The e-scooter trial is well underway and in force (and legal) in many cities around the UK. Most claim that their company is the one at the forefront of climate action and eco-travel, with many others committing to a net-zero, climate first approach. But which ones are really doing their bit against climate action and which ones are coming out on top for real climate action change.
The United Kingdom currently has 12 active e-scooter micromobility operating in the country, including Lime, Voi Technology, and Spin.
Voi Technology is the most successful of these (around 1,000 now in use in UK cities), having launched in many large UK cities in 2020. It's popular with customers, its "low impact" approach wins it some converts from traditional cyclists, and its operating company is backed by a leading eco-creditor and an A-list venture capital (London-based venture capital firm Balderton).
We've broken down each micromobility e-scooter company below based on factors including the use of 100% green renewable energy for its operation, when they're going carbon neutral amongst many other things.
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At the top spot is Lime. Lime grabbed the highest rank possible on Climate vs Change with an A+. Why? We'll break it down for you.
They use 100% green renewable energy and have done since 2020. In the same year they annotated they were carbon neutral, but better still come 2025, they'll be carbon negative. Being a carbon negative company is a huge achievement, because it means as a business, they are removing more CO2, than they create, meaning their sustainability claim really is true.
Lime currently has rental e-scooters in London and Milton Keynes and they operate in over 150 cities globally. Lime is considered the market leader when it comes to providing electric vehicles like e-scooters and e-bikes. With 13 different investing companies such as Alphabet, DCM, and IVP, they have been able to create state-of-the-art e-scooters for many different cities around the world.
Find out more about Lime's climate change impact.
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At a highly respectable second spot, Spin founded in San Francisco in 2016, is a big player when it comes to micromobility around the world in cities and University campuses. Spin who have been present in the United States for a while, have recently launched into Germany and the UK in 202, and are planning to launch into Spain sometime in 2021. In 2018 Ford Motor Company acquired Spin, just two years after launching. Very similar to Lime's sustainability objectives, Spin was just pipped from the number 1 spot because they're claiming to be 100% green renewable energy by 2025, as opposed to Lime who already achieved that milestone during 2020. Spin's number 2 spot is mainly because of its commitment to being carbon negative by 2025.
In the UK they currently operate in; Basildon, Braintree, Brentwood, Chelmsford, Clacton-on-Sea, Colchester, and Milton Keynes. In Milton Keynes, they're also a multi-operator with Lime.
Renting a Spin e-scooter costs £0.20 per minute.
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The bright-coloured e-scooters that is Dott, who span many European countries, including London in the UK, offer a sustainable way to travel in big urban cities. Coming in at 3rd place for climate change action, Dott, whose vehicles are charged with 100% renewable energy, has also been carbon neutral since 2019. Their mission is to make micromobility accessible to all and each scooter gets a service every 10 trips, every impressive! Dott is proud to be one of the few who recycle parts and have the added benefit of swapping batteries. You'll also be able to find Dott in France, Germany, Norway, Belgium, Italy, Spain, and Poland.
Renting a Dott e-scooter costs £1 to unlock, then £0.15 per minute.
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Voi Technology, founded in 2018, is a large e-scooter operator whose focus from the start has been zero-emission mobility. Their goal is to allow people to live in a world with free from noise and pollution. Voi reached 4th place for their climate change action because they have been climate neutral since January 2020. With operations powered by renewable energy, swappable rechargeable e-scooter batteries to even measure the full life cycle of their fleet of vehicles. Voi's sustainability approach pushes that one step closer to net-zero by offsetting emissions they create. Voi operate in Germany, Finland, Spain, Denmark, Norway, France, Italy, Sweden, and the United Kingdom.
Renting a Voi e-scooter costs £0.99 to unlock, then £0.14 per minute.
Find out more about Voi's climate change impact.
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Zwings, founded in 2019, an exclusive UK e-scooter operator with locations in Gloucester, Cheltenham, and South Somerset (Chard, Crewkerne, and Yeovil) have been jumping from strength to strength. Starting slightly later compared to others, Zwings have been following some of the success other e-scooter rental companies have benefited from including launching new e-scooters to extend the lifecycle and many app updates. Becoming carbon neutral and using 100% renewable energy within just two years of operating is a great success story. Their sustainable approach means, it helps keep costs down and allows for a carbon-free travel experience. Amongst others, Zwing is championing the 15-minute city concept.
Renting a Zwings e-scooter costs £1 to unlock, then £0.15 per minute.
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Tier Mobility, or just TIER, as they like to be called, is a completely climate-neutral company and where the first micro-mobility company to do so. They just pipped Voi to this achievement in January 2020. TIER has a pretty impressive large workforce, with operations all over Europe and beyond including, Austria, Bahrain, Denmark, Finland, France, Germany, Hungary, Norway, Poland, Qatar, Slovakia, Sweden, Switzerland, United Arab Emirates, and the United Kingdom. With the "sweet-spot" location in London. With a good sustainable approach to business and how they're progressing with net-zero vision, TIER actually Voi Technology and Zwings in terms of their climate change action credentials, but were pipped down to 6th due to their website not being hosted via a green partner.
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Bird another huge operator of e-bike and e-scooters around the world, also holds the great title of being climate neutral, which they achieved in 2020. With so many locations around the world including UK, Germany, United States of America, Portugal, Sweden, and Israel, it's amazing a company of this size is able to become climate neutral. Not only do they operate in many different countries they also operate in many different University campuses including, San Diego State University, University of Utah, University of Arizona, and Colorado State University to name a few. There's still work for Bird to do when it comes to climate change action, but 7th is no way a place to be embarrassed by.
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Neuron mobility a Certified Carbon Neutral company who founded in 2016, where one of the first mobility companies to create a rentable e-scooter model starting only one year after being founded. In 2018, become again one of the first to offer battery swapping and in 2020 the first app-controlled helmet locking feature. With locations in Australia, Canada, New Zealand, the UK, and South Korea really do have operations all over the world. Being part of the UK e-scooter trails in three major cities including, Newcastle, Sunderland, and Slough, Neuron has become a force of technology and innovation. Whilst becoming a world leader in many parts of the business, there is still room more for Neuron to do more when it comes to climate change action.
Renting a Neuron e-scooter costs £1 to unlock, then £0.18 - £0.20 per minute.
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WIND mobility or just WIND as they liked to be also called, is an impacting e-scooter micromobility company with its main rental scheme in Nottingham. These bright yellow e-scooters are visual some of the best ones, but like Ginger, lack the real climate change action actions compared to the others. Whilst what they are doing is great, there is still room for improvement. Their rank is due to soon going to operate with 100% renewable energy and becoming carbon neutral later on in 2021, whilst others have already reached this stage. However, they have funded 200 trees in across 4 different countries, Tanzania, Ecuador, Madagascar, and Kenya.
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Coming in at a joint 10th place, Beryl is slightly different from the rest as they only recently have offered e-scooters to their mix alongside non-electric assisted bike-sharing, but are still a powerhouse in the UK. The bike-sharing scheme running in Norwich, Watford, isle-of-wight, Bournemouth, Christchurch, and Poole. Whilst Beryl's ethos is for a better world, there are still things they can do to fight climate change.
Renting a Beryl e-scooter costs £1.50 to unlock, then £0.10 per minute.
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Coming in at a joint 10th place, Zipp Mobility is Ireland's leading micromobility company. Whilst they strive for Sustainable growth and use a Sustainable first approach, they show a lack of details of how they achieve just that, and that is why they are down in joint 10th.
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In last but no means least, at 11th, Ginger another mobility operator in the UK, mainly focused on the North of England, offer rental e-scooters in some major cities. Whilst anything to do with mobility means low emissions by design, the company itself doesn't promote or put much (public) focus on climate change action compared to other similar mobility companies. Without actions or words, it's hard to allow Ginger any other place but the bottom. The good news is, it's only up from here?
They currently operate in; Middlesbrough, Hartlepool, Milton Keynes, Stafford, Copeland, Chester, Scunthorpe, and Great Yarmouth.
Renting a Ginger e-scooter is free to unlock, then £0.20 per minute.
🛴There we have it, top United Kingdom e-scooter trail micromobility ranked by their climate change action impact, goals, and achievements. We also have a collected list of the best e-scooters you can buy for private use, if rental isn't your thing.
