Alternative to Transportation – The future is now!

 

 

Introduction

We live in a world that is continuously evolving in technocracy and development. Our day to day lives are full of technology that is changing the idea on the way we communicate and move around with in a city, so why not go the extra mile and see what alternative to transportation solutions there is for you. At the beginning of the year I had the privilege on attending the Move2020 expo. The Move2020 is the world’s most important mobility event, where disruptive technology and innovation drive change. The event brought together people and companies who are redefining the transport industry around the world. I was working for an electric motorcycle company at the time and we were exhibiting there. I had a chance to get in contact with people from all over the world to discuss 1 item and 1 item only and this was micro mobility. With the increasing costs of driving combustion engine cars, and not to mention the rising costs of public transport itself, I thought this show gave a different perspective in terms of transport. The world is changing, especially due to the coronavirus epidemic, and people do not want to take trains, buses, or cabs anymore to and from work. In this article I have listed personal alternatives in this ever-changing world.

Foldable Electric Bike

When you live in an expanding city and you need a bike that is compact and it is electric, then I would recommend a foldable bike. It is a perfect alternative to transportation solution. These bikes can be taken on the trains or buses at any time of the day and they do not require much space in terms of storage with in your home. It is a perfect vehicle that you can fit into your car while you’re on the move or if you are going for a holiday. The Raleigh Stow-E-Way bike is the bestselling foldable electric bicycle for under £2000 in the UK. You can pick one up from Urban E Bikes for £1350. It is one of the cheaper electric bikes that are out there and perfect for city living.

The specs are below,

• Motor – TranzX F15 36v 250w brushless Quick stop motor
• Top Assisted Speed 15.5 mph
• Weight 20.0kg
• Charge Time 4 hours
• Battery – TranzX 250wh 36V 6.8Ah
• Range – up to 30 in Eco (250Wh)
• Power – 4 levels of Assistance
• Gear System – Altus 8 Speed
• Chainset – 8 Speed 11-32 freewheel / KMC 8 Speed Chain
• Display – TranzX DP15 PST Display, 3 assist levels with Walk Function
• Brakes – Shimano V-Brake
• Wheel Set – 20″ Double Wall rim 36 hole
• Tyres – Kenda K841 20×1.95 reflective side wall
• Forks – Raleigh Steel trekking fork for E bike
• Seatpost – Alloy micro adjust 33.9 x 460mm
• Seat – Raleigh ebike saddle
• Full Mudguards
• Kickstand
• Alloy Rack (Max Weight 25kg)
• Charger included

Foldable Electric Scooter

If you feel a foldable electric bike is too big to deal with, than why not use an electric scooter to get from point A to B. The electric scooter can be a cheaper option instead of the foldable bike. Electric scooters are lighter than foldable electric bikes and are definitely a better alternative transport solution. One scooter that is popular at the moment is the Xiaomi Mi Electric Scooter. You have probably seen quite a few in the big cities. These scooters are foldable and they are also at a decent price point. You can pick one of these scooters up for as low as £169.99 on special at greencityscooterland.com.

The specs are below.

• Maximum speed: Approx. 25km/h (maximum speed for each mode: ECO: 15 km/h; D: 20 km/h; S: 25 km/h)
• Overall Range: 45km
• Max. ascent angle: 12º.
• Braking: Electric and physical brake
• Nominal power: 300W
• Maximum power: 600W
• Wheels: 8.5 inches
• Overvoltage Protection: 29V 土0.5V
• Controlled current protection: 25A 土0.5A
• Electrical rating: Low speed brushless Hall electric motor
• Maximum payload: 100kg
• Conductor height: 120-200cm
• Driver’s age: 16-50
• Working temperature: -10 to 40°C
• Storage temperature: -20 to 45°C
• IP Rating: IP54
• Charging time: 8 – 9 hours
• Charger included

