The State of the Electric Scooter Market

Key findings about the micro-mobility market, our recommendations, and future predictions. Get the report

Why escooters?

The micro-mobility market, which includes shared has mushroomed since 2018 with the emergence of dockless, shared e-scooter services. Recent figures by McKinsey estimate that the micro-mobility market across the US, China, and the European Union is expected to be worth between $300bn and $500bn by 2030.

Despite the explosion in e-scooter sharing services over the last two years, the success of the market has been overshadowed by the negative headlines, in the worst case prompting some cities to ban e-scooters altogether.

The impact of escooters

Escooters are affecting both direct users and members of the general public, particularly pedestrians.

Safety concerns. Accidents involving e-scooters are becoming increasingly common, particularly falls, collisions, and being hit by moving vehicles. To make matters worse, many riders do not wear a helmet, and some even use e-scooters while intoxicated.
Parking issues. Although there are guidelines on where scooters should be parked and left once the rental period has finished, some inconsiderate users leave them obstructing walkways, doorways, and crossings.
Unclear regulations. There is a lot of confusion around where e-scooters can be ridden, particularly whether it is legal to ride on sidewalks, in bus lanes, and on the road.
Problems affecting user experience. Users raised issues with locating e-scooters, starting the ride and returning the e-scooter. They have also complained about difficulties with navigation.

Shared escooters are challenging a status quo that most of us are unknowingly accustomed to – the massive amount of space and resources our streets and cities have dedicated to cars. Much of the early feedback we’ve received when it comes to issues like sidewalk riding and parking is in some way related to the lack of space most cities afford to active transportation, and even pedestrians.
Louis Pappas
Senior Manager, Transportation & Mobility Policy at Bird

Key findings about the escooter market

Escooters are likely to become a permanent feature of our surroundings. The forecast presented by McKinsey revealed a 2030 market potential of roughly $200 billion to $300 billion in the United States, $100 billion to $150 billion in Europe, and $30 billion to $50 billion in China.

65,000
Escooters are in use on city streets in the US
55%
Users are choosing escooters because they’re faster
8%
Respondents feel that escooters are safe
4.4%
Escooter users were wearing a helmet when the incidents occurred

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