Electric kick-scooters banned from public transport in Bavaria

In Bavaria, the Augsburg Transport and Tariff Association will ban the use of electric kick-scooters from 8 April onwards. In Munich, the ban went into force on 2 April.

Elsewhere in Germany, a ban is in preparation in Nuremberg. The ban is based on a recommendation by the Association of German Transport Companies (VDV). Until now, the German state of North Rhine-Westphalia was the only state to ban these light electric vehicles from public transport.

The VDV has recommended a ban for fear of fire outbreaks on German public transport. According to the Munich transport authority, the recommendation was prompted by fires involving these light electric vehicles on public transport in other European countries. The transport authority says the studies undertaken were focussed on passenger safety regarding the risk of “battery fires in electric pedal scooters, for which there are currently no uniform safety standards.”

There is some pushback from electric scooter operators who criticise that the VDV had not consulted any external experts on rechargeable batteries in making its decision and that there had been no consultation with the Federal Motor Transport Authority (KBA), the Federal Ministry of Transport, or the TÜV.

Electric bikes, electric wheelchairs and mobility scooters for the elderly are not affected by the measure. The Bavarian public transport authorities maintain that these vehicles meet higher safety standards.

Update 25 April 2024

Berlin has now opted to follow suit with the other German cities and is banning the transport of electric scooters on public transport. The local public transport operator BVG announced that it will implement the corresponding recommendation of the Association of German Transport Companies (VDV) on 1 May, just in time for summer.

From this date, the use of electric scooters in BVG vehicles and underground stations in the capital will be prohibited for the time being.
Fire safety experts had previously criticised insufficient norms and safety standards for the lithium-ion batteries used in these vehicles.

br.de, spiegel.de (both in German), mvg.de, bvg.de (update in German, Berlin)