Vintage Photographs of People Riding Electric Scooters from The Beginning of The 20th Century

Electric scooters are a trendy and eco-friendly way of traveling around the city. They are used for commuting, studying, or leisure. However, few people know that electric scooters have a long history that dates back to the last century. In fact, electric scooters were first invented in 1915 and were used for various purposes, such as recreation, crime, and mail delivery.

h/t: vintag.es

During World War I, scooters became popular because they consumed very little fuel and were affordable for many people who could not buy a car or a motorcycle. Some businesses also tried to use this new vehicle for their services. For example, the New York Postal Service experimented with electric scooters to deliver mail in 1916. They called their scooters “Autopeds” .

However, electric scooters soon lost their popularity after the war ended. They had many drawbacks, such as being heavy, hard to carry, and unsuitable for some roads. Some places even banned scooters from their streets. In 1921, the inventor of electric scooters, Arthur Hugo Cecil Gibson, gave up on producing and improving them, saying they were obsolete .