A very simple definition of e-mobility would be the following: e-mobility describes the condition of a vehicle being fully or partially electrically driven.

This has been known for a long time from rail-bound trains. Most trains these days are fully electric. E-mobility in road traffic is exciting and newer as for bicycles, cars, commercial vehicles and scooters. What is special here is that the vehicles are not powered by a combustion engine – but by an electric motor. The necessary energy is fed from a rechargeable battery. You have probably encountered e-mobility several times in everyday life. Charging stations in the neighborhood or special parking spaces can be found more often. Or maybe the food delivery guy has already cycled past you on an electric bike. Above all, however, e-mobility is known from scooters. E-scooters like those from unu are widespread in the city and shape urban traffic. And for a good reason: An electrically powered scooter has many advantages, as you can find out later in this article.

The conventional battery, installed in cars with a combustion engine, supplies the power for the starter, lights and vehicle electronics. It has a voltage of 12 V, a maximum capacity of 1 kWh and weighs between 15 and 20 kilograms.

The battery in an electric vehicle, on the other hand, is the source of energy for propulsion. The average capacity is 15 to 30 kWh, the weight is around 200 to 300 kilograms. Depending on the type of vehicle, you usually need less than 20 kWh for a 100 km journey, which roughly corresponds to the energy content of 2 liters of petrol.

With the electrically powered scooter the capacity is between 2 kWh and 4 kWh. If you use an unu e-scooter, one charge will take you 50 kilometers. Enough capacity to move a lot within the city, without being constantly connected to a charging station. Simply charge the portable unu battery at home in your own four walls.

There is no question that electromobility in vehicles is not yet as mature as the internal combustion engine (we are talking about a development lead of over 100 years). But what advantages does e-mobility offer? A few obvious things: driving pleasure thanks to powerful acceleration from a standing start in e-cars and electric scooters. Less noise is a plus too. Tasty bonuses and tax benefits are currently not to be scoffed at either. Above all, however, the green conscience that arises when using the emission-free mode of transport is probably the greatest advantage of e-mobility.

1. Environmental friendliness through fewer emissions.

2. No driving bans - owners of electrically powered vehicles should not be affected by this in the future.

3. Green privileges: Electric scooters and electric cars can park for free in public zones. Some charging stations even provide free electricity.

4. Tax benefits for electric vehicles purchased by the end of 2025. No vehicle tax has to be paid for these for 10 years. Not even after a change of ownership.

5. Lower running costs: E-cars and electric scooters have fewer wearing parts. For example, there is no need for a clutch or exhaust system. This reduces running costs. In addition, insurance companies are already rewarding some electric cars with cheaper tariffs. With e-scooters, only independent and cost-effective liability insurance is necessary anyway.

6. Less noise: It doesn't matter whether it's a car, scooter, motorbike, bus or garbage truck. Electrically powered vehicles have been shown to produce less noise. Especially when starting.

7. Clear conscience: Perhaps the most essential point among all the advantages of e-mobility: the clear conscience goes with you. Because even if there are still alternatives such as hydrogen, e-mobility is the way to the future.

You can find more information about the advantages and disadvantages of e-mobility in this article.

Cars and scooters that are labeled zero emissions do not produce any direct emissions while driving. In complete contrast to the combustion engine. And yet you should take a closer look: How environmentally friendly is e-mobility?

What should not be ignored with all the advantages: During the production of the batteries and the calculation of the electricity with which they are charged, the CO2 emissions arising must be included in the end result. However, the longer an electrically operated vehicle – for example, an unu e-scooter – is driven, the more this CO2 deficit is offset. That's why it makes so much sense to pay attention to quality when it comes to e-mobility and not go with the next best offer for the cheapest price. The e-scooters from unu, for example, have a Bosch electric drive installed, which shows little wear and tear over the years and has a long life cycle. In addition, the batteries offer a range of 50 kilometers on one charge. In this way, you can get really far with the e-scooters from unu, especially in the city, without having to constantly charge new electricity. This is good for the overall carbon footprint.

Plus: In the future, more electricity from renewable sources should be available. This will drastically improve the CO2 balance again. Numerous studies (such as that by the American ICCT) attest that electrically powered vehicles have a CO2 advantage of up to 70 percent over their entire service life compared to a petrol engine!

Find out more about e-mobility and the environment in this article.

Because e-mobility is so promising, the federal and state governments subsidize most of all purchases of electrically powered vehicles - with attractive bonuses. It's not just about electric cars, but also about e-scooters. In Regensburg, for example, you can get a subsidy of up to 1.000 Euros when you buy an unu e-scooter. And there are also special bonus offers for electric scooters in many other major German cities. In any case, it is worth doing some research before you buy. Because applications for subsidies for e-mobility usually have to be submitted before you buy the e-scooter.

More information about the so-called „Abwrackprämie“ and subsidies for e-mobility can be found here.

Conventional gas stations are still much more widespread in this country than charging stations for electric scooters – especially in rural areas. Nevertheless, the federal government has invested large amounts of money in the expansion of the infrastructure of charging stations and especially fast charging stations in recent years. A total of 47.111 normal charging points and 8.094 fast charging points were reported to the Federal Network Agency that was in operation on February 1st, in 2022. (Source: Federal Network Agency). The task is to continue expanding the infrastructure so that the growing sector does not reach a standstill due to charging station bottlenecks.

This is one of the great advantages of unu's e-scooters: You can simply place your battery on the charging station at home and fully charge it there within a few hours. Then you easily cruise 50 kilometers – with a full charge of one battery.

All information about the infrastructure for e-mobility can be found in this article.

In short: e-mobility is the future. Even if there is still room for improvement here and there, the many advantages and above all the good green conscience outweigh the disadvantages.