A message from Marco Sants, Lifty Electric
My name is Marco Sants, and I have worked in the Irish electric-scooter and electric-bike industry for many years.
At Lifty Electric, we have seen how electric scooters can change people’s lives. They can reduce commuting costs, help people reach work, connect riders with public transport and replace short car journeys.
They are practical, enjoyable and potentially much more environmentally responsible than using a large petrol or diesel vehicle for every small journey.
But electric scooters are not toys.
They are powered vehicles used around pedestrians, cyclists, buses, cars and other road users. That means freedom must come with responsibility.
I do not believe Ireland should ban electric scooters. I believe Ireland should take them more seriously.
Why electric scooters matter
Electric scooters offer something very valuable: simple and accessible personal transport.
A rider can avoid sitting in traffic, reduce dependence on taxis, reach a bus or train more easily and travel without searching for parking.
They also bring genuine enjoyment. People are more likely to adopt sustainable transport when it is convenient, affordable and pleasant to use.
Of course, electric scooters still have an environmental footprint. Batteries, manufacturing, electricity use, maintenance and product lifespan all matter. However, a well-maintained scooter used to replace regular short car journeys can form part of a cleaner and less congested transport system.
The answer is not to remove scooters from Irish roads.
The answer is to regulate them properly.
Current Irish electric-scooter law
Ireland now permits qualifying electric scooters to be used on public roads, but only when the rider and vehicle satisfy the applicable requirements.
The current public-road category generally requires:
- a maximum design speed of 20 km/h;
- maximum continuous rated motor power of 400 W;
- maximum unladen weight of 25 kg;
- a minimum rider age of 16;
- one rider only;
- effective brakes;
- appropriate lights and reflectors;
- an audible warning device;
- a safe and roadworthy vehicle.
Riders must follow the Rules of the Road. They must not normally ride on footpaths, carry passengers, use a handheld mobile phone or operate a scooter while impaired.
A scooter does not automatically become compliant simply because its display has been limited to 20 km/h. Power, weight, construction and safety equipment must also be considered.
These rules are an important beginning, but in my view, they do not fully address the realities of the Irish market.
Why the current rules need improving
The existing rules focus heavily on speed, power and weight.
Those limits are easy to understand on paper, but real riders are not all the same.
A 400 W scooter may work perfectly well for a lighter rider travelling across flat ground. The same scooter may struggle when carrying a heavier adult uphill, especially in a city with steep gradients.
When a motor lacks sufficient power for the rider and terrain, it may slow dramatically on a hill, place more strain on its electrical components and leave the rider moving unpredictably around traffic.
This does not mean that every powerful scooter should be permitted on public roads.
It means Ireland should study whether power should be regulated together with:
- maximum road speed;
- rider and vehicle weight;
- braking performance;
- gradient performance;
- tyre size;
- stability;
- certification;
- intended vehicle category.
Dual motors can also help a suitable vehicle climb hills more consistently. However, dual-motor vehicles require proper classification because they may be considerably heavier and more powerful.
Power and speed are related, but they are not the same thing.
A vehicle can have enough torque to carry a heavier rider up a hill while still being electronically and legally limited to an appropriate road speed. Future regulation should recognise that distinction.
What Ireland can learn from Spain
Spain has moved towards a more structured model for personal mobility vehicles.
Its system includes technical certification, owner and vehicle registration, identifying labels and compulsory third-party insurance. Registration can be completed online, and Spain has also created processes for ownership transfers and the removal of vehicles from the register.
Ireland does not need to copy every Spanish rule.
However, the Spanish approach demonstrates that electric scooters can be treated as a recognised vehicle category rather than anonymous consumer products.
In my view, Ireland should introduce:
- mandatory helmets;
- a national scooter-registration system;
- visible identification labels;
- registered owners;
- registered sellers;
- stronger product certification;
- insurance for heavier or separately classified vehicles;
- formal second-hand ownership transfers.
This would protect responsible riders while making it easier to act against dangerous behaviour.
My vision for registration and accountability
I believe every electric scooter used in a public place should be connected to a secure digital record.
Registration could be completed by an authorised retailer at the point of purchase and should take no more than a few minutes.
The registration record could include:
- the owner’s verified identity;
- the scooter’s make and model;
- its serial number;
- date of purchase;
- maximum design speed;
- continuous rated motor power;
- vehicle weight;
- authorised seller number;
- insurance status, where required.
The rider could receive a digital registration document and a unique vehicle-identification number.
During an appropriate Garda checkpoint, the rider could present the registration document together with photo identification. Gardaí could verify that the rider, vehicle and registration details match.
The public identification label should not display the owner’s home address or other sensitive information. Personal data should remain protected and available only to authorised bodies for legitimate purposes.
A secure system could also record legally imposed warnings, penalty notices or offences.
Where a person repeatedly breaks the law, Gardaí would be able to see previous enforcement action rather than treating every incident as the rider’s first offence.
Such a system would need:
- strong data protection;
- transparent rules;
- correction and appeal procedures;
- protection for innocent owners;
- proper legal oversight;
- safeguards against misuse.
Done correctly, Ireland could become a European leader in intelligent micromobility regulation.
Responsible retailers and unsafe imports
Powered vehicles should not be sold anonymously.
Any business selling electric scooters or electric bikes into Ireland should be registered and receive a unique authorised-seller number.
