Micromobility: The overlooked hero of city infrastructure
The climate crisis has contributed to a five-fold increase in natural disasters over the last 50 years. Floods are by far the most common of these, and when they happen, concern turns to human casualties, property damage, and energy availability.
We hear horror stories of destroyed homes, stranded residents, and of course, much worse. The knock-on effect of flooding can have a far-reaching impact even after the water has retreated. Even in cases of mild flooding, the amenities that make life easier for us are often overlooked.
Take micromobility services, for example. Whether meeting friends in the nearest town, commuting to work, or running everyday errands, many people choose these solutions — such as scooters or bikes — in place of driving. When these options fall victim to extreme weather, they can end up forgotten, limiting our ability to get around.
Disaster recovery in micromobility
Polina Mikhaylova, founder of KNOT
One such event happened back in 2021. July that year saw heavy flooding in Belgium, and one micromobility business discovered the hard way that nature isn’t always on its side.
“We installed five docking stations with between eight and 16 slots each, housing a total of 50 brand new scooters in Verviers, Belgium,” says Polina Mikhaylova, founder of KNOT. She’s one of the ambitious people at the forefront of the micromobility revolution in Europe. She launched KNOT in 2016 as a docked electric scooter company aimed at making city transport safer, more convenient, and more fun.
“It’s a beautiful location but the heavy rain in July caused flooding. We had to wait several agonising days for the stations to dry before we could go and see what could be recovered.” Unfortunately, all of the scooters had succumbed to water and mud and were dead. But, thanks to the docking stations keeping the scooters in place, they weren’t swept away by the flooding.
After deep cleaning and multiple drying sessions, around 20 scooters were usable again. The rest were disassembled and the parts were either used for other fleets or recycled. The stations, too, were cleaned, dried, and refurbished before being sold. While this story ends on a positive note, Mikhaylova knew immediately that KNOT needed to be better prepared next time.
“You don’t believe these things can happen, but they do, and then they can happen again,” says Mikhaylova. “On the software side, we now have a great disaster recovery plan. It’s a mandatory document you have to provide and build on regarding how you will recover the software if something happens. But besides having the right insurance in place, if something happens to the hardware, all you can do is accept responsibility.”
Hoping for the best; planning for the worst
Mikhaylova has her trusted engineers to thank for saving the day on this occasion, but issues like this are becoming more frequent. In 2022, nearly 55 million people worldwide were affected by flooding, with 176 floods recorded that year. The onus is on micromobility businesses to have a sturdy plan in place when things go wrong, but they also require support from city decision-makers regarding general regulations – something that’s currently lacking.
“If anything, compared to the EV market, micromobility is going backwards,” Mikhaylova says. “A lot of things are standardised for EVs. It’s not the same for two-wheelers – there are multiple standards for batteries and multiple software protocols, making compatibility difficult.
“The main challenge is going to be working closely with vehicle producers to develop clearer standards, and we have to hope that some legislation will also be put in place in Europe. There are plenty of players in micromobility – we just need to get our voices heard now.”
Improving the city landscape
Micromobility is actively making modern cities better. With ICE (internal combustion engine) vehicles contributing to the greenhouse gases that are heating the planet, as well as localised pollution, micromobility is playing a significant role in reducing that.
Plus, many people now rely on micromobility schemes to get around cheaply and easily. This makes it even more important for companies to put disaster recovery plans in place to ensure these services can get back online quickly after extreme weather events.
There are other benefits to micromobility solutions like KNOT. Docked e-scooters eliminate obstructions that scooters otherwise cause on pavements, and docking also makes them less likely to be vandalised. KNOT also uses geofencing on its scooters and bikes that makes the vehicle slow down or stop if it detects that it’s being used in a pedestrian zone. Plus, if the vehicle isn’t docked, the user is charged more money for the ride until it is. “These things teach people to behave better on roads and pavements with a threat to their pocket money.”
As the landscape of the modern city evolves, many are moving towards more pedestrian- and cycle-friendly infrastructure that pushes cars away from city centres. The use of scooters and bikes helps reduce pollution and gives people a more sustainable way to travel. However, micromobility brands need to be prepared for extreme weather events so they can stay online for those who rely on them.