Where can e-scooters be ridden?

We are repeatedly asked whether and where e-scooters, such as the Moovi, are permitted on public roads. To clarify the current legal situation and the possibilities for using e-scooters on public roads, this article lists all the important contact points and current case law. Currently, e-scooters are not allowed to be driven on German roads The reason for this is the lack of approval or classification for this device category, which is expected to change by the end of 2018.

In Austria, Switzerland, France, and other EU countries, for example, the situation is quite different. In Austria, e-scooters are permitted on public roads under certain conditions, such as a maximum design speed of 20 km/h and active front and rear lights.

According to the Bundestag’s response to the topic “New developments in the field of small electric vehicles and opportunities for the transport transition” (see below), the Federal Government is in direct contact with EU countries where e-scooters are already actively participating in street sweeping.

What politicians say about e-scooters

The Alliance 90/The Greens party recognized the immense benefits of e-scooters for inner-city traffic (including traffic congestion and direct pollution reduction) early on and is currently strongly advocating for the introduction of a new class of e-scooters. The FDP is also said to be supporting the move.

"The fact that the transport transition is a small-scale issue is evident in the case of small electric vehicles. Their potential lies in short distances of a few hundred meters to a few kilometers, both in urban and rural areas. In cities with a good public transport network, small electric vehicles can make the journey to or from the nearest stop easier and extend the range."

Mathias Gastel – Alliance 90/The Greens

The new vehicle class “PLEV” for e-scooters and small electric vehicles

By the end of 2018, the German government intends to introduce a new regulation that will allow e-scooters and similar small electric vehicles to be used on German roads without the need for a license. Answer to a request from the Alliance 90/The Greens parliamentary group Mathias Gastel tells in a Spiegel interviewthat the new device class PLEV (Personal Light Electric Vehicle) will probably be implemented under the following conditions:

• Design-related speed of 12 – 20 km/h
• Traffic law treatment like bicycles with special regulations
• Use of cycle paths
• No driving license requirement

All further questions and answers from the Bundestag on the subject of small electric vehicles can be found in this document summarized.

As of: October 2018