E-scooters - what do people in the UK really think of them?

Credit: Voi

UK, 30 November 2023: E-scooters are helping to save people in the UK time and money, according to a survey of riders carried out by leading shared e-scooter company, Voi.

Voi’s latest annual global user survey has revealed that 36% of UK riders find that an e-scooter is the most cost and time efficient way to travel around and 28% find them particularly useful when they are in a rush.

Riders also said that e-scooters are comfortable, sustainable and fun to use, but the most popular answer was that they are cost and time efficient and useful when in a rush.

Every year, Voi conducts an international user survey to understand rider behaviour, including what kind of transport modes are replaced by an e-scooter and reasons for riding. 

The latest stats reveal that 27% of UK users no longer use cars and 42% say they use cars less, prefering to use e-scooters instead, showing good progress towards more sustainable urban transport.

Most people said they use e-scooters to travel to social events (54%) and to get to work or higher education (43%).

A further 36% use them to get around during work hours to get to appointments or other work related reasons.

The survey found that, while most riders are between 25 and 34 years old, more people over the age of 45 are using Voi to get around - increasing 17% in the last year.

Three quarters also agree that Voi and micromobility in general contribute to a more sustainable world, with 32% saying they use their car less as a result of having e-scooters available in their city or town.

Matthew Pencharz, Voi Head of Public Policy for UK, Ireland and France, said:  

“I’m pleased that our latest survey results demonstrate the benefits e-scooters are bringing to people in their everyday lives. 

“Using an e-scooter is a great way to get around without causing congestion or pollution. 

“They’re safe, affordable, sustainable and convenient and it’s great to receive positive feedback from those who use them regularly, helping us to make the case for them becoming a permanent feature that can help transform UK towns and cities into cleaner and healthier places to live.”

The survey results come after a global coalition of investors and micromobility tech CEOs warned the Prime Minister that delays to sustainable transport legislation are harming the investor community’s confidence in the UK, and directly contradicts his ambitions to welcome green tech companies to the UK.

Since rental e-scooters were established in England through government trials three years ago, 2.3 million riders in the UK have made over 34 million journeys with Voi alone - with positive environmental and economic impacts on cities and towns.

E-scooter trials represent hundreds of millions of pounds investment into the UK market, with significant sums pumped into the economy through jobs, infrastructure, research, and the development of new technologies. 

Research has also shown that this investment generates a multi-million pound boost to local high streets through increased retail activity.

Notes

Voi’s annual global survey is an email based survey sent to Voi users who took a ride in the last six months. 1661 people responded to the survey in the UK.

For further information, please contact: 

Juliette Maxam, Senior PR manager, Voi UK, Ireland and France

juliette.maxam@voiapp.io

About Voi 

Founded in 2018, Voi is a Swedish micromobility company offering e-scooter and e-bike sharing in partnership with towns, cities and local communities. We believe e-scooters can play a central role in changing how people move in our towns and cities in the future. We want to ensure that the micromobility transformation happens the right way - through real innovative technology, open and transparent dialogue with towns, cities and governments and by adapting our products to local needs. Voi’s holistic Environmental Action Plan tackles emissions and promotes renewable energy use and circularity along its supply chain. 

Voi operates in over 100 towns and cities across 12 countries. It is headquartered in Stockholm and employs 1,000 people. To date, Voi boasts more than seven million riders and has served more than 150+ million rides.