Electric bikes are taking over Australian cities, but the story of e-scooters is hitting a speed bump. It's a tale of two wheels, where one rises while the other stalls.
The Rise of Rental E-Bikes:
Rental e-bikes are experiencing a surge in popularity across Australia, particularly in Sydney. In 2025, the number of e-bikes on Sydney's streets almost doubled as Lime, a US operator, significantly expanded its fleet. This boom comes as e-scooter rental services face challenges due to safety concerns, which some have labeled as a 'moral panic'.
E-Scooter Slowdown:
E-scooters initially gained traction faster than e-bikes in most Australian cities, except Sydney. However, safety issues led to a decline in their popularity. In Perth, a fatal e-scooter accident prompted the removal of 1,000 rental e-scooters, and similar concerns led to reduced fleets in other cities. Bendigo and Adelaide also saw a decrease in e-scooter usage, with ridership falling short of expectations.
Controversial Safety Concerns:
Industry consultant Stephen Coulter attributes the e-scooter slowdown to a moral panic over safety and injuries. He believes some local governments overreacted, like Melbourne's sudden withdrawal of e-scooters in 2024. But is this concern justified, or is it hindering a potentially sustainable transport option?
E-Bikes Fill the Gap:
As e-scooter operations froze, residents turned to e-bikes. Lime's Asia Pacific head, Will Peters, acknowledged the setback in Melbourne but expressed optimism about expanding their e-bike offerings. Sydney, where e-scooters are illegal, has seen the most significant growth for Lime, with their e-bike fleet more than doubling in 2025. The company aims to further boost ridership with improved bikes and discounts.
Paris' Lesson:
Paris provides an interesting precedent. After becoming the first European city to welcome shared e-scooters, it also became the first to ban them in 2023. Subsequently, e-bike usage boomed. Sydney's lack of e-scooters has led to a similar surge in rental e-bike popularity, with 600,000 NSW residents now using shared e-bikes monthly.
Safety in Numbers:
Shared e-bikes, with their legal speed and power restrictions, are perceived as safer than e-scooters. This perception has encouraged customers to switch, according to Adam Rossetto of Ario. As cities like Hobart, Canberra, and Adelaide embrace e-bikes, the trend is clear: e-bikes are the new urban mobility darling.
The Future of Urban Mobility:
As e-bike popularity grows, it raises questions about the future of e-scooters and urban mobility. Are e-scooters inherently unsafe, or can regulations make them a viable option again? With e-bikes gaining momentum, will they become the dominant shared mobility choice? And what does this mean for the future of urban transportation and sustainability?
What do you think? Are e-bikes the future of urban mobility, or is there still a place for e-scooters? Share your thoughts below, and let's continue the conversation!
