Micro-mobility and its growing popularity in urban areas
Micro-mobility is taking shape as a noteworthy aspect of city life. The term refers to lightweight, often electric, transportation options for short-distance travel.
Shared micro-mobility ridership has returned to pre-pandemic levels, with at least 157 million trips taken across North America in 2022 and an all-time high of over 400 North American cities offering shared micro-mobility options.
The appeal of micro-mobility lies in its convenience, efficiency and eco-friendly nature.
As city dwellers seek sustainable alternatives to traditional transportation, micro-mobility options like electric scooters, bikes and compact electric vehicles continue to increase in popularity. These transportation options provide an agile and accessible solution for navigating crowded city streets, especially for short trips or the last few miles of a journey.
Along with being a practical solution for urban congestion, micro-mobility exemplifies sustainability and environmental responsibility.
The electric-powered nature of many micro-mobility vehicles contributes to reducing carbon footprints and promoting cleaner urban environments. Cities embracing micro-mobility see benefits in terms of reduced traffic congestion, improved air quality and increased accessibility to transportation.
What is energy density?
Energy density refers to the energy stored in a given system or substance per unit volume or mass, which is particularly important in battery technology and performance.
In batteries, energy density is often expressed in watt-hours per liter (Wh/L) or watt-hours per kilogram (Wh/kg). A higher energy density indicates that a battery can store more energy within a given volume or weight, an important factor in determining its efficiency and practicality for a given application.
Higher energy density is a central focus in advancing battery technologies. As energy-dense batteries store more power in a smaller and lighter package, they contribute to developing more efficient electric vehicles, portable electronic devices and other applications where space and weight are critical factors.
Advantages of higher energy density: cost and environmental impact
Cost-effectiveness
Electric vehicles and micro-mobility modes with higher energy density batteries can travel longer on a single charge, which may result in less frequent charging and extend the operating life of the vehicle.
Additionally, the longer lifespan of high-energy-density batteries contributes to cost-effectiveness. According to a published paper on Wiley, “commercialized lithium-ion batteries have been applied in the production of practical electric vehicles, simultaneously meeting comprehensive electrochemical performances in energy density, lifetime, safety, power density, rate properties, and cost requirements.”
Micro-mobility travel modes also have lower facility and infrastructure costs than many conventional travel methods, such as electric micro-mobility vehicles. Typically the acquisition costs of an electric scooter are significantly lower compared with the thousands of dollars required to purchase a car.
Environmental Impact
Higher energy density allows for more efficient use of materials, contributing to resource conservation. This is especially relevant as the demand for energy storage solutions increases.
Powering micro-mobility vehicles with higher energy density batteries reduces the reliance on traditional fossil fuel-powered vehicles. This, in turn, leads to lower greenhouse gas emissions and supports a healthier environment.
Factors that affect energy density in micro-mobility vehicles
Energy density in micro-mobility vehicles is influenced by a combination of factors, including battery technology, weight and design.
Battery Technology
Ongoing advancements in battery technology, such as electrode materials and overall design improvements, can enhance energy density. New developments often lead to batteries that can store more energy in a smaller and lighter form, improving micro-mobility vehicles.
The choice of battery chemistry also affects energy density. Lithium-ion batteries, for example, are commonly used in micro-mobility vehicles due to their relatively high energy density per unit mass and volume compared to other technologies.
Weight
The weight of a micro-mobility vehicle directly impacts its energy efficiency. Lighter vehicles generally require less energy to move, contributing to improved overall efficiency and increased range on a single charge for a given energy density.
A lightweight design, coupled with a high-energy-density battery, allows for better storage energy utilization, making micro-mobility options practical.
Design
The overall design of micro-mobility vehicles influences how efficiently they use energy.
Vehicles designed specifically for short-distance urban travel can prioritize factors like aerodynamics and energy regeneration during braking. Regenerative braking, unique to electric vehicles, enables the vehicle’s kinetic energy to be converted back to electrical energy during braking, increasing efficiency.
How the energy storage system, particularly the battery, is integrated into the vehicle also plays a role in energy efficiency. Design considerations can maximize the use of available space and ensure optimal weight distribution.
Case studies on cities and companies implementing high-energy density micro-mobility solutions
Paris, France
Paris has actively promoted sustainable urban mobility solutions, including high-energy density micro-mobility options.
The city introduced a fleet of electric scooters and bikes, encouraging residents and tourists to use these vehicles for short-distance travel.
