Flexible mobility in the smart city: the role of small personal electric vehicles

A new class of personal vehicles, sometimes called ridables, has recently attained a level of technical maturity. These electric vehicle are light, portable and suitable for transporting an individual person in an urban environment. As batteries become increasingly affordable and energy dense, the range and capabilities of these vehicles are correspondingly enhanced. Notably, many ridables are suitable for intermodal commuting, as they are typically small enough to be brought along on a bus, train or tram. As such, this new class of vehicles seems to offer particular value for urban commuters, though this emerging use case has not been widely discussed in the extant literature. The present work seeks to provide a brief survey of the capabilities of the relevant vehicles, and to discuss some initial loose estimates for the portion of urban commuters for which they may be useful. Tentative suggestions for city planners and policy makers are offered to stimulate a discourse on how the capabilities of these vehicles can best be harnessed to foster sustainable and inclusive cities.