E-scooters are generally legal throughout the modern world and legislation is quickly being introduced to unlock the benefits of these devices by setting sensible safety restrictions. In fact, our research identified only two countries where the devices are illegal on roads in December 2020.

The way in which different countries classify e-scooters in their legislation varies greatly. Maximum speed, power output, and even parking mechanisms can alter how e-scooters are treated legislatively, and some of the different legal names for these devices include:

• Personal Light Electric Vehicles (UK & US)
• Personal Mobility Devices (Argentina)
• Light Electric Vehicles (Finland)
• Personal Electric Vehicles (Kazakhstan)

Despite these variations, there are clear patterns and global trends emerging in how countries treat e-scooters. The majority of legislation we studied prohibits the use of e-scooters on public sidewalks/pavements, instead encouraging their use on roads and sometimes cycle lanes where available.

Legislation in Europe and North America proved to be the most comprehensive and thorough, while many parts of Africa and some countries in Asia lacked dedicated e-scooter legislation entirely, creating a grey area around the devices' legality.

Countries that are battling pollution and looking to bring down CO2 emissions locally, such as China and Indonesia, are offering financial incentives to manufacturers which could see the devices become more commonly available. Perhaps, then, EV's could play a vital role in the wider green revolution sweeping the globe.