Segway is on a mission to understand the full environmental impact of its e-scooters.
As part of its commitment, the global vehicle solution provider has been awarded the Life Cycle Assessment (LCA) Verification Statement for one of its newest shared e-scooter models – the D110.
The LCA is a systematic analysis of a product’s environmental impact and is awarded by the leading international testing and certification organisation TÜV SÜD.
This confirms that Segway’s D110 model meets the ISO 14040 and 14044 international standards for life cycle assessment.
The verification comes after the provider was awarded an LCA for its Max Plus X and Max S90L models – what was the world’s first LCA Verification Statement for shared e-scooters.
Segway has been consistently committed to understanding and refining its products long before its assessment last year. But the LCA process has shed further light on the impact of the raw material extraction stage, which was found to be the greatest contributor to their Product Carbon Footprint.
“The Apex D110 shared e-scooter highlights our commitment to combining technological innovation with environmental consideration, providing solutions that address both operational needs and the Sustainable Development Goals,” Yao Yao, Strategic Product Manager of Segway-Ninebot’s Commercial Mobility Business Division, tells Zag Daily.
The Global Warming impact category
The LCA Verification Statement covers the D110’s “cradle-to-gate” stages. These are: raw material, manufacturing, and the distribution stage.
Each stage was measured according to 18 focused impact categories such as Global Warming, Stratospheric Ozone Depletion, Mineral Resource Scarcity, and Human Carcinogenic Toxicity.
The Global Warming impact category is one of the most influential data points of the LCA. Across the raw material, manufacturing stage and distribution stage, the D110’s total carbon emissions is 368 kg CO2-eq. Of that, the raw material stage contributed 96.2%, while the manufacturing stage contributed 1.42%, and the distribution stage 2.38%.
For Segway’s S90L e-scooter, the raw material stage contributed 97.72% of the vehicle’s total carbon emissions, meaning Segway has reduced the contribution of this stage with the D110.
Through its in-house design, the vehicle solution provider has achieved this by using more recycled metals and plastics, including Polycarbonate & Acrylonitrile Butadiene Styrene (PC-ABS) and Polypropylene.
Leading by example
Segway is now directly targeting the raw materials that contribute significant carbon emissions during extraction.
As Segway does this, it aims to focus on greener raw materials across its entire product range and incorporate more recycled metals and plastics.
The provider is already making headway on this. In one vehicle, over half of the total plastic weight is made up of recycled plastics – a milestone figure for the company. Additionally, Segway has utilised recycled metal for 41% of the vehicle’s total metal weight.
Segway says that by integrating recycled materials into its shared e-scooter models, it has demonstrated its ability to maintain high-quality performance while focusing on achieving an environmentally-conscious lifecycle.
Moving forward, Segway aims to continue increasing the use of recycled materials in more e-scooter and e-bike models to reduce its reliance on virgin resources and lower its environmental impact.
Segway is prioritising the use of greener energy in many areas of the raw material stage, such as by relying on electricity sourced from renewable resources.
It will further assess how to reduce emissions across its supply chain to minimise the impact of its manufacturing and distribution stages, and is actively encouraging its suppliers to do the same.
As it continues to double down on its environmental management policies, Segway is aiming to lead by example by evolving its production processes and techniques and encouraging similar proactive climate action across its clients and the entire industry.
“As the outcomes of COP29 inspire the global community to accelerate climate action, Segway remains committed to leading the micromobility industry toward a more sustainable future,” says Yao Yao.
