Popularity Switch
Electric kick scooters have surpassed gas engined scooters in popularity since the year 2000. This was mainly due to a number of instances, stemming from accidents on petrol powered scooters. Including an incident where a toddler actually died in a mini moto crash, back in 2008.
Government Changes
Since then, then UK and US Government, have started to clamp down on the use of the petrol gas based scooters on the roads. As BBC news says, âInsurance companies can refuse to insure them once they have passed their driving test. At the very least, their premium will be sky high. It is just one move by the government to crack down on the menace.â Source.
The gas based scooters are not childâs toys and are deem very dangers to the rider and to others close to them. Sales are booming. According to Revenue & Customs, there has been a 20-fold increase in the number of Chinese imports coming into the UK, rocketing from 7,000 in 2001 to 144,000 in 2005.
Where Electric Scooters Have Taken Over
As Forbes reports here, electric scooter will revolutionise public transport around the world. The cost to run these scooters is very little, in comparison to a petrol model. Not to mention the cost to the environment, by running these small electric modes of transport, around major cities.
They are quiet, quick and can be limited to a maximum speed of 15mph. Much safer than the previous gas models.
Insurance Issues
Research found that the majority of the target audience are between the ages of 20-30 years of age, and that obtaining the correct driving insurance would be far too much, for a convenient bit of transport. So electric is the way to go. Due to the slower speeds, the electric products are not seen as needing insurance to drive them on the roads.
Current Scooters on the Market
The current market shows products of all shapes and sizes, including the latest 3 wheeled scooters. Razor are of the largest manufacturer of these enjoyable modes of transport, with their electric kids scooters and models for adults too. The batteries can often last for as long as up to 5 hours on some models. They usually have two wheels, a foldable chassis and are made of light weight aluminium. This ensures added strength, without compromising weight.
