Unlocking new roles for electric scooter batteries in smart cities

As cities around the world strive toward net-zero carbon emissions, one key challenge remains: how to integrate clean transportation with smart energy systems.

In a study published in Sustainable Cities and Society, a research team led by Associate Professor I-Yun Lisa Hsieh at National Taiwan University reveals that electric scooters—already a staple of urban mobility in Taiwan—may hold untapped potential for supporting the power grid.

The team focused on battery-swapping stations, a distinctive feature of Taiwan’s e-scooter ecosystem. These stations allow riders to quickly exchange depleted batteries for fully charged ones, increasing convenience and encouraging widespread adoption. But the researchers saw an opportunity that extends beyond mobility: what if these stations could also function as decentralized energy storage units?

By modeling the integration of these stations into the urban power system, the team explored their potential within a Vehicle-to-Grid (V2G) strategy. This approach allows batteries to store surplus electricity—such as from solar power during midday—and discharge it back to the grid when demand peaks.

While V2G has been widely explored for electric cars, this is among the first studies to examine its use for two-wheeled transport.

The findings were encouraging. Incorporating V2G into Taiwan’s battery-swapping infrastructure enhanced energy resilience, enabling many stations to operate independently during peak hours and significantly reducing pressure on the grid.

“We discovered that using V2G alone doesn’t necessarily reduce carbon emissions,” says Prof. I-Yun Lisa Hsieh. “Without an emissions-focused control strategy, it can even make things worse.”

The team recommends integrating emission management into the system—even if it requires accepting small trade-offs, such as a modest increase in peak electricity use.

Another interesting finding came from the comparison of urban and rural settings. With more idle batteries on hand, rural stations outperformed their urban counterparts in managing energy flows and reducing costs. This suggests that V2G systems can be effective not only in dense cities but also in smaller towns and less populated regions.

“This study demonstrates that electric scooter infrastructure can be more than a mobility solution,” said Prof. I-Yun Lisa Hsieh. “With smart management, it becomes a valuable tool for cleaner, more resilient urban energy systems.”