electricity as that of a household appliance.

What’s more is that e-scooters help to reduce the need for cars and public transport, which clears up traffic jams and as such, lessens reduce pollution.

The only environmental drawback these personal mobility devices may cause is from the manufacturing and improper disposal of batteries.

What is green plant in environment? How do electric scooters help the environment?

Time to debunk some myths about electric scooters and the environment:

As with most modern technologies, the impact of electric scooters on the environment is mixed.

In general, electric scooters have an overall net positive impact for the environment, since they directly reduce one of the most dangerous elements of pollution – the emission of greenhouse gases. Not only do they not require the burning of fossil fuels, but they also reduce the need to rely on vehicles that do so. Come to think of it, it’s really a double win.

Also, they really don’t expend a lot of energy. Charging an electric scooter costs just a few pennies, even in the countries with the most expensive electricity. And while electricity can be produced in various ways, it typically has a smaller carbon footprint than if the same amount of energy would be produced by burning fossil fuels.

But not all is sunny and well. There’s one critical component that every electric scooter has -- the battery. Modern batteries in scooters (including every other gadget) are typically lithium batteries, and the extraction of lithium is not neutral on the environment.

While it is estimated that the process is still cleaner than the manufacturing of oil, the exact impact is still being evaluated.

That, so far, is viewed as the biggest environmental downside that electric scooters have.

And then there is an external thing, but still a nagging issue -- the inadequate and improper disposal of the batteries. Not impossible to resolve, because with proper education about battery recycling, this problem can be drastically reduced.

E-scooters are also energy-efficient, as they are not costing a lot of electricity. The increase in productivity they provide is well worth the few kilowatt-hours it costs to charge the batteries.

Now then, what is the proper way to dispose of electric scooter batteries?

The most efficient and safe way to dispose of electric batteries may vary according to your location and your government’s requirements. Electric batteries can be easily recycled. Ask your local government if they can provide you with a way to do this, it is definitely the way to go.

Always bear in mind that all batteries are harmful to the environment when not disposed of properly. Recycling them is a no-brainer as they also have many parts that can be used again for other batteries.

Plus, the design of electric scooters were such to avoid fossil fuels from the ground up. Obviously, as it’s clearly stated in the name itself, after all. This is efficiency and savings factor was exactly how it also helped in spreading the trend about electric scooters grow even faster.

To those who are not really aware, cars, trucks, buses, and motorcycles are predominantly powered by gas and burning it releases greenhouse gases.

It is estimated that there are more than billions of vehicles in the world, thus, making it one of the biggest threats to our planet Earth -- and traffic accounts for about one-fifth of all emissions.

Studies show that the average vehicle out there on the road releases 404 grams of CO2 for every mile it travels. In addition, they release other greenhouse gases. While they are not that high in quantity, but actually have worse greenhouse effects. Those gases include methane and nitrogen oxide. This situation can no longer be endured.

Then again, traffic also causes pollution. Did you know that traffic jams cause extra pollution than usual? The slower traffic as a whole moves, the more pollution it creates.

Cars and other gas-powered vehicles burn the most fuel when accelerating. This occurs when moving forward from standing still, when the traffic light turns green. But it doesn’t end there. It's the same when decreasing speed. A car will expend extra fuel and emit more pollutants when braking or coming to a stop.

The biggest disadvantage to efficiency is the losses and pollution that always happen because of the uneconomical use of cars. What is even more wasteful is a single person riding in a car. Cars still take up the same bulky space and release the same amount of greenhouse gases, however, they only move one person.

And that, again, is where e-scooters stand out. Basically, electric scooters are immune to traffic jams. Since they are so small, they will never get stuck between anything. Oh yes, and not only do they not get stuck in traffic, but they also help reduce traffic congestions.

Since electric scooters run on rechargeable batteries, they will never release greenhouse gases. By leaving their car at home and commuters opting to ride their electric scooter instead, one car with harmful gas emissions is eliminated from traffic. By estimation, this decisive action helps to eliminate 400 grams of carbon dioxide per mile.

So you see, every electric scooter means one less car out there. Since burning fuel releases energy faster than using batteries. they use most of that energy to transport the vehicle itself. Why? It’s because cars are gigantic.

Again, this is where these personal mobility devices a.ka. electric scooters shine.

A really good thing is that electric scooters sold in Australia rarely weigh more than a dozen kilograms. They only need to carry their weight. Electric scooters are most efficient at transporting a single person.

Add to that, electric scooters today have amazing ranges, like the Mearth RS, RS Pro, GTS, GTS Max Evo and Mearth Cyber -- they can even go hundreds of kilometers on a single charge.

If you want to find out how much you can save on your car commute with an electric scooter, check the car commute cost calculator.

Lastly, many cities throughout the world provide great infrastructures not just for bikes, but for electric scooters. Not surprisingly so, as they are also the cities that welcome electric scooters with open arms.

So even if people will continue to use bikes for a long time, electric scooters offer a better way of transport than bikes.

In any case, the transition can happen very smoothly in big cities. Existing bike lanes are perfect for electric scooters ad e-scooter riders take full advantage of that.

Probably, too why these cities are some of the greenest and cleanest ones, despite the fact that they may have populations in the tens of millions.

So what do you think? With all the immense benefits that an electric scooter yields to you as a user, and to the environment, as opposed to the preventable resolutions detractors are spewing against it. I say aye. Go for it mate! Have a happy, thrilling ride, safely.