Short-distance movement needs an improvement
Combustion vehicles make the Earth dying and it is hard to stop it
According to EPA, greenhouse gas emissions from transportation account for about 29 percent of total U.S. greenhouse gas emissions.
The problem is that electric vehicles are expensive. An average price of a new EV, which is $56,437, is roughly $10,000 higher than the overall industry average of $46,329.
Moreover, the market of used electric cars is incomparably smaller than the combustion ones. According to Statista, the global automotive manufacturing market was sized at about 2.7 trillion U.S. dollars in 2021, whereas the global used cars market was valued at $828.24 billion in 2019, what is about 30% of the former. That shows how popular is buying used vehicles. Hence, since getting used EV is not that easy as a combustion, using them, in general, is not that popular.
Furthermore, there is no reasonable eco alternative for private moving. That, for being more eco-friendly, makes us forced to use either a cycle, which is neither safe nor comfortable, or public means of transport, which are not that comfortable as we probably want. Moreover, since, in general, means of transport not only enable us to move but for many they are also a form of a demonstration of their status, cycles and public transport are not that popular because they are not as sexy as cars can be.
Moving short distances is either comfortable but expensive and environment-harmful or cheap and eco but opposite
If we want to get from point A to B within a large city like we have to use either a car and stuck in traffic jams or public means of transport having numerous changes and also stuck among others trying to scramble through the city. From the other hand, if we have not a large luggage, we can choose a bike or an electric scooter but this is neither elegant nor comfortable solution, especially when it rains.
In small cities it is even worse. There is neither that many public transport connections nor solutions like electric bikes or scooters to lend out, so if you have not a car, you need to use a bus, which runs only a few times a day or a normal bicycle, using which you have to sweat a lot to get anywhere.
Because of that, there is a room for a new kind of vehicle - not that expensive like a car and more comfortable than a bicycle.
Getting from A to B should be easy, imperceptible even. For everyone
Planes have made long distances insignificant. Cars have made the same with medium ones. Bikes have made moving short distances faster and more convenient. But after all, getting from A to B is still a challenge.
In big cities it is easier. There are train stations, metro, buses, which run frequently, taxi, bike paths and others. Consequently, moving between two points is time-consuming, but possible and quite easy.
But in small cities and the suburbs it is different. People who do not own a car, have to, regardless of the weather and dimly lit road, use bicycles, which do not protect against atmospheric conditions and are difficult to see at night. Despite the rush and necessity to be on time, they have to use public transport, which runs rarely, is late, and very often does not reach a destination directly. Train stations are far away, so inter-city run is a challenge so in fact, the great, open world, for them, is not that open.
In my opinion, the problem is that between a four-wheeled and a two-wheeled vehicle, there is no any kind of such a private one, which would make getting from A to B convenient, weather-independent, safe and cheap.
Hence, in fact, even though technologically the world has moved forward dramatically, my life in the small city has not changed. Getting from A to B still is neither easy nor convenient.
But should be. From my point of view, nowadays a distance should not be any limitation. In my opinion, moving between two points should be imperceptible, available and easy for everyone.
Muscle-powered vehicles are in harmony with nature, those powered by a motor with technology
Even though a bicycle has been invented over 200 years ago for many it is still one of the most popular means of transport, for some of them still being the main. The power of muscle-powered vehicles, and the reason why it is still that popular is that it is, exactly like walking, entirely in harmony with nature, hence it is the ultimate way of moving.
Nevertheless, thanks technology and the fact it still progresses, we can now move faster and more comfortable than in the past. Using cars and planes, i.e vehicle powered by motors, we can move long and extra long distances in reasonably short time, in more and more comfortable way.
Hence, learning from the past we can assume that like a tablet, which mixes mobility of a smartphone with performance of a computer, some new vehicle will mix the ultimacy of muscle-powered vehicles with convenience of those powered by motors and will enable to move short distances faster, easier, in more comfortable and ecological way.
A cycle is the ultimate means of transport for short distances
A fact that nowadays all of the most popular energy sources are finite and a significant amount of them is harmful to the environment, makes me think about what means of transport is an ultimate one - the one that works regardless of any external resources, is the most simple and robust.
In my opinion a vehicle that one can be considered so is a cycle, which for working requires only one resource - our muscles and enables to move relatively long distances, in relatively comfortable way, in relatively short time, for free.
It is a vehicle that lets us comfortably move around cities and get to suburbs relatively fast, what in case of cars is less smooth, more expensive and harmful to the environment.
Nevertheless, the truth is that it is not a perfect solution. Worth of pointing out is a fact that since its invention, it has not changed much, thus travelling using it is not safe, because of the need of physical effort is hard, what leads to a discomfort and requires a specific outfit since it is weather-dependent.
Trying to somehow organize the current ways that people move, from my point of view, planes, ships and rockets are perfect for long-distance travels, cars and public transport for those that are medium-sized and both cycles and foots are the ultimate means of transport for short ones.
There is room for a new kind of vehicles: bigger than bikes but smaller than cars ones
Two-wheeled and four-wheeled vehicles are incredible -- they made that any short and medium distance on the Earth does not matter. Thanks them anyone, who owns such a vehicle, can get from A to B relatively fast and in relatively comfortable way.
Nevertheless, they both are not perfect -- the former are totally weather-dependent and the latter still, in most cases, are harmful to the environment and depend on finite resources.
That is exactly why I believe that there really is the room for a new vehicle on the automotive market. A vehicle, which, exactly like tablets among smartphones and laptops, will give more comfort than the smaller and more freedom than the bigger.
Independence of weather
The most significant disadvantage of bikes is their dependence on weather. When it rains or it is dark, moving using them is neither comfortable nor safe. The new vehicle, although should not be that large like a car, should protect against atmospheric conditions.
Mobility
Cars are great for medium distances but because of traffic jams and finite number of parking places getting around cities is difficult and not economic. The new vehicle, being smaller than cars, should enable convenient moving between them.
Independence of finite resources
Resources like fuels are finite what makes their number and price unstable. The new vehicle should, at least to some extent, rely on the ultimate resources like our muscles, and those that renew.
Motor support
Bikes are awesome but requires an intensive physical interaction, what makes the driving uncomfortable. The new vehicle should have an external support, enabling an easy travel, event though the need of pedaling.