Energy production and consumption

In the industrialized nations in the west, energy consumption can be divided roughly into equal thirds among the household, industrial and transportation sectors. 85% of this energy is produced using either fossil fuels or nuclear power; the rest is obtained from water, wind or solar power.

Energy consumption in general

Depending on the specific user, energy is utilized to varying degrees of efficiency. Household energy efficiency is approximately 80%, industrial efficiency is approximately 40%, and in transportation it is only approximately 20%. According to the laws of energy retention, all energy ultimately ends up as heat, which then raises the temperature of the earth's atmosphere. The byproducts of incomplete combustion of fossil fuels form an insulating layer around the earth, producing the greenhouse effect.

Energy consumption in transportation

It is here where fossil fuels are almost exclusively used, thus causing undesirable emissions. Along with the poor efficiency, particularly in private motor vehicles, the overall energy balance is additionally burdened due to the unfavorable ratio between vehicle empty weight and loaded weight. Let's take a look at an example:

Local transportation

Several studies have shown that around 50% of all trips by motor vehicle are of no more than 3 kilometers within local areas/city limits. The actual weight transported is seldom more than 100 kilograms, whereas the weight of the vehicle itself is generally between 1000 and 1500 kilograms. The average speed within the local areas (distance traveled divided by driving time) is 10 to 15 kph, which is far under the actual capability of the vehicle. The production of the fuel with its inherent emissions problems, the manufacture of vehicles, and the added need to set aside surface areas to accommodate moving and parked vehicles all consume massive amounts of energy. Furthermore, transport and maintenance require still more energy. The primary reason for this extreme-energy waste is human convenience ("creature comfort") or the lack of short-distance alternatives for conveying people and materials.

The electric transport scooter (ETS) as an alternative

A two-wheeler occupies the least amount of space and has a minimum of weight. A scooter with 10-inch wheels has a very low center of gravity, a large road capacity, and a short wheelbase. The short wheelbase improves the scooter's maneuverability. A box frame design means that the vehicle itself contributes only 25 kilograms to the overall gross operational weight of up to 160 kilograms. Besides the driver, the scooter can transport up to 50 kilograms of payload that is evenly distributed between the front and rear wheels. This relationship between net weight and payload capacity is unattained by any other powered vehicle. The ratio of comparative energy use between the ETS and small cars is 1:40. A mobile solar-powered charging system has been developed to charge an intermediate buffer battery which, in turn, slowly recharges the main battery of the ETS over time. This development shows that a completely emissions-free, short-distance alternative mode of transportation with minimal energy consumption is, in fact, feasible.