The most powerful driver for the development of micro-mobility is the rapid urbanization of populations around the world, says a recent report published by Research and Markets. According to their research, the World Health Organization (WHO), has found that around half of the world’s population lives in urban areas, “a proportion that is likely to increase to around 60 per cent by 2025”.
Road traffic congestion and parking problems for car owners are growing problems in urban areas. This has led to the rapid development of regularized public transport systems. However, with public transportation comes a challenge—last-mile mobility—which would primarily drive the demand for micro-mobility.
The e-bike is expected to be the primary driver of the micro-mobility segment, offering commuters speeds up to 35 kmph, mitigating long distances for the user, and making hills less of a problem on the way to work. However, the report finds that currently e-bike sharing has “various challenges about charging and theft of battery and motor”.
Research and Markets’s report found that he business-to-consumer ownership model is expected to dominate the market during the forecast period “due to an increase in the number of vehicles, and growing trend of short commute distance within cities by using metropolitan transport organizations.” The rising urban population and increase in development of “smart cities” further increases the demand for on-demand public transport. Micro-mobility implementation is further driven by regulations and an emerging focus on smart city initiatives.
Smart city planning includes pop-up bike lanes, creation of more open space, streets with only electric or low speed vehicles, and dedicated lanes for micro-mobility devices, which the report states will contribute towards the growth of the micro-mobility market. Compared to other public transportation solutions, a micro-mobility services network is highly efficient. Once a network is implemented, a city can reduce the burden on other types of public transportation systems.
Increase in the sale of personal vehicles in the last 10 years has given rise to more traffic congestion and more pollution. The micro-mobility concept supposes that people use the e-kick scooters, e-bike, bicycles, and e-mopeds for the short-term distance for the daily commute when required, thus leaving the currently predominant private ownership model of vehicles, providing growth for the market.
