When the comparison site Prisjakt looked at the most popular electric scooters that private individuals clicked on, few live up to the requirements to be classified as a bike. That is, it runs at a maximum speed of 20 km/h and has a power of 250 watts. If it is more powerful than that, it is classified as a moped, or even a motorcycle.
Do not want to state
Most retailers that SVT Nyheter Skåne has been in contact with do not want to state what type of electric scooters are sold the most. However, Elgiganten states that the distribution is about 50-50 between those classified as bicycles and those classified as mopeds.
See more about how the companies market the electric scooters in the clip above.
There are no restrictions on selling or buying electric scooters that are more powerful than a bicycle. Retailers believe they have done enough by communicating the rules.
When SVT Nyheter Skåne went through the electric scooters on Netonnet's website, only two out of fifteen electric scooters were allowed to be driven as a bicycle.
– The responsibility for using them must lie with the individual, says Kristina Wärmare, Head of Communications at Netonnet.
No new guidelines yet
On Elgiganten's website, SVT found several products that lacked information about what watts their motors have.
"In cases where we don't have it, we'll correct it," says Tony Ottebjer Winkler, Operations Manager at Elgiganten.
In 2021, the Swedish Transport Agency handed over an investigation to the Ministry of Infrastructure in which they propose to remove the 250 watt limit for electric scooters. But the politicians have not yet given any changed guidelines for it.