New Research Finds E-scooters Are Not Just ‘toys For Boys’ With Many Riders Scooting For Their Daily Commute

Leading e-scooter company Neuron Mobility releases the most comprehensive study of its kind which explores the global e-scooter gender gap in the adoption of rental e-scooters

E-scooters, once thought of as just “boys’ toys”, are now widely-adopted as a mainstream transport option with 59% male riders, 40% female, and 1% other or preferring not to say across neuron’s operations globally

New Zealand's rider gender gap is slightly larger than the global average with 37% female, 60% male and 3% other or prefer not to say.

In New Zealand younger riders (18 - 34 years) now account for 70% of all female riders versus 51% of males, this is the highest percentage of younger female riders across all other countries globally

Research found that 51% of New Zealanders riders are using e-scooters to commute to work and study, this is higher than any other country globally

Other key drivers and factors affecting adoption are city infrastructure, including providing protected lanes, running 24 hours services, the unequal distribution of domestic tasks between males and females, and the suitability of women’s clothing and footwear

NEW ZEALAND, August 7, 2023 - Leading international e-scooter operator Neuron Mobility, releases the most comprehensive report of its kind titled Bridging the E-scooter Gender Gap: Enhancing Adoption and Safety. The research, which evaluated surveys and interviews from over 10,000 Neuron riders, shows how e-scooter adoption differs between genders; it also suggests how cities and micromobility operators can make e-scooter programmes safer and more inclusive to all.

The report highlights how significant advancements in e-scooter design, construction, and regulation in recent years have transformed e-scooters from being regarded as niche “boys’ toys” into a mainstream transport option. However, it also reveals that globally there remains a gender gap in e-scooter ridership, with 59% of riders being male and 40% female, based on Neuron's global survey data. New Zealand's rider demographics were found to be slightly wider than the global average, comprising 60% male and 37% female with 3% other or prefer not to say.

The most prevalent age range for all riders globally is between 25 and 34 years old. However, the research shows a higher proportion of younger women in New Zealand are now actively choosing to ride e-scooters. Those aged between 18 - 34 years now account for 70% of all female riders versus 51% of males. The percentage of female riders aged 18 - 34 is 10% higher than the global average (60%) suggesting more young women riding e-scooters in New Zealand than any other country globally. There are very few riders over the age of 65, and of these older users males (3%) were three times as likely than females (1%) to ride.

A notable difference in how New Zealanders are riding e-scooters in comparison to other cities globally is their high reliance on e-scooters for commuting. In New Zealand more than half of the e-scooter trips taken (51%) are to commute to work or study, in comparison globally only one third (33%) of trips are for commuting. This demonstrates that e-scooters are an integrated part of New Zealand's transport network and play a significant role in riders' daily transport habits.

Various factors have contributed to the gender gap including the stark differences in risk tolerance, with female riders prioritising safety to a greater extent, as opposed to males who are far more interested in the speed and handling of the e-scooters. Early adoption of private e-scooters was predominantly led by younger men, and this accelerated their uptake of rental e-scooters which are now seen in many cities in New Zealand.

City infrastructure is reported to play a crucial role in e-scooter adoption rates. In New Zealand e-scooters can be ridden on roads and footpaths but not in designated cycle lanes. Neuron’s global focus group identified that the vast majority of all riders, 73%, called for cities to provide more protected lanes, stating they would significantly increase ridership.

Increasingly cities, as well as riders, are recognising that rental e-scooters provide an important transport service for those involved in the night time economy. These include workers in the hospitality and healthcare sectors who claimed to use e-scooters during off-peak times when public transport may be less frequent and taxis and rideshare services more expensive.

Riders who travel at night were found to be very reliant on e-scooters, respondents from a city with limited nighttime operations stated 37% of trips would not have happened at all if e-scooters were not available. Women also indicated that e-scooters were potentially safer when travelling alone at night, improving their sense of personal security compared to walking or public transport. This suggests operating 24-hour services to support the night time economy, shift workers and personal security at night would also increase e-scooter adoption. This has been recognised by cities in New Zealand including Dunedin who changed to 24 hours services in March 2022 and Palmerston North who moved to 24 hour operations in July 2023.

The report also explores the division of domestic tasks between the genders and attire considerations. Females continue to shoulder more responsibility for caring for young family members and for the weekly supermarket shop, with many women noting that e-scooters are less suitable for these types of tasks. Some women also stated that their clothing choices, such as high-heel shoes could make e-scooters impractical for certain trips. In these cases, they may be more likely to choose other forms of transportation.

Jayden Bryant, Head of Australia and New Zealand at Neuron said: “Although there is still a gender gap in terms of riders, it’s clear more New Zealand women than ever before are seeing e-scooters as a great way to travel. The research will help us as well as policymakers, urban planners and city transport teams create more inclusive and safer e-scooter programmes for all.”

For more information and insights see the full report or contact the communications team.

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About Neuron Mobility

Neuron, Australia and Canada’s leading e-scooter operator, differentiates by being the best partner to cities while also leading the industry when it comes to safety and sustainable operations. Founded in 2016, the company has introduced an impressive number of industry world firsts and pioneering innovations including e-scooter battery swapping, geofencing control and integrated helmets. Neuron operates in Christchurch and Dunedin in New Zealand as well as 15 locations in Australia, 17 locations in Canada and Newcastle in the United Kingdom.

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