Upstream vs. Downstream E-Mobility Solutions
February 9, 2023
I finished reading a brilliant book recently, titled Upstream, by Dan Heath. Given my work and interest in sustainable mobility, I thought it was worth noting the upstream vs. downstream approaches to e-mobility.
In its simplest form, moving upstream to solve challenges is difficult, because it's proactive. So many issues in an organization and in our society are handled downstream, in reaction to a problem. The recent surge of banning e-scooters and e-bikes is a downstream solution; the problem with a downstream solution such as a ban is that it doesn't consider the reason that people use these newer e-mobility devices in the first place.
For every bad news story that you see, there are thousands of good stories of individuals using e-scooters and e-bikes to move around more freely, save time and money, for some joy, to be more active, and have a more positive impact on our planet than a carbon emitting vehicle.
Just as micromobility adoption has increased, unfortunately, so have deaths and injuries - including in fires, due to the charging of batteries that are used, poorly made, or improperly charged. If we stay downstream, it's so much easier to say “e-bikes are hazardous because of battery fires” and “e-scooters are dangerous because people are careless and run into pedestrians or are getting hit by cars.” A quick fix is placing a ban. Again, going upstream is more difficult, but more rewarding for us all in the long run. Going upstream is recognizing that our transportation infrastructure and systems are not working for all of us, and appropriate space is not carved out for all types of mobility.
1 of the 3 barriers to upstream thinking that Heath describes is "problem blindness." The problem is that most of our public space in the US is designed for the movement and parking of large, heavy, and fast vehicles, but it's so engrained into our culture and psyche as normal. #2 is "lack of ownership." If no one owns solving the problem in your community or organization, then nothing happens, and whoever is in charge often are forced to make a careless reaction and place a ban. #3 is "tunneling," which we can all relate to, because when time and money are in short supply, nothing else matters in the bigger picture. In this respect, upstream vs. downstream is similar to long-term vs. short-term planning.
Launching a new transportation service is complex. It requires planning and systems thinking - essentially the work of transportation planners and the guiding principle of the 5 E's: engineering, education, enforcement, encouragement, and evaluation. The venture capital backed e-scooter pioneers that launched in 2018 did not take this approach and instead chose an aggressive approach to launching these new mobility devices, because they were incentivized to launch quickly and spend as much money as possible, with the hopes of capturing the lion share of this new market.
Because of this approach, there have been many issues that have surfaced with shared e-scooters. So it's understandable, but also disappointing that we are seeing knee-jerk reactions from public authorities, college campuses, and private condos/apartments, banning e-scooters and/or e-bikes. Instead of being proactive and creating solutions, placing a ban further restricts people’s mobility and freedom to move without a car, which again ignores the problem in the first place. Instead of staying downstream, we should develop solutions and create the opportunity for these new transportation technologies to evolve in a way that is safe and accessible for all.
Here's what I believe are some upstream solutions we need, to start:
More publicly accessible and secure e-bike and e-scooter charging hubs
More secure parking and storage options within all types of buildings: office, residential, mixed-use, and retail, and proof that your building is doing so with ActiveScore
Pass local legislation that makes old, unsafe batteries illegal (ideally fueling more battery recycling ventures).
Educational programs to promote battery handling best practices.
Require shared e-scooter companies to run trainings for first-time riders.
More pop-up bike lanes and quick build infrastructure.
More short and longer term rental/sharing systems, so that people have options if they do not have the upfront capital for an e-bike or e-scooter purchase, and if they do not have the space or are concerned about their safety when charging these vehicles.
Sure, this will not solve all of the issues, but for example, if you’re a property manager in New York, or elsewhere, instead of banning e-bikes and e-scooters from your buildings, why not create a safe way for people to store and charge these vehicles? There are endless options out there now if you do the hard work and move past the 3 barriers to upstream thinking.
If you think I'm missing anything or have a different view on things, I'd love to hear from you!
I would be remiss to mention who gave me the book, Upstream. Thanks Dad (Terry Reed)!
