Cover Electric Scooters / Unsplash - Egor Myznik
Electric Scooters / Unsplash - Egor Myznik
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High gas prices getting you down? Zip around the metro with these alternative options for personal transport
With gas prices worldwide steadily rising, commuting is becoming more of a pain than ever. The surge in the prices of gasoline and diesel has affected not only those who own private vehicles like cars or motorcycles but the drivers of public transport vehicles and their riders as well. In response to this new predicament, many commuters have taken to walking, carpooling, or alternative modes of transportation that use electricity and batteries instead of fossil fuels:
Here are just a few alternative modes of transportation that don't rely on gasoline:
E-Bikes
Above Electric Bike - Photo: KBO Bike / Unsplash
Electric Bike - Photo: KBO Bike / Unsplash
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Electric bikes are much like their non-electric counterparts. However, they do have a motor and battery that aid in propulsion, making them good options for people who want to ride a bike but cannot sustain enough pedal power needed for a long ride. The added throttle of an e-bike also makes them more moped-like but can be pedalled all the same. These bikes typically have a top speed in the range of 25 to 32kmh.
E-Scooters
Above Electric Scooter - Photo: Varla Scooter / Unsplash
Electric Scooter - Photo: Varla Scooter / Unsplash
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Much cheaper than a car and much less effort than walking, many Filipinos have embraced the e-scoot life. People travelling using e-scooters have become a common sight around the metro, even more so since the early days of the pandemic due to the scarcity of public transport at the time. These electric kick scooters are a type of stand-up scooter with a motor built into either the front or back wheel and a lithium-ion battery to power it. They typically have accelerator and brake levers on the handlebars and a manual brake on the rear wheel. Most electric scooters have a top speed of 15 to 25kmh and mileage of up to 25 to 30km on a single charge.
E-Skateboard
Above Electric Skateboard - Photo: Liam Martens / Unsplash
Electric Skateboard - Photo: Liam Martens / Unsplash
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While the Philippines does have a bustling skateboarding community, electric skateboards have still to properly enter the mainstream. These e-boards can range in length from the size of a penny board (22 inches at the smallest) to longboard length (as long as 59 inches), and are typically equipped with a hub motor and lithium-ion battery. They can reach an average of 20kmh of cruising speed, and while there may be a bit of a learning curve to their use, a rider can expect to carve smoothly down the road without having to kick off the ground constantly.
See also: Momiji Nishiya: How The 13 Year-Old Japanese Skater Made Olympic History
Segway
The word segue means "smooth transition from one thing to another," and that is precisely the inspiration for the brand name of this iconic personal mobility vehicle. Invented by American Dean Kamen, the intention behind the Segway was to create a vehicle that could smoothly and seamlessly transport people of all ages around the world. While earlier units clocked in at around 30 kilos with motors that could reach speeds of up to 12.5kph, newer models of the personal mover have been designed for better responsiveness and durability.
Electric Unicycle
Above Electric Unicycle - Photo: Venti Views / Unsplash
Electric Unicycle - Photo: Venti Views / Unsplash
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Show off your avant-garde style and turn heads by traversing Metro Manila on an e-unicycle. The Electric Unicycle is a self-balancing personal transporter on a single wheel, where the rider balances themself on two pedals on either side of the wheel and controls their speed by leaning forwards or backwards and steers by tilting to the side. The most powerful of units can reach ranges of up to 100km and speeds of up to 80kph on a single charge. Popular brands of electric unicycles (or EUCs) include Kingsong, InMotion, Begode, and Veteran Sherman.
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