That number should appear on:
- the retailer’s website;
- the product listing;
- the customer’s invoice;
- the registration record;
- warranty documents.
I believe public-road vehicles should be supplied by legitimate retailers that can provide proper after-sales support, accurate specifications and access to repairs.
That does not necessarily mean prohibiting every legitimate online transaction. It means prohibiting sellers that refuse to meet Irish safety, registration, traceability and consumer-protection requirements.
Overseas companies should not be allowed to advertise unsuitable products as road legal in Ireland, deliver them directly to customers and then disappear when something goes wrong.
Online marketplaces should verify that sellers are authorised and that listings accurately display:
- maximum speed;
- motor power;
- vehicle weight;
- certification;
- intended legal category;
- responsible seller details;
- warranty provider.
Responsible Irish shops should not carry the cost of compliance while anonymous overseas sellers operate without accountability.
When accidents happen involving products purchased elsewhere, local retailers are often expected to explain the vehicle, repair it or defend the entire industry.
That is not a fair or sustainable system.
Lifty’s safety philosophy
At Lifty Electric, safety is not an afterthought.
We consistently encourage customers to use:
- an appropriate helmet;
- gloves;
- visible clothing;
- suitable footwear;
- eye protection;
- stronger protective equipment for higher-risk riding.
We explain speed, power, weight and technical specifications clearly on our website so customers can make informed decisions.
We also believe riders should maintain their brakes, tyres, lights, folding mechanisms and steering systems.
Selling a scooter should not simply mean accepting payment and handing over a box.
A responsible retailer should be part of the safety chain between the manufacturer, the customer and the authorities.
Our goal has always been to improve people’s lives through electric transport—not to cause harm or place unsuitable products on Irish roads.
Lifty has been involved in Ireland’s electric-scooter market since its early development, and we are ready to share the practical knowledge we have gained from customers, repairs, products and real-world riding conditions.
AI and the future of safer riding
Lifty is also exploring a project involving artificial intelligence and connected safety technology.
The long-term concept is to examine how intelligent systems could help manage:
- speed in designated areas;
- dangerous rider behaviour;
- pedestrian zones;
- repeated misuse;
- location-based restrictions;
- vehicle condition;
- urban safety data.
AI-assisted safety and collision-avoidance research already demonstrates the potential for technology to predict pedestrian movement and help reduce conflicts in busy environments.
This technology must be developed responsibly. It would require privacy protection, proper testing, transparent operation and government oversight.
We are not presenting it as a finished national solution today.
We are saying that practical solutions are possible when government, safety authorities, responsible retailers, engineers and riders work together.
An open invitation to the Irish Government
My message to the Irish Government is friendly and straightforward:
Talk to the people who work with these vehicles every day.
Lifty Electric is ready to assist the Department of Transport, the Road Safety Authority, An Garda Síochána and other public bodies that genuinely want to improve electric-scooter safety.
The RSA has engaged with us before, and we would welcome further discussion.
We can provide practical insight into:
- motor power and rider weight;
- hills and real-world performance;
- braking systems;
- tyre safety;
- common product faults;
- misleading specifications;
- customer behaviour;
- unsafe imports;
- repairability;
- retailer accountability;
- registration technology;
- AI-assisted safety concepts.
If Ireland genuinely wants to reduce accidents, the country needs legislation that tackles the full market—not only the rider who happens to be stopped on the road.
Government must also address the origin of unsafe vehicles, false advertising and unaccountable overseas sales.
Electric scooters can remain fun, affordable and environmentally responsible.
But they must be sold responsibly, registered properly and used safely.
Frequently asked questions
Does Marco want electric scooters banned?
No. I want electric scooters recognised as legitimate transport and regulated properly.
Should helmets be mandatory?
In my opinion, yes. Even a fall at 20 km/h can cause a serious head injury.
Should every scooter have registration?
I believe every scooter used in a public place should have a secure digital registration record and a visible identification number.
Should every online sale be banned?
No. Legitimate sellers that meet Irish safety, registration and accountability requirements should be able to operate. The target should be non-compliant and anonymous sellers.
Why question the 400 W limit?
Because rider weight and terrain affect performance. A lighter rider on flat ground and a heavier rider climbing a hill do not place the same demand on a motor. Ireland should examine power together with speed, weight, braking and certification.
Does greater power automatically mean greater legal speed?
No. Motor power affects torque and hill-climbing ability as well as speed. Future rules could examine these characteristics separately.
Should heavier scooters require insurance?
I believe any future public-road category for vehicles over 25 kg should require registration and third-party insurance. Insurance should not, however, make an otherwise prohibited vehicle automatically legal.
Final conclusion
Electric scooters are already part of Irish transport.
The question is no longer whether they exist.
The question is whether Ireland will build a system that supports responsible riders, protects pedestrians, rewards legitimate retailers and prevents unsafe products from entering the market.
My recommendations are simple:
Keep the freedom. Add the responsibility.
Require helmets.
Register vehicles and owners.
Identify legitimate sellers.
Improve enforcement.
Control unsafe imports.
Recognise that power, rider weight and terrain are connected.
Use technology intelligently.
Most importantly, bring experienced people from the industry into the conversation.
At Lifty Electric, we are ready to help.
Marco Sants
Lifty Electric, Dublin
This article contains personal policy recommendations and general information. It does not constitute legal advice. Readers should check the latest official Irish legislation and Road Safety Authority guidance before purchasing or using an electric scooter.
