The outdoors in Moscow warm up and the streets come alive: cafés open their summer terraces and residents of the capital take long walks in the city. In the past two years, if there were no electric scooters on the streets of Moscow, it would be impossible to imagine the special atmosphere here. It sometimes feels like there are more electric scooters than bicycles on the streets of Moscow. So, can electric scooters become part of urban transport infrastructure? Or is it more a way to diversify leisure? Today’s “Hello! Russia” program takes you through the atmosphere.
[Electric Scooter in Data]
With the birth of scooter rental services, most people have the conditions to use electric scooters. The average price of a 10-minute scooter ride in Moscow is 115 rubles (about 18 yuan). Other areas are lower: the price of riding in the city at the same time is 69-105 rubles (8-13 yuan). Of course, there are also long-term rental options. For example, the unlimited one-day rental price is 290-600 rubles (35-71 yuan).
The riding speed is limited to 25 kilometers per hour, but depending on the rate and the area, the speed may be lower, and the speed limit is 10-15 kilometers in some places. However, there is no speed limit for self-purchased electric scooters, and the power may exceed 250 watts.
Among the electric vehicles for personal use, electric scooters are the most popular among Russians. According to the “Gazette” data, sales from January to April 2022 doubled year-on-year, of which 85% are electric scooters, about 10% are electric bicycles, and the rest are two-wheel balance vehicles and unicycles. The author of this article also found that many buyers choose products from Chinese manufacturers.
Google—Allen 19:52:52
【Shared service or self-purchased scooter? 】
For Moscow natives Nikita and Ksenia, electric scooters have suddenly become a family hobby. The couple discovered the two-wheeled vehicle while on vacation in the Russian Baltic seaside city of Kaliningrad.
There is no denying that e-scooters are a great tool for getting to know the city and taking long walks along the shore. Now, the two ride electric bikes in Moscow, but are in no rush to buy one for themselves, not because of the price, but because of the convenience.
Indeed, electric scooters can be organically integrated into the urban transportation system. The reason is that the pace and trends of modern life in big cities force you to give up your private car. way of reaching the destination.
According to Ivan Turingo, general manager of Urent rental company, to the satellite news agency, electric scooters are a relatively young field, but they are developing very fast.
Sanctions on Russia, and the resulting logistical and trade problems, have forced e-scooter companies to alter their work plans.
Ivan Turingo pointed out that they are currently cooperating closely with Chinese partners and settle in RMB, and plan to settle in rubles in the future.
Logistical issues have made delivery of accessories difficult, forcing Russian e-scooter companies to start their own production.
Legal norms are being formulated]
Electric scooters have only become popular not so long ago, so the rules for their use in Russia are still being worked out. According to data from the SuperJob service website, 55% of Russians believe that it is necessary to legally restrict the driving of electric scooters. But this process will take time. The first thing to do is to determine the status of electric scooters as a means of transportation.
Many legal initiatives are already underway. The Russian Ministry of Industry and Trade has announced that it will formulate national standards for safety and speed limits for electric scooters, unicycles and two-wheelers. The Federal Council has even suggested that special laws be enacted for owners of high-powered electric scooters.
For the time being, local governments, the business community, and ordinary citizens have gone their separate ways. The Moscow City Transport Agency recommends a speed limit of 15 kilometers per hour for rental scooters in the city center and in parks. Many car-sharing service companies use software to limit the speed of vehicles in rest areas. Residents of St. Petersburg started the “Petersburg Scooters” chat room on the Telegram group to curb violators. Violations of electric scooters, including dangerous driving and non-parking parking, can be sent through the service website.
Electric scooter-sharing companies are actively working with municipal governments to build infrastructure for scooters and bicycles.
According to Ivan Turingo, with the help of business initiatives, the city of Krasnogorsk on the outskirts of Moscow has diverted bicycles and electric scooters, and new passages have been built to provide pedestrians with access to the subway and other transportation hubs. convenient. This way, it is more convenient and safer for all.
[What is the future of Russian electric scooters? 】
The market for electric scooters and ancillary services in Russia continues to grow. Maxim Lixutov, director of the Moscow City Transportation and Road Infrastructure Agency, emphasized in early March that the number of electric scooters in Moscow will increase to 40,000. According to the “Gazette” data, at the beginning of 2020, the number of leased vehicles in Russia will not exceed 10,000.
The electric scooter sharing service opened in March in 2022, but owners of their own scooters have already ridden two-wheeled vehicles through the congested traffic and snow in Moscow even in winter.
Some of Russia’s largest companies and banks are already investing in electric scooter sharing services, and they hope to have a big business in this field.
The map service “Yandex.ru/maps” has separate routes for bicycles and electric scooters. The service is launching a voice-assistant program that will give bike and scooter users vocal directions.
There is no doubt that after the necessary infrastructure and legal regulations are established, electric scooters will become part of the transportation network of Russian cities like other self-use vehicles.