Interview: practitioners on transit & micromobility

By 2025, the UK's shared micromobility sector has grown to over 500,000 active monthly users across e-scooter and e-bike programmes, yet industry insiders estimate that fewer than 15% of fleet operators have implemented comprehensive lifecycle carbon accounting. This disconnect between adoption metrics and sustainability rigour reveals the central tension practitioners face: scaling rapidly while meeting increasingly stringent buyer requirements shaped by emerging regulatory frameworks.

Why It Matters

The UK transport sector accounts for approximately 26% of domestic greenhouse gas emissions, making it the largest emitting sector in the economy. Within this context, micromobility—encompassing shared e-scooters, e-bikes, and cargo bikes—represents both a decarbonisation opportunity and a complex sustainability challenge that extends far beyond tailpipe emissions.

According to Department for Transport data released in late 2024, e-scooter trial zones across 32 UK cities logged over 35 million trips since inception, with Manchester, Bristol, and the West Midlands demonstrating the highest adoption rates. The Transport Research Laboratory's 2024 assessment found that approximately 23% of shared e-scooter trips genuinely replaced car journeys—a figure that challenges both optimistic industry claims and dismissive critiques.

"The conversation has fundamentally shifted," explains Dr. Sarah Whitmore, a transport sustainability researcher at Imperial College London. "Two years ago, we debated whether micromobility reduced emissions at all. Now, the question is how we verify those reductions to standards that satisfy procurement teams, investors, and regulators simultaneously."

This maturation reflects broader pressures. The Corporate Sustainability Reporting Directive (CSRD), while an EU regulation, directly impacts UK firms with European operations or supply chain relationships. Major UK transit authorities, including Transport for Greater Manchester and Transport for London, have begun embedding carbon disclosure requirements into tender processes. Meanwhile, institutional investors managing over £2.3 trillion in UK assets have committed to net-zero portfolios, creating downstream pressure on mobility ventures seeking growth capital.

The stakes are substantial. UK cities collectively plan to invest over £5.7 billion in sustainable transport infrastructure between 2024 and 2030, according to Urban Transport Group projections. Micromobility operators, hardware manufacturers, and software platforms positioning themselves as credible sustainability partners stand to capture significant market share—but only if they can substantiate their claims.

Key Concepts

Understanding the emerging standards shaping buyer requirements demands fluency in several interconnected frameworks and concepts:

Digital Product Passport (DPP): A digital record containing comprehensive information about a product's materials, manufacturing origins, carbon footprint, repairability, and end-of-life recyclability. The EU's Ecodesign for Sustainable Products Regulation mandates DPPs for batteries by 2027, directly affecting e-scooter and e-bike manufacturers. UK-based operators must prepare for equivalent requirements, as the UK government has signalled intentions to develop parallel standards. For micromobility fleets, DPPs will eventually trace each vehicle from lithium extraction through to battery recycling, creating unprecedented transparency.

Corporate Sustainability Reporting Directive (CSRD): The EU's comprehensive sustainability disclosure framework requiring detailed environmental, social, and governance reporting. Though UK companies are not directly subject to CSRD, those with EU subsidiaries, significant EU revenue, or EU-listed securities must comply. For UK micromobility firms eyeing European expansion or serving multinational corporate clients, CSRD-aligned reporting has become a de facto market access requirement.

Carbon Offsets: Purchased credits representing emissions reductions or removals achieved elsewhere, used to compensate for an organisation's residual emissions. In micromobility, offsets remain controversial. "We see operators claiming carbon neutrality through offset purchases while ignoring the embedded carbon in their fleets," notes James Chen, sustainability director at a major UK transit consultancy. "Sophisticated buyers now demand visibility into offset quality—vintage, additionality, permanence—and increasingly favour insetting over offsetting."

Scope 3 Emissions: Indirect emissions occurring in a company's value chain, both upstream (e.g., manufacturing, raw materials) and downstream (e.g., product use, end-of-life treatment). For micromobility operators, Scope 3 typically comprises 70-85% of total lifecycle emissions, primarily from vehicle manufacturing and battery production. Accurate Scope 3 accounting has emerged as the critical capability separating credible operators from those relying on narrow, operational-only carbon claims.