One key operator yielded a 71% reduction in emissions since January 2019, resulting in 35g of CO2 equivalent per person per kilometer, comparable to many public transport options.
Singapore
Singapore has explored and implemented various micro-mobility solutions to address urban transportation challenges.
E-scooters grew in popularity as a way to navigate the city’s congested urban roads, with 100,000 registered e-scooters as of November 2019.
The city eventually banned e-scooter use on footpaths, demonstrating that regulations and oversight of micro-mobility are still a work in progress.
Berlin, Germany
In 2016, Bosch, in partnership with Coup, introduced a fleet of electric scooters in Berlin.
These scooters were equipped with swappable batteries, much like Voi’s in Paris, allowing for quick and efficient charging, although the announcement did not clarify if there was a concurrent network for battery exchange.
This approach appeared to address the challenge of limited charging infrastructure and allowed for continuous scooter availability.
Zarasai, Lithuania
GOON operates in the small town of Zarasai, Lithuania, which has a population of around 8,000 people.
It reached almost 2,000 users in the first few months of e-scooter availability, harnessing the tourist and resident population’s desire for entertainment in this little location.
Even with only nine scooters available, the customer acquisition of the company’s e-scooter sharing platform was 20% of the town’s population, showing an impressive interest in micro-mobility options.
Potential challenges and solutions for increasing energy density in micro-mobility
Battery Technology Limitations
Current battery technologies have limitations in terms of energy density, but by investing in research and development to explore and adopt advanced battery chemistries and materials –like Amprius is doing–we can significantly enhance energy density.
Cost of High-Energy-Density Batteries
Developing and manufacturing batteries with higher energy density can be cost-intensive, making the latest high energy density technologies hard for companies to access when developing micro-mobility solutions.
Economies of scale and production process advancements can significantly help reduce costs.
Collaboration between industry stakeholders, governments and research institutions can foster an environment that supports cost-effective scaling of high-energy-density battery production.
Charging Infrastructure
Higher energy density might mean longer ranges, reducing the charging frequency. However, ensuring convenient and accessible charging infrastructure remains crucial.
To succeed, stakeholders must invest in a robust charging infrastructure that complements the increased range of vehicles and implement intelligent charging solutions, including fast charging stations.
Another option is swappable batteries, which some companies are innovating around presently.
Safety Concerns
High-energy-density batteries may pose safety challenges, including overheating and fire risks.
Rigorous safety standards and safety features like thermal management systems, fire-resistant materials, smart battery management systems, and continuous testing and research are essential to address safety concerns.
While not directly related to energy density, some work must be done to improve consumers’ view of micro-mobility safety overall. In New Zealand, surveys suggest that 31% of non-users are unwilling to try e-scooters due to safety concerns. A widespread perception is that micro-mobility vehicles could become a crash hazard, endangering riders and pedestrians.
Newer micro-mobility vehicles have improved safety features, with studies finding an e-scooter is no more likely to result in a road traffic death than a bicycle trip. However, there are still perceptual issues to overcome.
Regulatory Frameworks
Regulatory frameworks may not keep pace with technological advancements, potentially hindering the widespread adoption of high-energy-density micro-mobility solutions.
Regulatory bodies must establish clear standards for deploying and using high-energy-density batteries in micro-mobility vehicles. Stakeholders must advocate for policies that incentivize the development and adoption of sustainable technologies.
The importance of energy density in shaping the future of transportation
As the world strives towards more sustainable and efficient mobility solutions, high-energy-density technologies, particularly in batteries, are key to driving this transformation.
Innovating higher energy density is pivotal for electric vehicles, micro-mobility options, and other forms of transportation.
It directly influences the efficiency and practicality of these vehicles by extending their range, reducing weight, and enhancing overall performance. This addresses consumer needs for increased convenience and longer travel distances and contributes significantly to the viability of electric and alternative transportation systems.
The potential for reduced emissions, improved air quality and decreased traffic congestion in urban areas hinges on successfully integrating these high-energy-density solutions into the transportation landscape.
It is also important to note that the impact of energy density extends beyond consumer convenience to broader societal and environmental considerations. Adopting high-energy-density technologies supports global efforts to mitigate climate change by reducing dependence on fossil fuels and lowering overall carbon emissions, creating more sustainable and resilient communities for future generations.
Striking the right balance between efficiency, cost-effectiveness and environmental sustainability will be crucial for realizing a future where transportation is more intelligent, connected and harmonious with the needs of our communities and the planet.
