Following a two-year shift duration, the city of Beijing has actually imposed an overall restriction on low-speed electrical 3- and four-wheeled lorries on roadways and in public parking lot starting Monday.
Called laotoule or “senior movement scooters,” these cars do not need a motorist’s license or registration plates. And on the popular e-commerce platform Taobao, they are priced in between 5,000 yuan and 23,500 yuan ($700 to $3,300), making them much more cost effective than electrical automobiles.
In July 2021, pointing out substantial security issues over the last couple of years, Beijing revealed more stringent policies and offered homeowners a grace duration to phase out non-compliant designs.
Last April, the Beijing Traffic Management Bureau highlighted that the term “senior movement scooter” had actually been produced by makers while keeping in mind that a number of these automobiles are unlawful.
Authorities have actually mentioned their propensity to utilize substandard, economical parts, causing instability and a greater danger of mishaps. In addition, these scooters frequently do not have important security functions such as safety belt and bump-resistant structures, and utilize batteries that present a fire danger.
In 2018, the traffic management department recorded 830,000 traffic mishaps including such cars over a five-year period throughout China, leading to 18,000 deaths and 186,000 injuries. In 2022 alone, Beijing reported 131 traffic mishaps triggered by these lorries, causing 138 deaths.
More just recently, regional media reported a terrible mishap last November in the main Henan province when a 22-year-old female instructor was fatally struck by a senior movement scooter while she was grocery shopping. Following the mishap, authorities considered the scooter’s chauffeur, a male over 70, accountable.
Wei Zhensheng, deputy director of the Traffic and Transportation Professional Committee at the Beijing Lawyers Association, informed Beijing Daily that in traffic mishaps, regulators usually categorize senior movement scooters as automobile.
And due to the absence of registration and appropriate licensing for these lorries and their operators, chauffeurs of senior movement scooters are typically held primarily responsible in traffic events. In cases of serious mishaps, Wei included, criminal charges can be brought versus motorists.
Zhang Xiang, director of the Digital Automotive International Cooperation Research Center at the World Digital Economy Forum, informed Sixth Tone that Beijing’s restriction on senior movement scooters will considerably affect the low-speed electrical automobile market. “However, there stays high need for such cars in backwoods and smaller sized cities, where homeowners might have lower earnings and face difficulties in acquiring automobiles,” he stated.
Zhang included that the cost and ease of parking make these scooters a hassle-free alternative for the senior. They typically utilize them for everyday jobs such as taking kids to school or grocery shopping. Unlike basic automobile, these scooters normally bypass rigid policies, with numerous areas not needing a chauffeur’s license or lorry registration.
Following Beijing’s limitations, Zhang stated mini brand-new energy automobiles– with 4 seats and 3 doors and needing a license, registration plates, and insurance coverage– may become a feasible option for the senior’s travel requirements. Given that 2020, China has allowed people over 70 to request motorist’s licenses for little vehicles and mopeds, allowing them to choose more secure, certified automobiles.
According to Zhang, a tiny brand-new energy car might show more affordable. “They can run for 10 years, however a senior movement scooter might break down after 2 or 3 years. Without the supply of extra parts, it is troublesome to fix and has a greater typical expense of usage,” stated Zhang.
Editor: Apurva.
(Header image: A guy drives a low-speed electrical automobile in Beijing, Jan. 24, 2018. VCG)