Electric scooters
Electric scooters have quickly become part of the transport system in many cities. At VTI, we research electric scooters from a range of perspectives, including road safety, travel behaviour, regulation, infrastructure and public transport.
Electric scooters are part of a broader category known as micromobility, which includes small, lightweight vehicles used for shorter journeys in urban areas. However, their rapid growth also presents new challenges. Infrastructure and regulations must adapt to a mode of transport whose use and operating conditions continue to evolve rapidly.
Research on electric scooters
Our research on electric scooters includes:
- Road safety and accidents – analysis of accident data and safety issues associated with electric scooters.
- Children and electric scooters – accident statistics and insights into how children use electric scooters.
- Legislation and rules – studies of Swedish regulations and what Sweden can learn from its Nordic neighbours' approaches to electric scooter regulation.
- Travel patterns and use – how, when and why electric scooters are used, and which types of journeys they replace or complement.
- Infrastructure, parking and route selection – how urban environments and infrastructure can support safe and efficient electric scooter use, and how users choose their routes and destinations.
- Electric scooters and public transport – how electric scooters can complement public transport and be integrated into mobility hubs and multimodal transport systems.
- Batteries and charging – how charging, storage, fire risks and regulations concerning lithium batteries affect the use of electric scooters and other forms of micromobility.
A selection of research and knowledge about electric scooters
How do people use shared electric scooters, and how do parking regulations affect their use?
In the M3 research project, VTI studies usage patterns, parking, mobility hubs, street space, and how users choose their starting points, destinations and routes.
The research also contributes to a better understanding of how electric scooters can complement public transport.
Contact: Chengxi Liu
Project duration: 2024-01-01 – 2026-06-30
As the use of electric bicycles and electric scooters increases, more lithium batteries are being charged and stored in homes, workplaces and public spaces.
The project examines, among other things, how regulations and restrictions relating to battery management affect users and sustainable everyday mobility.
Contact: Jens Alm
Project duration: 2025-12-01 – 2028-12-31
In a VTI publication published in 2026, Susanne Wallhagen and Åsa Forsman examine the regulation of electric scooters and the lessons Sweden can learn from Denmark, Norway and Finland.
To the report from the study
Contact: Susanne Wallhagen and Åsa Forsman
In the study Electric Scooters and Children: Accident Statistics and Interviews on Use, VTI examines children's use of electric scooters using both accident statistics and interviews.
The study was published in 2024.
Contact: Susanne Wallhagen and Jenny Eriksson
The study examines how shared electric scooters are used for commuting, both as a primary mode of transport and as part of a journey involving public transport.
The researchers analyse, among other things, travel patterns, user groups and how the urban environment influences use. Among the study's findings is that electric scooters can complement public transport, particularly in areas where public transport services are more limited.
Contact: Zahra Hamidi
Article from the study (2026)
Employees in electric scooters and micro mobility
Chengxi Liu
Jenny Eriksson
Jens Alm
Susanne Wallhagen
Zahra Hamidi
Åsa Forsman
Fires in batteries - a hot issue
Policy brief on electric scooter batteries
This page has been automatically translated using a machine translation tool. If you notice any incorrect wording or phrasing, please contact VTI’s Communications Unit.
Micromobility, urban mobility and electric scooters – what is what?
Micromobility is a collective term for small and light vehicles used for shorter journeys, often in cities. The aim is to offer a convenient alternative to the car for short distances.
Urban mobility is a broader concept that describes how people move around cities. It includes all modes of transport in a city and electric scooters are thus part of urban mobility.
Electrified single-person vehicles are a collective name for small vehicles that are powered by an electric motor and are normally used by one person at a time.
Common terms
Electric scooter (e-scooter)
An electric two-wheeled stand-up vehicle, intended for shorter journeys.
Light Electric Vehicle (LEV)
International collective term for smaller electric vehicles.
Shared micromobility
Vehicles that can be rented via app or subscription, such as rentable electric scooters.
First and last mile
Describes the journey between home or work and public transport. Electric scooters are often used to bridge this part of the journey.