• Locals and residents in Saudi cities are opting for micro-mobility options for efficiency and entertainment

Rahaf Jambi

RIYADH: Environment-conscious Saudis are increasingly taking to e-scooters to help cut their carbon footprints in busy city centers.

And the mode of transport is also proving popular as a more efficient, convenient, and fashionable way of getting around.

The sight of e-scooters zooming along streets or parked on sidewalks is becoming ever more common throughout the Kingdom with rental apps making them simple to hop on and off while some citizens, especially youth, have bought their own.

Amina Mahmoud, who lives in Riyadh, told Arab News that she and friends liked to cruise around Diriyah on e-scooters, and that they were also handy for moving between Riyadh Season activity zones.

“People like to ride scooters because the neighborhood is big in Riyadh, and sometimes you want to go to a nearby store quickly, so you ride a scooter instead.

“Because the weather is fantastic, people usually go to Diriyah and enjoy riding and the weather, so it’s more like an activity with friends,” she said.

For many, the micro-mobility option is not just for fun, it has become a desirable choice for fast and sustainable transport. E-scooters are convenient for short trips, commuting to and from work, popping to the shops, or visiting family and friends, and their relative low cost is also an attraction.

One of the owners of @bicyclesriyadh_, a bike and scooter rental business based in the capital, said: “I want the habit of getting on a bike or riding an e-scooter to spread in the community because it is a beautiful sport and it’s so much fun. Most of my customers are women aged between 18 and 27.”

People like to ride scooters because the neighbor-hood is big in Riyadh, and sometimes you want to go to a nearby store quickly, so you ride a scooter instead.

Amina Mahmoud, Riyadh resident

E-scooters are also being provided by Saudi authorities for pilgrims undertaking Umrah at the Grand Mosque in Makkah.

One of the goals of Vision 2030 is to build a sustainable society based on clean energy.

According to a study conducted by the G World, titled “The Mobility Sector in Electric Sharing Vehicles,” e-scooter revenues were around $2.7 million in 2022 — a 9.4 percent rise on 2021.