You invested in an e-scooter because it’s described greener than its motor vehicle brothers. But still, you have your doubts…

As you fly along on your electric scooter, there’s a smile on your face and a feel-nice sense of eco-friendly travel in your mind. You’ve invested in an e-scooter because it is a price and fun way of getting around your city — and what’s more, there’s the added bonus of scooters being electrically-powered, and so presumably better for the environment than greenhouse gas-guzzling cars.

But still, there are nagging doubts about your green credentials. You try to believe you’ve done the right things, but every news article is telling you something different and, understandably, you’re really confused.

Now, we’re happy to report that swapping out your daily car commute with an electric scooter ride can make a significant difference in your total carbon emissions. Below, we’ll break down why the electric scooters good for the environmental in detail.

Are Electric Scooters Really Good For the Environment?

The answer is: Yes—but it depends.

Remember that your electric scooter is a fraction of the weight and size of any car, and therefore starts off with a massive environmental advantage. A car not only has to transport the weight of its passengers, but also its own bulky and heavy frame. To be clear, the average car weighs about 1.4 tonnes, while the typical SUV weighs nearly 2 tonnes. More weight to carry means less overall efficiency, as the car requires more energy to power its motion, What's more, it directly produces carbon emissions, and the electric scooter is completely 0 emission in use

The first essential step to minimising the environmental impact is to choose an e-scooter with a high quality motor and a reliable, durable battery. This will prevent the need to regularly shell out for a new e-scooter and make your life easier by not having your journeys cut short by cheap batteries dying prematurely.

But maximising the life of any product extends beyond making your life more convenient. Due to the high environmental cost involved in the manufacturing process, as with any product, this approach of making the most out of your purchase also benefits the planet. So if you buy a high quality electric scooter, then you are already a scoot closer.

What about the materials used in other parts of the e scooter? Your electric scooter is probably made of aluminium or steel, which can be easily reused. But not all the material found in some scooters can be easily reused. Avoid plastic composites such as carbon fibre — they can’t be simply reused and reformed like aluminium, and are almost impossible to recycle.  The most crucial action a manufacturer can take therefore involves selecting construction materials that are easily sourced and recycled — so you’ll be pleased to know that aluminium and steel recycling is already an easy, well-established industrial process.

Why are the personal e-scooters better tha rental e-scooters?

Riding an electric scooter generates no exhaust fumes, thanks to it is solely powered by an electric motor. This means you are contributing zero air pollution to your city when you kick off and go, and you are recharging your e-scooter with energy that is more carbon-neutral than petrol or diesel. As opposed to the average car that emits 650 grams of CO₂ per km, the emissions of a personal e-scooter travelling the same distance are roughly 65 grams, and about 202 grams for rentals.

But why aren’t all electric scooters created equal? But rental scooters need trucks and vans (mainly petrol or diesel-powered) to collect, recharge and redistribute them around the city. Yet operational issues are not the only problem, as the short lifespan of rental scooters also has knock-on effects on their environmental footprint. While next generation models are getting more robust, the maximum life expectancy of a typical rental scooter rarely exceeds 18 months.

So, why rent a scooter when you can own one that is three times more environmentally friendly?

What we can do for the environment?

As companies and legislators are mainly responsible for managing the impacts of scooter manufacture and electricity generation on the environment, it may feel like there is not much that you can do in this regard. But there are indeed ways you can help, Unigogo recommend:

· Purchasing an e-scooter that’s of exceptional quality

· Storing it in a dry, temperature-controlled place

· Replacing as many car trips as you can with your new ride

· Advocating your better electric scooter laws and lanes in your city

· Disposing of your e-scooter responsibly at the end of its life

Now that you know the eco-friendly impact of electric scooters, it’s time to find a scooter that can support your green goals. Here at Unigogo Scooters, we create top-of-the-line electric scooters that are built to last. Our scooters are made primarily of aluminum, so they’re also super easy to recycle.

Find your eco-friendly, city-sprinting ride at Unigogo today.