Comprehensive comparison of e-scooter sharing mobility : evidence from 30 European cities

Abstract

Although e-scooter sharing has become increasingly attractive, little attention has been paid to a comprehensive comparison of e-scooter sharing mobility in multiple cities. To fill this gap, we conduct a comparative study to reveal the similarity and difference of e-scooter sharing mobility by collecting and analyzing vehicle availability data from 30 European cities during post COVID-19 pandemic. The comparisons are implemented from four perspectives, including temporal trip patterns, statistical characteristics (i.e., trip distance and duration), utilization efficiency, and wasted electricity during idle time. Results suggest that the similarity and difference co-exist between e-scooter sharing services in the cities, and utilization efficiency is significantly related with the number of e-scooters per person and per unit area. Surprisingly, on average nearly 33% of electricity are wasted during idle time in these cities. These research findings can be beneficial to further optimizing e-scooter sharing mobility services for transportation planners and micro-mobility operators.