Commuting by car can be one of the most stressful daily activities. This is primarily due to factors such as the unpredictability of congestion, roadworks, and even changing weather conditions. According to TomTom’s Traffic Index Rating, commuters in Istanbul, Turkey—which ranked highest in the survey for congestion—spent 142 hours in traffic in 2021, an 11% rise on 2020’s results.
Sitting in traffic so long can cause all sorts of problems—such as a lack of productivity, lateness, and health issues—so it’s no surprise that commuters are looking for alternatives. Electric scooters (e-scooters) represent one such option that has been gaining attention. The US e-scooter market was valued at US$20.78bn in 2021 and is expected to grow at a CAGR of 7.8% between 2022 and 2030. One company jockeying for a slice of this market is start-up Nimbus, founded in 2018. The Nimbus One prototype, which is classed in the US as an 'autocycle', is a three-wheeled vehicle combining the characteristics of a scooter and a tiny car. It specifically targets a city-based audience frustrated with using a traditional passenger car.
