Electric scooters: a new era of green travel
Over the past few years, electric scooters have become an important addition to urban transportation. With the improvement of environmental awareness and the development of science and technology, this simple, convenient and environmentally friendly means of transportation is gradually becoming more and more popular. This article will elaborate on the history, technological development, market status and future trends of electric scooters.
- The history of electric scooters
The origins of electric scooters can be traced back to the 1960s, when many universities and research institutions in the world began to study electric transportation tools. However, it was not until the beginning of the 21st century that electric scooters really entered people’s field of vision. In 2007, students from the Technical University of Munich in Germany invented the first folding electric scooter. Since then, various types of electric scooters have continued to emerge, such as single wheels, two wheels, four wheels, etc., and their functions have become more and more abundant, such as navigation, anti-theft, shock absorption, etc.
- Technical progress of electric scooters
- Battery technology
The core technology of electric scooters is the battery. In recent years, with the development of lithium-ion battery technology, the cruising range of electric scooters has been continuously improved, from the initial dozens of kilometers to more than 100 kilometers now. In addition, the weight of batteries is also decreasing, making electric scooters lighter. Currently, there are two common batteries on the market: lithium-ion batteries and lead-acid batteries. Lithium-ion batteries have the advantages of small size, light weight, and high energy density, and have gradually become the mainstream choice.
- Motor technology
The power of electric scooters comes from motors. With the advancement of technology, the performance of motors is also constantly improving. Early electric scooters used permanent magnet DC motors, which were later gradually replaced by induction motors. Induction motors have the advantages of high efficiency, low noise, and low maintenance costs. At present, some high-end electric scooters even use brushless DC motors or permanent magnet synchronous motors, which have superior performance.
- Control system
The control system of an electric scooter includes a motor controller, battery management system (BMS), and navigation system. With the development of microprocessor and sensor technology, the control system of electric scooters is becoming more and more intelligent. For example, remote control, location tracking and other functions can be realized through mobile APP; while BMS can realize real-time monitoring and protection of batteries to ensure the safe operation of electric scooters.
- Market status of electric scooters
In recent years, as people pay attention to environmental protection and health, the market demand for electric scooters has increased year by year. According to statistics, global sales of electric scooters reached 586,000 units in 2019, a year-on-year increase of 20%. Among them, **, Europe and China are the largest markets. In addition, a number of well-known companies have emerged in the electric scooter industry, such as Lime, Bird, Segway, etc.
However, the electric scooter market also faces some problems. First of all, security issues have always been the focus of attention. Because some manufacturers use inferior parts or unreasonable designs to reduce costs, electric scooters may malfunction or even cause accidents while driving. Secondly, the regulations for electric scooters are not yet complete, which has brought certain constraints to the development of the industry. Currently, only a few countries around the world have introduced regulations and standards specifically for electric scooters. Finally, with the rise of the sharing economy, some companies have begun to get involved in the field of electric scooters, and the market competition has become increasingly fierce.
- Development trends and challenges of electric vehicles
Facing the opportunities and challenges in the market, what are the development prospects of the electric vehicle industry? The following aspects deserve attention:
- Technological innovation: In the future, electric vehicles will continue to carry out technological innovation in the fields of batteries, motors and control systems to achieve higher cruising range, lower cost and better performance. In addition, with the development of technologies such as the Internet of Things and big data, electric vehicles will realize more intelligent functions and services.
- Policy support: In order to deal with climate change and environmental pollution issues, various countries** have introduced a series of policies to support the development of electric vehicles, such as subsidies, free parking, and charging infrastructure construction. This will provide a strong guarantee for the development of the electric vehicle market.
- Market competition: As more and more companies enter the electric vehicle market, the competition will become increasingly fierce. In the future, companies will compete not only on hardware products, but also on software and services. Therefore, improving innovation capabilities and brand value will become the key to corporate development.
In short, electric scooters, as one of the representatives of green travel, are gradually changing the way people travel. In the next few years, as technology advances and the market matures, electric scooters are expected to become an important part of urban transportation. At the same time, we should also pay attention to its safety issues and development challenges, and jointly promote the healthy development of the electric vehicle industry.
