Where can e-scooters be ridden?

April 10, 2026

We are frequently asked if and where e-scooters, like 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 important contact points and current legal rulings. As of now, e-scooters are not yet allowed on German roads. The reason for this is the lack of approval or classification for this category of device, but this 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 design-related maximum speed of 20 km/h and active front and rear lights. According to the Bundestag's response on the topic "New Developments in the Field of Electric Micro-Vehicles and Opportunities for the Transport Transition" (see below), the federal government is in direct exchange with EU countries where e-scooters are already actively participating in road traffic.

What politicians say about e-scooters

The immense advantages of e-scooters for urban traffic (including relieving road traffic, direct reduction of pollution) were recognized early on by the Bündnis 90/Die Grünen party, which is currently strongly advocating for the introduction of a new device class. There is also said to be support from the FDP.

"That the transport transition is a piecemeal affair becomes clear with electric micro-vehicles. Their potential lies in short distances of a few hundred meters to several kilometers in both urban and rural areas. In cities with good public transport, electric micro-vehicles can facilitate the journey to or from the next stop and expand the radius of action." Mathias Gastel - Bündnis 90/Die Grünen

The new vehicle class "PLEV" for e-scooters and electric micro-vehicles

By the end of 2018, the federal government intends to introduce a new regulation that will allow e-scooters and similar electric micro-vehicles to be used on German roads without requiring a license. This is evident from the response to a query from the Bundestag faction Bündnis 90/Die Grünen. Mathias Gastel states in a Spiegel interview that the new device class PLEV (Personal Light Electric Vehicle) will likely be implemented under the following conditions: