Are Motor Scooters Environmentally Friendly?

Were you looking for a subtle, sort-of-yes, sort-of-no reply? I hope not, because when it comes to scooters and the environment, the answer is resoundingly positive. A lot of prospective owners are drawn to motorized scooters because they've heard that scooters are friendly to the environment. You may be one of those people. If so, you're likely wondering exactly what it is that makes motor scooters a green transportation alternative. Here's a rundown of the primary reasons.

First and most obviously, motorized scooters use dramatically less fossil fuel.

The gas tank of an average-sized scooter holds one to two gallons, and today's scooters easily get 50 miles per gallon, while a lot of them a lot more--some upwards of 100 mpg. Therefore, if you own a gas powered scooter, you'll probably fill up two or three times per month, and get 75-200 miles per tank. That's easily three to four times more fuel efficient than the average (non-SUV) car. What does that mean? It means three to four times less non-renewable fossil fuel consumed--which is direct conservation.

Second, by consuming less gasoline and traveling greater distances with it, motorized scooters release fewer fumes into the atmosphere.

This means that the emissions of harmful chemicals like carbon dioxide are greatly reduced. This is an added bonus since motor scooters are frequently used in urban settings. Inside city limits, their small environmental footprint helps combat the polluted air that most urban centers are forced to endure.

Third, if you buy an electric motor scooter, you can walk away from fossil fuels (oil) entirely.

When you're exploring the motor scooter market, one of the first decisions you'll need to make is whether to purchase an electric or gas powered model. Electric, battery-powered scooters are generally better for short-range travel, and environmentally speaking, their non-dependency on oil and gasoline is a huge step in the right direction. Electricity is a clean fuel source at the point of use, and battery design is improving all the time. However, if a gas powered or hybrid scooter is a better match for your lifestyle, don't feel bad--as we saw above, a gas powered scooter is still a much greener option than a car.

So let's recap. Yes, it's true that motorized scooters save you a lot of money. But better yet, the "green" rumors are accurate: You can also feel good about driving a scooter, since they contribute to a cleaner planet.