Why Now? Examining the Tech Behind the E-Scooter Boom

I think the problem is the battery—basically, we've only just gotten to the point where we can make a decent EV battery that works well in scooters. A few years (or even decades) ago, it felt like that was impossible, so most people just saw e-bikes as the only real option. But now, with the whole EV craze, scooters and e-bikes are getting popular again.

There are definitely people out there who want an e-bike in this kind of setup—it’s actually pretty practical. I mean, you can fold it up, it has a decent range, and it's super convenient. Honestly, I’d want one too if I got the chance.

If you live in Asia, you've probably noticed a ton of e-scooters from the early 2000s. When I was a kid, they were everywhere, but they felt like a fad - expensive, short-range, and not really practical. Now they're making a comeback because EVs are trending, and some manufacturers see it as a golden opportunity. But really, e-scooters have been around for a long time.

The same goes for e-motorcycles. Take Zero Motorcycles, for example—they've been around for decades. Back in the 2010s, they were making just a few models, but they're still here, which says a lot. Basically, e-motorcycles aren't new; people are just paying more attention to them now.

I think there are two main problems. First, e-scooter battery technology has always been tricky, and only now is it, well, decent. I once took apart an early-2000s e-scooter, and the battery was super basic - with a short range and a not-so-great lifespan. That's probably why they lost popularity back then. Now, though, battery tech has improved, and some e-scooters can use smaller, high-power batteries - something that just wasn't possible a few decades ago.

The second issue is demand. In the last few years, we've basically accepted anything electric, thanks to Tesla making EVs cool. So, manufacturers are jumping back into the e-scooter game because there's finally a market for them again. I noticed that in China, tons of people use them, and they're considered practical transportation. EVs might be slowing down now, but there was a time when they were all the rage, so companies mass-produced them. Same deal with e-scooters.

E-scooters have been around forever and have always been sold in large numbers, but they've only become popular (again) in the last few years. That said, I don't think everyone is using them. Where I live, they seemed like a fad, and now people are already starting to forget about them.

For now, it looks like they can survive for a while. Technology has made it possible to build parts—like batteries—that are easy to replace. And with the EV boom, more manufacturers are getting into electric bikes and making spare parts for them. A few decades ago, this wouldn’t have happened. Back then, most manufacturers built bikes with a throwaway mindset: once their useful life was up, you just tossed them out instead of repairing them. That’s not really the case anymore—now, if you want to fix them, you can.

Honestly, the last few years have felt like a golden age for electric vehicles. The tech has finally caught up, and we’ve been able to take full advantage of it. EVs have helped push some technologies forward—like electric bikes—since they can use smaller versions of the same systems. The infrastructure is better too, especially when it comes to charging. That’s probably a big reason why these bikes are getting more popular.

Right now, they’re still kind of a niche. E-bikes have less range (probably because the batteries are smaller), but they’re slowly catching on since they’re practical and way cheaper than cars. People’s worries about spare parts are also starting to shift. These systems are a lot more repairable now, and spare parts are easier to find—especially with e-commerce making everything more accessible. That’s part of what’s driving the popularity of e-bikes, and I think it’ll only grow. They might not be the main mode of transport, but they’ll definitely be a solid backup—or even the preferred choice for some.