The electrical revolution in transport is in full swing. Personal transportation vehicles, with capacity for only one person, are on the rise (Jones, 2022). These vehicles are ideal for personal travel and delivering small goods. They are however at the moment still mostly limited to use of early adopters and people who see it more as a gadget. Is there a future in which these vehicles play a key part in day to day travel, or will they forever stay an expensive toy which also brings you from a to b?
Electric cars sales are rising rapidly and also public transport is slowly converting towards an electric future. The developments of the electrical technology enabled new types of vehicles to be constructed in the personal transportation space. We first saw the electrical steps, electrical scooters and in the last years we saw the rise of electric transportation capsules. These small vehicles have capacity for only one person. They are small and can therefore be maneuvered well. They fit trough the same streets as scooters and bikes do, while still ensuring you have shelter against the weather. They are also cheaper than their full size counterparts.
The current adoption is still mostly limited to delivery services and its mostly used for the last mile delivery. Here it is very useful in very crowded cities. The increased maneuverability from the use of these vehicles is for example leveraged by Amazon in London. They use personal mobility vehicles in the crowded cities to deliver the last mile. The larger vehicles aren’t ideal in these cities because roads are narrow and traffic is always plenty. This also greatly improves the emissions in the city and thus helps combating air pollution (Singh, 2022).
With all these benefits the question arises when widespread adoption will take place. Is there a future for these vehicles and can they also be adopted for personal commutes, or are they limited to corporate use?
Singh, s. m. (2022, 8 juli). Amazon Commits to Micromobility for Last-Mile Delivery in London. geospatialworld.net. Geraadpleegd op 27 september 2022, van https://www.geospatialworld.net/prime/technology-and-innovation/amazon-london-micro-mobility/
Jones, N. (2022, 13 juni). Strong EV Sales Could Soon Weigh on Gasoline Demand. Geraadpleegd op 27 september 2022, van https://insight.factset.com/strong-ev-sales-could-soon-weigh-on-gasoline-demand
