Electric scooters may seem like a fairly recent invention, but they are not recent at all. They have actually been around, with varying degrees of success, for well over a hundred years. Here is a quick history of how electric scooters became the sleek, eco-friendly vehicles they are today.
When Was the First Electric Scooter Invented?
Who made the first electric scooter? The answer isn't easy. There are many firsts in their history, but many would consider the very first one to be the electric motorbike that was invented in 1895 by Ogden Bolten Jr. The Ohio inventor filed a patent, but not much came of it. Soon after, a bicycle company by the name of Humber debuted an electric bike at the 1896 Cycle Show. In 1915, the first stand-up scooter was invented. Even though the Autoped was gasoline-powered, it anticipated the popularity of electric kick scooters today.
Rising Interest in Electric Scooters
After those early attempts, not much progress was made on electric transportation until World War II, when fuel became scarce. A Belgian company called Socovel introduced an electric motorbike in 1936, while in America inventors were working on ways to turn gasoline-powered vehicles into electric vehicles. Unfortunately, the battery technology still wasn't quite there, and once the fuel shortages ended, the incentive to innovate left again for a time.
The Evolution of the Modern Electric Scooter
Other inventors and manufacturers experimented more with producing viable electric scooters during the 1960s and 1970s, such as a hybrid electric motorcycle in 1967, an electric motorcycle in the early 70s called the Corbin Electric, and an electric motorbike in 1974 called the Charger. None became widely popular, but in 1996, electric scooter history hit a major milestone: Peugeot released an electric moped-type scooter that used a nickel-cadmium battery. Finally, the world knew what electric could do!
The Electric Scooters of Today
Today, electric scooters are still somewhat novel, yet quickly becoming widespread. With rechargeable lithium-ion batteries now being commonly in use, electric scooters can go farther, faster, and weigh less than anyone could have imagined when the first patent was filed back in 1895. They are also affordable, portable, and convenient, making them the perfect ride of choice for future generations.
The inventor of the electric scooter may not be clear-cut, but that's often the way great inventions are: Many minds contribute to the evolution of the concept, helping to perfect it. Next time you stop in at E-Bikes Tulum to rent or buy an electric scooter, remember how many inventors, engineers, and entrepreneurs came together over the years to create the electric scooter you'll ride away on today.