Particularly in light of the sometimes rocky rollout of dockless shared bicycles in the past,3 this rapid expansion has prompted a number of questions on the part of cities and towns: What are the impacts of e-scooters on the environment, the climate, and transportation systems? How can e-scooters be operated in a manner that supports the needs of the municipality and its residents, or at least does not have negative impacts? And what are appropriate mechanisms to regulate e-scooters?

To aid in answering these questions, this report provides a synthesis of the first, primarily international, experiences with shared e-scooters, describes the opportunities and challenges they bring with them, and offers
recommendations for e-scooter planning and regulation in cities and towns both in Germany and beyond.