CAPEX (Capital Expenditure): Funds used to acquire, upgrade, or maintain physical assets. In micromobility, CAPEX decisions—fleet composition, charging infrastructure, maintenance facilities—lock in emissions profiles for 3-5 years. Forward-thinking operators now model carbon intensity alongside financial returns, recognising that today's CAPEX choices determine tomorrow's compliance costs and market positioning.

What's Working and What Isn't

What's Working

Integrated Fleet Management Systems with Real-Time Carbon Tracking: Several UK operators have deployed telematics platforms that calculate per-trip emissions savings based on actual journey characteristics, local traffic data, and grid carbon intensity at charging times. Voi Technology's UK operations, for instance, publish quarterly carbon impact reports verified by third-party auditors, enabling corporate clients to incorporate micromobility into their Scope 3 inventories with confidence.

Battery Lifecycle Management Partnerships: Progressive operators have established closed-loop relationships with battery recyclers and second-life applications. Tier Mobility's partnership with UK-based battery recycling firm Ecobat demonstrates how operators can extend value chains while documenting end-of-life carbon outcomes. These arrangements satisfy DPP requirements ahead of regulatory deadlines and create differentiated positioning in procurement processes.

Collaborative Data Sharing with Local Authorities: The West Midlands Combined Authority's micromobility data-sharing framework exemplifies emerging best practice. Operators provide anonymised trip data enabling authorities to quantify mode shift, while authorities share traffic flow and air quality data supporting more accurate impact claims. This bidirectional transparency builds trust and facilitates longer-term concession agreements.

Modular Vehicle Design for Repairability: Beryl's UK bike-share fleet demonstrates how designing for component-level repair reduces lifecycle emissions while improving unit economics. Their in-house maintenance model, employing over 150 technicians across UK cities, extends vehicle lifespans to 5+ years—roughly double the industry average—while generating local employment and skills development.

What Isn't Working

Greenwashing Through Narrow System Boundaries: Operators claiming carbon neutrality based solely on operational emissions, while ignoring manufacturing and end-of-life impacts, face growing scrutiny. The UK Competition and Markets Authority's Green Claims Code provides enforcement teeth, and several micromobility marketing claims have attracted regulatory attention. "The gap between headline claims and verified lifecycle assessments is often 400-500%," observes one industry auditor.

Offset-Heavy Decarbonisation Strategies: Reliance on purchased offsets, particularly forestry credits with questionable additionality, has become a liability. Corporate procurement teams, influenced by guidance from the Science Based Targets initiative and the Voluntary Carbon Markets Integrity Initiative, increasingly specify that offsets cannot constitute more than 10-15% of claimed reductions. Operators without credible emission reduction pathways—independent of offsets—find themselves excluded from major tenders.

Fragmented Charging Infrastructure Creating Grid Strain: The rush to deploy charging points without coordination with distribution network operators has created localised grid constraints in several UK cities. Unmanaged charging during peak demand periods undermines emissions claims when marginal grid carbon intensity is highest. Smart charging protocols exist but adoption remains inconsistent, with smaller operators particularly struggling to invest in necessary software and hardware upgrades.

Key Players

Established Leaders

Lime: The global micromobility leader operates e-scooters and e-bikes across multiple UK cities, having secured long-term agreements with several local authorities. Their sustainability reporting aligns with GRI standards, and they've committed to 100% renewable energy for charging by 2025.

Voi Technology: The Swedish operator has established significant UK presence through e-scooter trial programmes in Birmingham, Bristol, Liverpool, and other cities. Voi's transparent carbon accounting and third-party verification set industry benchmarks for sustainability disclosure.

Tier Mobility: This Berlin-based operator runs UK programmes while pioneering battery swapping models that reduce vehicle downtime and enable more efficient charging. Their climate-neutral operations claim undergoes annual external audit.

