More and more of us are choosing sustainable mobility, whether it’s to be more eco-friendly, avoid depending on public transport schedules, or simply to save time and frustration looking for parking spots with a car.
It seems that both electric bikes and electric scooters are here to stay, becoming an integral part of our daily lives. However, they come with one common challenge: where can we find a charging station to safely park and charge our electric bike or scooter?
Keep reading—we’re here to help you resolve any doubts you may have.
What is a charging station?
First, let’s clarify what a charging station actually is. There are many types of charging stations, but to simplify, we can define it as a place that provides electric power to recharge the batteries of PMVs (Personal Mobility Vehicles) quickly and efficiently.
We can identify charging stations for electric cars, electric bikes, and electric scooters.
When we think of electric charging stations for bikes or scooters, several questions arise: where can we find them? How long does it take to charge? Are they free of charge, or, if not, how much does it cost to charge an electric bike or scooter at one? We’ll help you answer all these questions.
How long does it take to charge?
On average, an electric scooter with a range of 25 km takes approximately 4 to 5 hours to fully charge. For electric bikes, the charging time is similar, taking around 4.5 to 5 hours for a full charge.
Typically, when we use an electric bike or scooter, it’s already charged. Thanks to charging stations for scooters and bikes, you can quickly recharge it and have it back at 100% battery in no time.
How much does it cost to charge PMVs?
There are many charging stations, and most are run by private companies, which often means their use comes at a cost..
That said, while it’s true that some charging stations require payment, there are also free ones—you read that right, FREE. These are usually located in places like universities or shopping centers, where using scooters or bikes is either not allowed or very inconvenient. If you want to know more about how parking for PMVs works, we invite you to read this article: How Electric Scooter Parking Works.
Own vs. rented PMV
We already know that electric bikes and scooters are booming, but here’s the million-dollar question: Is it better to buy or rent them?
Most of us prioritize convenience and want to avoid unnecessary worries, which often leads us to opt for rental scooters or bikes. With rentals, it doesn’t matter where we leave them, and we don’t need to worry about recharging the battery.
However, in the long run, rentals can hit our wallets hard. Unlocking a rental scooter costs money—approximately 1 euro, depending on the company—and the average cost per minute of use is around 0.20 euros. A 20-minute trip on an electric scooter or bike would cost about 5 euros—a price not everyone is willing to pay.
On the other hand, more and more companies are setting up charging stations where you can not only safely park your scooter or bike but also charge it. This makes owning an electric scooter or bike more economical in the long run.
Let’s take an example: If someone commutes to work for 30 days and takes two 20-minute trips each day, knowing that a 20-minute ride costs 5€, they would spend approximately 300 € per month on rental scooters.
Now, if the same person buys an electric scooter, which can be found for as little as 250 €, purchasing it would clearly be more cost-effective in the long term.
Viewed this way, and given the conveniences offered by charging stations (including the savings from today’s electricity prices), owning your own PMV becomes the smarter financial choice.
Where to park and charge PMVs
Now that we know what charging stations are and have seen that owning a PMV is more economical, let’s figure out where we can park and charge our electric scooters and bikes—that is, where we can find charging stations.
Currently, depending on the city you’re in, you may find more or fewer charging stations. However, they are becoming increasingly common, with more stations popping up around the world every day.
Are charging stations safe?
We’ll leave you with these two articles, which will surely answer all your questions about where and how to park safely: How and Where to Park Safely and Legally and Where Can I Park a Scooter at a Shopping Center?
If you want to stay updated on all things sustainable mobility, we invite you to visit our blog. You’ll find tips and tricks to optimize electric scooter charging as well as insights into building sustainable cities through mobility and transport. Feel free to contact us if you have any further questions.