Mini Electric Skateboard

I personally have an Ownboard Mini Skateboard and they are fantastic for the price you pay for them. If you are into something a little bit more fun, practical and cost-efficient, then the Ownboard Mini is a great option – especially if you are an avid skateboarder. I used one of these boards to get to and from work as well as to and from business meetings with in Central London. It is a great option if you want a board that is light and easy to take on the train or bus. The only thing I can say as a con is that this board does not absorb the bumps on the road compared to an electric long board that has a flexi deck. In that case, you could pick up an Ownboard W1S which has a flexi deck but no kick tail. The Ownboard Mini however is a great option if you want something cheap, small and that feels more like a traditional skateboard with a kick tail. In a city you need to make sharp turns and avoid potholes, and this board has a kick tail which allows you to do this. There are a lot of bike lanes in London which makes riding this board fun! You can pick up one of these boards for $379US which is about £292.19 on ownboard.net. There are many other options like Boosted, TeamGee, or Slick Revolution in terms of boards, so shop around!

 

The specs are below

• Top Speed ( Mph ) 25mph
• Range 12hours with standard battery
• Charging time 3hrs
• Terrain Street
• Hill grade 30%
• Waterproof No
• Regenerative Braking Yes
• Swappable Battery No
• Lighting Tail light accessory in box
• Mobile App No
• Remote Features Board battery level, Haptics, LED Display, LED indicators, Remote battery level
• Remote Connectivity 2.4GHz
• Kick Push Yes
• Air Travel Certified No
• Rider Level Beginner, Intermediate
• Motors Dual, Hub motors
• Board Type Skateboard
• Length 30″ / 76.2cm
• Width 9.4″ / 23.8cm
• Weight16.8lbs / 7.6kg
• Max Rider Weight 265lbs / 120kg
• Deck Material 8-ply Canadian Maple
• Wheels 85A, 90mm, PU, Street

Ride Sharing Apps

There are many companies that are producing all sorts of ride-sharing apps for electric bicycles & electric scooters. One dominant company in the UK is a company called Lime.

Their app allows riders to pick up a vehicle that has been docked on the side of the street and take it where ever you need to go to in the city. All you need to do to achieve this is to download the app from the app store. Lime charges a fixed rate to unlock a vehicle and then per minute to ride the vehicle. Customers usually use the app to find and reserve the scooter or bike they need to find. There are also other companies that are similar to Lime such as Voi. These ride-sharing companies that provide electric scooters or electric bicycles are very handy, especially in today’s world.

Ride Sharing Apps for Cars

This is a great option if you need a vehicle for an emergency or just plain shopping. Owning a car is very expensive these days as you pay road taxes and insurance – not to mention the wear and tear on the vehicle itself. In big cities like London, it is not a viable solution for the commute as you have to pay congestion and ULEZ charges within the city. You can now download a car-sharing app called Zipcar. Usually, with this app, you can sign up to it online. Zipcar works by finding a car and booking via the App. Once you have booked your vehicle you can unlock your Zipcar by using the app. You can just reserve a one-way Flex car when you’re ready to go and they will hold the car for 15 minutes. When the customer is ready to drive they will use the app to navigate to the car and just tap the app to unlock it. Once the journey has finished, then the customer will use the app to lock and end the booking.

There is 1 plan which is called the basic plan and you pay £0 per month and it costs £8 an hour to drive the vehicle. You can sign up to a subscription that costs £6 per month and gives £6 worth of credit per month. It is £6 per hour to drive the vehicle with this plan.  You also have the plan which is £15 per month, gives you £15 worth of driving credit and it costs £5 per hour to drive the vehicle. The good thing about Zipcar is that you rent a car from a location and you can drop it off in a different location.  However, this does not apply to all the fleet. With certain vehicles, you have to pick up and drop off at the same location. There are other companies like Sharenow ( formally known as Car2go) that you can rent any of their vehicles in a location and drop it off in a car park that has one of their parking bays available. Unfortunately, Sharenow is only available in Europe, and not in the UK.

The final word

All in all, I think that these options are great alternatives for people who live in urban communities and do not wish to be on a crowded bus or train. I know a lot of folks would prefer to have a transport solution that is quick and affordable to say the least. When we have a transport system that is massively overpriced and overcrowded, the above mentioned options are an excellent and fun alternative to transportation, and definitely worth considering.