Electric scooters are taking over cities and are becoming increasingly popular amongst the young and the old!
As Western countries push for sustainability and cero carbon emissions, this environmentally friendly mode of transportation is also perfect for anyone that wants to commute to the office, or simply enjoy a more environmentally friendly lifestyle.
According to MarketWatch, e-scooter sharing market size is projected to reach multimillion USD by 2029.
Are e-scooters a new invention of the 21st Century.?
Some people maybe surprised to know, that in fact the first e-scooter prototype came out on the market in early 1900.
It all started with the industrial revolution in the 1800s sweeping across western countries which prompted a wave of inventions which started with the invention of the steam engine. It was at this time, when steam trains started to take over horse and cart transportation. And the growing trend of inventions continued.
The Velocipede was invented by the German Baron Karl von Drais de Sauerbrun, and its unique design paved the way for bicycles, kick scooters, and the autoped (the first electric scooters.)
The Autoped – The first scooter
The first scooter was designed in 1913 and patented three years later by US inventor Arthur Hugo Cecil Gibson.
The everyday autoped was first manufactured from 1915 to 1921 by “Autoped company of Long island, New York, and the vehicle was marketed under the same company name “Autoped”. It sold for just US$100, offering 125mpg (1.91/100Km) transportation at 25 mph (40 Km/ h). We can think of the autoped as a revolutionary mode of transport. However, their production ceased in 1921.
In Europe there was greater acceptance, and the autoped was manufactured by the giant Krupp company in Germany under license from 1919 to 1922.
Although the majority of these vehicles were powered by petrol, electric versions were also made available to the Edwardian public.
Who was the first scooter for?
Looking at the advertising of the time for the autoped, it becomes clear that it was heavily targeting the newly independent women of the time. The company sought to establish their scooter as a practical symbol of women’s newfound freedom and mobility, which suffragettes such as lady Florence Norman adopted it when the vehicles hit Great Britain in 1916.
The photo on the Retronaut was captioned:
Photo Caption: “Lady Florence Norman, a suffragette, on her motor-scooter in 1916, travelling to work at offices in London where she was a supervisor. The scooter was a birthday present from her husband, the journalist and Liberal politician Sir Henry Norman.” Source: Retronaut
1916 Look Out for the Autoped Girl, advertisement from Puck magazine
The autoped, portrayed as the symbol of woman’s empowerment, is also depicted in the advert featuring a Flapper riding an Autoped appearing in Puck magazine.
American actress Lillian Lorraine is seen riding one in vintage images of the time, as well as singer Shirley Kellogg.
Businesses also gave the new-fangled devices a try, with the New York Postal Service delivering mail on them.
However, unlike in the old days, e-scooters has something of a gender issue in the current days. While the benefits of active, sustainable travel options are open to everyone, most research puts the percentage of male shared e-scooter and e-bike riders around 70%, meaning that men are disproportionately reaping the rewards of micromobility compared to women.
This scooter has a bit of everything to it- a long battery life, a handy headlight, cruise control, different speed modes, and more!
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