Climate performance of shared e scooters in Dubai : An attributional life cycle assessment and scenario-based implications
(2026) In Green Technologies and Sustainability 4(3).- Abstract
Shared electric scooters (e-scooters) are widely promoted as a low-carbon urban transport solution. However, their environmental impact depends on lifespan, operations, and modal shift. This study evaluates life cycle greenhouse gas emissions of shared e-scooters operating in Dubai, UAE. A cradle-to-grave life cycle assessment is conducted, considering manufacturing, transportation, use phase electricity, redistribution logistics, and end-of-life treatment through scenario analysis varying lifetime distance (500, 1500, and 5000 km), riding energy intensity (10, 15, and 20 Wh/km), redistribution rate (10% and 50%), and disposal pathways (landfill versus high-recovery recycling). Emissions are then combined with modal shift assumptions to... (More)
Shared electric scooters (e-scooters) are widely promoted as a low-carbon urban transport solution. However, their environmental impact depends on lifespan, operations, and modal shift. This study evaluates life cycle greenhouse gas emissions of shared e-scooters operating in Dubai, UAE. A cradle-to-grave life cycle assessment is conducted, considering manufacturing, transportation, use phase electricity, redistribution logistics, and end-of-life treatment through scenario analysis varying lifetime distance (500, 1500, and 5000 km), riding energy intensity (10, 15, and 20 Wh/km), redistribution rate (10% and 50%), and disposal pathways (landfill versus high-recovery recycling). Emissions are then combined with modal shift assumptions to estimate net impacts relative to replaced transport modes. Manufacturing dominates the carbon footprint, contributing 144 kg CO2e per-e-scooter. Lifetime distance is the key determinant of per-km emissions, ranging from 262–483 g CO2e/km at 500 km, decline at 1500 km, and dropping to 63 g CO2e/km at 5000 km, allowing meaningful reductions when replacing short car trips. Variation in riding electricity intensity changes emissions by 5–8 g CO2e/km, indicating a minor contribution. In contrast, intensive redistribution can increase emissions by 140–145 g CO2e/km, making it the dominant operational contributor. Scenario-based net impact analysis shows that shared e-scooters do not inherently reduce emissions. They increase transport emissions when service lifetimes are short and substitution is dominated by walking. Shared e-scooters are therefore conditionally low-carbon, and their climate benefits depend on extended service lifetimes, optimized fleet management, material recovery, and policies that ensure car trip replacement. Otherwise, they risk increasing overall transport-related emissions.
(Less)
- author
- Ibrahim, Haider ; Dias, Charitha ; Ilahi, Anugrah ; Alawadi, Khaled and Zhao, Pengxiang LU
- organization
- publishing date
- 2026-07
- type
- Contribution to journal
- publication status
- published
- subject
- keywords
- Carbon footprint, Dubai, Electric scooter, Greenhouse gas emissions, Life cycle assessment (LCA), Modal shift
- in
- Green Technologies and Sustainability
- volume
- 4
- issue
- 3
- article number
- 100408
- publisher
- KeAi Publishing Communications Ltd.
- external identifiers
-
- scopus:105038333010
- DOI
- 10.1016/j.grets.2026.100408
- language
- English
- LU publication?
- yes
- id
- 7e4ae656-c5d0-4637-9f88-36cf1cbe545e
- date added to LUP
- 2026-08-24 13:34:48
- date last changed
- 2026-08-24 14:39:24
@article{7e4ae656-c5d0-4637-9f88-36cf1cbe545e,
abstract = {{<p>Shared electric scooters (e-scooters) are widely promoted as a low-carbon urban transport solution. However, their environmental impact depends on lifespan, operations, and modal shift. This study evaluates life cycle greenhouse gas emissions of shared e-scooters operating in Dubai, UAE. A cradle-to-grave life cycle assessment is conducted, considering manufacturing, transportation, use phase electricity, redistribution logistics, and end-of-life treatment through scenario analysis varying lifetime distance (500, 1500, and 5000 km), riding energy intensity (10, 15, and 20 Wh/km), redistribution rate (10% and 50%), and disposal pathways (landfill versus high-recovery recycling). Emissions are then combined with modal shift assumptions to estimate net impacts relative to replaced transport modes. Manufacturing dominates the carbon footprint, contributing 144 kg CO<sub>2</sub>e per-e-scooter. Lifetime distance is the key determinant of per-km emissions, ranging from 262–483 g CO<sub>2</sub>e/km at 500 km, decline at 1500 km, and dropping to 63 g CO<sub>2</sub>e/km at 5000 km, allowing meaningful reductions when replacing short car trips. Variation in riding electricity intensity changes emissions by 5–8 g CO<sub>2</sub>e/km, indicating a minor contribution. In contrast, intensive redistribution can increase emissions by 140–145 g CO<sub>2</sub>e/km, making it the dominant operational contributor. Scenario-based net impact analysis shows that shared e-scooters do not inherently reduce emissions. They increase transport emissions when service lifetimes are short and substitution is dominated by walking. Shared e-scooters are therefore conditionally low-carbon, and their climate benefits depend on extended service lifetimes, optimized fleet management, material recovery, and policies that ensure car trip replacement. Otherwise, they risk increasing overall transport-related emissions.</p>}},
author = {{Ibrahim, Haider and Dias, Charitha and Ilahi, Anugrah and Alawadi, Khaled and Zhao, Pengxiang}},
keywords = {{Carbon footprint; Dubai; Electric scooter; Greenhouse gas emissions; Life cycle assessment (LCA); Modal shift}},
language = {{eng}},
number = {{3}},
publisher = {{KeAi Publishing Communications Ltd.}},
series = {{Green Technologies and Sustainability}},
title = {{Climate performance of shared e scooters in Dubai : An attributional life cycle assessment and scenario-based implications}},
url = {{http://dx.doi.org/10.1016/j.grets.2026.100408}},
doi = {{10.1016/j.grets.2026.100408}},
volume = {{4}},
year = {{2026}},
}