BELOW IS THE OLD VERSION OF THIS POST – TO SEE THE NEW UPDATED VERSION SEE OUR TRANSPORT WEBSITE HERE: https://greentransportideas.org/2020/07/27/transportables-portable-transport-tools/

Here is an attempt at providing the most rigorous, objective and accurate evaluative comparison of LPT (lightweight portable transport) gadgets to date (2020). They are rated as commuting tools using an extension of the ‘Pugh matrix’ known as the Group Average Matrix Evaluation (GAME) system invented by the author (Luc). Transport tools are in the left column & factors (considerations) are on the top row. Each factor has a weighting (importance value) which is the average importance number given by participants. For example, participants saw the portability factor as important so gave it high importance numbers with an average of 8.6 (weighting). The top speed factor was seen as less important & the average is just 5.8 (weighting). For each factor a gadget is given an achievement score which is how well it performs in that factor area. For example, the Urmo with a handle gets a perfect achievement score of 10 for the portability factor because it’s so light, small & can be pushed by the handle. The achievement score is multiplied by the weighting to produce a weighting x achievement score. So for the Urmo in portability it’s 8.6 (weighting) x 10 (achievement score) = 86 (weighting x achievement score) . The overall score for each gadget is the sum total of all weighting x achievement scores.

This will likely be regularly updated in future so best to come back to this page once in a while.To view or download a PDF of the above chart click HERE

LIGHTWEIGHT PORTABLE TRANSPORT TOOLS – INTERACTIVE COMPARISON CHART USING THE SELF-ADJUSTING MATRIX EVALUATION (SAME) SYSTEM (also invented by the author)

So which gadget is right for you personally or for your rental scheme? Simply click on the interactive chart below & enter your own weightings (importance values) for the factors. The scores automatically adjust every time you enter a value & when complete each tool will have an overall score to show how suitable it is likely to be for you.  We’re attempting the impossible – it will never be 100% accurate or comprehensive but should give you a clear objective picture on which to base your intuition. Just replace the default weighting of 5 with your own weighting (from 1 to 10).  Works best with a touchscreen – just swipe within the chart to move around. You can also use the scroll bar within the chart or arrow keys to move around. Your amendments will be reset if you leave this page. For more exact instructions swipe or scroll to the top of the chart.

For scooter rental schemes

If you are looking here for a scooter to use in a rental scheme with a capped speed lower than all the top speeds of the scooters shown then you should enter ‘0’ as a weighting (importance value) for the speed factor. Likewise, you may wish to give ‘portability’ a lower weighting given that most users will dock their scooters rather than push or carry them around. We advocate giving ‘manual use’ (pushing with feet) a high weighting given the importance of exercise, convenience of carrying on if out of charge. Using electric scooters manually can also help oncoming pedestrians to feel more at ease (personal experience) and a lightweight scooter suitable for manual use may also translate into enhanced pedestrian safety. Factors contributing to  ‘manual use’ but not included in the matrix are ‘deck height’ and ‘degree of roll resistance’. A low deck and minimal roll resistance allow a scooter to be used manually.  Among others ET-WOW scooters (AKA uscooters) seem especially suitable in this regard and they are being promoted as suitable scooters for rental schemes. Furthermore some of the ET-WOW scooters have received top ratings from users – see HERE.

If you would like us to make a revised matrix with additional factors specific to your rental scheme just let us know – happy to help. 

UPDATE JULY 2020 – The ‘Zoom’ company seems to be out of business now. Also various other scooters not included here have been highly rated on Electric Scooter Guide.com so check them out as well HERE if interested. 

We believe that we now need to embrace lightweight portable transport to help slow global warming, boost people’s well-being through cleaner air & maintaining a safe social distance while avoiding enclosed spaces with others. If you agree & wish to see more electric devices such as scooters legalised for personal use as well as in rental schemes then please sign this petition: http://chng.it/JgCQNW2pZW

To see mindmaps showing pros and cons of different transport gadgets click HERE

Some older gadgets – a comparison chart made in 2015

Download
PDF: Transportables
Word File: Transportables

So what should we call these things? I suggested:
‘Transportables‘ (transport tools that are portable)
& also ‘Lightweight Portable Transport‘ (LPT).
Here are some competing names:
Personal transport gadgets (PTGs?)
Personal Light Electric Vehicles‘ (PLEVs) (the term used by the UK government),
‘Powered Transporters‘,
‘Rideables‘ (possibly from Wired magazine).