Dott: Operating in London and other UK cities, Dott emphasises vehicle longevity and local employment, with maintenance hubs creating skilled jobs while extending fleet lifespans beyond industry norms.

Transport for London (TfL): While not an operator, TfL shapes the UK micromobility landscape through franchise requirements, infrastructure investment, and integration standards that influence operator practices nationwide.

Emerging Startups

Beryl: This UK-founded bike-share operator has grown from Cambridge origins to operate in multiple cities, differentiating through British design, manufacturing partnerships, and community-focused deployment models.

HumanForest: London-based HumanForest pioneered advertising-subsidised e-bike sharing, aiming to make sustainable transport economically accessible while building a distinctive brand around environmental messaging.

Zoomo: Specialising in e-bikes for commercial delivery fleets, Zoomo addresses last-mile logistics emissions while providing comprehensive lifecycle management for business customers.

Swiftmile: This charging infrastructure provider develops solar-powered mobility hubs, addressing the intersection of charging access and renewable energy integration that sophisticated operators increasingly demand.

Coco: Focused on cargo bike logistics, Coco targets commercial decarbonisation, helping businesses replace van deliveries with zero-emission alternatives while providing verified emissions data for customer sustainability reporting.

Key Investors & Funders

Innovate UK: The government innovation agency has provided significant grant funding for micromobility trials, charging infrastructure, and battery technology development, shaping the sector's growth trajectory.

Clean Growth Fund: This UK impact investor, backed by institutional capital, targets climate-positive transport solutions, providing growth capital to scaling micromobility ventures meeting rigorous sustainability criteria.

Sustainable Ventures: Operating from London, this climate-tech investor and accelerator has supported numerous mobility startups, combining capital with operational expertise in sustainability-focused sectors.

British Business Bank: Through various programmes, the government-backed bank provides debt and equity financing to high-growth UK businesses, including mobility ventures meeting green finance criteria.

InfraRed Capital Partners: This infrastructure investor has allocated significant capital to sustainable transport, including EV charging and micromobility infrastructure, applying institutional-grade ESG assessment to investment decisions.

Examples

Birmingham E-Scooter Programme Carbon Verification: Transport for West Midlands partnered with the Energy Systems Catapult to develop a comprehensive carbon assessment methodology for its e-scooter trial. The 2024 evaluation found verified annual emissions savings of 2,340 tonnes CO2e, based on rigorous mode shift surveys rather than assumed displacement rates. The methodology accounted for vehicle manufacturing amortisation, charging emissions using half-hourly grid carbon data, and maintenance impacts—setting a template now being adopted by other UK authorities.

London Cargo Bike Logistics Hub: The Cross River Partnership's central London consolidation centre demonstrates commercial micromobility potential. Operating since 2023, the facility processes over 500,000 parcels annually using cargo bikes for final delivery, achieving measured emissions reductions of 87% compared to diesel van equivalents. Crucially, participating retailers receive quarterly carbon reports formatted for direct incorporation into Scope 3 inventories, meeting CSRD-aligned disclosure requirements.

Manchester Bike Share Fleet Lifecycle Extension Programme: Working with Greater Manchester Combined Authority, operator Beryl implemented a comprehensive refurbishment programme extending average fleet lifespan from 2.8 to 5.2 years. Lifecycle carbon assessment showed 43% reduction in per-trip emissions compared to standard replacement cycles. The programme created 45 skilled maintenance jobs while reducing CAPEX requirements by £1.8 million annually—demonstrating that sustainability and economics can align when procurement looks beyond upfront unit costs.

