According to a Pike Research study, the number of electric scooters in use is to increase from 12 million to 103 million by 2018.
Most of these vehicles will be used in China (approximately 91 million).
Reportedly, in the Asia Pacific region, electric motorcycles are considered more of a luxury than an essential mode of transportation, and people are more inclined to purchase electric scooters instead. (Notably, that’s one big reason for the new Scoot program in San Francisco, and perhaps also for the new electric scooter taxi program, Hopper, in the Netherlands.)
Night Time in Saigon Streets.
India also has potential for a strong electric scooter market. Scooters are basically a lower-end alternative to motorcycles. Electric scooters have a speed range of 20 to 50 km/h, and electric motorcycles have a much higher speed range exceeding 50 km/h.
“Electric scooters meet the mobility requirements of a growing number of urban, middle class consumers in Asia Pacific,” says senior research analyst Andy Bae. “Increasing population density, rising urbanization, increases in income levels, and government policies are all fueling the demand for lightweight, highly mobile electric two-wheel vehicles.”
Overall, sales of two-wheeled electric vehicles will exceed 65 million annually across the Asia Pacific region in 2018. Cumulatively, sales in China will reach more than 355 million units by 2018, which would be 93% of the total in the Asia Pacific region.
According to the same Pike Research study, sales of ICE (internal combustion engine powered) vehicles in India, China, and most ASEAN (Association of Southeast Asian Nations) nations is already strong. One quality of popular Asian culture is that they don’t spend much on transportation. This is why foot transit and bicycles are so popular in China. But there’s a big vehicle buying trend going on there at the moment.
Sources: Business Wire and Pike Research
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