Action Checklist

• Conduct comprehensive Scope 3 emissions inventory covering vehicle manufacturing, battery production, charging, maintenance, and end-of-life treatment
• Implement real-time carbon tracking integrated with fleet management systems, using location-specific grid carbon intensity data
• Establish battery lifecycle partnerships with verified recyclers and second-life application providers
• Develop Digital Product Passport readiness plan, cataloguing data requirements and system capabilities
• Review marketing claims against CMA Green Claims Code requirements, ensuring substantiation for all environmental statements
• Create carbon disclosure templates aligned with CSRD European Sustainability Reporting Standards for client reporting
• Assess offset portfolio quality against VCMI and ICVCM criteria, planning transition from offsets to verified reductions
• Engage with local distribution network operators on smart charging protocols to minimise grid-carbon-intensive charging periods
• Build mode shift measurement capability using survey methodologies validated by transport research institutions
• Design vehicle procurement specifications prioritising repairability, longevity, and documented component provenance

FAQ

Q: How do UK micromobility operators demonstrate genuine emissions reductions to corporate procurement teams? A: Credible demonstration requires third-party verified lifecycle carbon assessments using recognised methodologies such as PAS 2050 or ISO 14067. Operators should provide granular data showing Scope 1, 2, and 3 emissions separately, with transparent methodology documentation. Mode shift claims must be substantiated through robust survey evidence rather than assumptions. Leading operators now offer carbon accounting integration, enabling corporate clients to incorporate verified trip emissions data directly into their own sustainability reporting systems.

Q: What standards will shape UK micromobility sustainability requirements over the next three years? A: The EU's Digital Product Passport requirements for batteries (effective 2027) will affect any operator using vehicles manufactured for European markets. UK equivalents are under development. CSRD, while EU regulation, creates de facto requirements for UK firms serving European clients or seeking European expansion. The UK Transition Plan Taskforce framework increasingly influences investor expectations, while the Science Based Targets initiative's transport sector guidance shapes credible net-zero pathway definitions.

Q: How should operators balance upfront CAPEX with lifecycle carbon performance? A: Forward-thinking operators model total cost of ownership including carbon costs—whether through internal carbon pricing, anticipated regulatory costs, or procurement advantage. Vehicles with higher upfront costs but extended lifespans and superior repairability typically deliver better financial and carbon outcomes over 5-year horizons. Battery specification decisions prove particularly consequential; lower-capacity batteries with more charge cycles often outperform higher-capacity alternatives when lifecycle emissions are properly accounted.

Q: What distinguishes high-quality carbon offsets from problematic ones in micromobility contexts? A: Quality indicators include vintage (recent removals preferred), additionality (projects wouldn't exist without offset finance), permanence (long-term carbon storage assurance), verification standard (Gold Standard and Verra with appropriate safeguards), and co-benefits documentation. Sophisticated buyers increasingly favour carbon removal over avoidance credits, and insetting—emissions reductions within the operator's own value chain—over external offset purchases. Offsets should complement, not substitute for, operational emissions reductions.

Q: How can smaller operators meet emerging sustainability requirements without enterprise-scale resources? A: Industry collaborations offer efficient pathways. The CoMoUK shared mobility association provides resources and frameworks accessible to smaller operators. Standardised carbon accounting tools, including several UK-developed SaaS platforms, reduce the need for bespoke methodology development. Partnerships with academic institutions can provide verification capabilities at reduced cost. Some larger operators offer white-label sustainability reporting services, enabling smaller firms to leverage established infrastructure.

Sources

• Department for Transport, "E-Scooter Trials: Quarterly Statistics," Q4 2024 Release, UK Government Statistics
• Transport Research Laboratory, "Micromobility Mode Shift Assessment: Evidence Synthesis," 2024
• Urban Transport Group, "UK City Region Transport Investment Plans 2024-2030," December 2024
• European Commission, "Ecodesign for Sustainable Products Regulation: Battery Requirements," Official Journal of the European Union, 2024
• Competition and Markets Authority, "Green Claims Code: Guidance for Businesses," Updated 2024
• Science Based Targets initiative, "Transport Sector Science-Based Target Setting Guidance," Version 2.0, 2024
• Energy Systems Catapult, "Micromobility Carbon Assessment Methodology: West Midlands Case Study," 2024
• UK Transition Plan Taskforce, "Disclosure Framework and Implementation Guidance," 2024