Türkiye plans to amend the shared e-scooter regulations and require at least a third of the rented two-wheeled electric vehicles provided by operators to be sourced from domestic manufacturers, a senior official said on Monday.
"To ensure that the e-scooters meet specific standards, 30% of e-scooters provided by operators must be sourced from local production," Infrastructure and Transport Minister Abdulkadir Uraloğlu said.
Companies that do not comply with the requirement will have their operations suspended, Uraloğlu said in a statement.
Like in other European countries, e-scooter usage has surged in Türkiye in recent years. But the boom has also brought a rise in accidents and complaints from drivers and pedestrians about riders flouting safety and parking rules.
The new regulations aim to enhance the quality and safety of shared two-wheeled vehicles, including automatically reducing their speed in restricted areas.
The initial regulation, introduced in 2021, aimed to minimize the uncertainties, problems, and environmental impacts associated with shared e-scooter usage. However, emerging needs have prompted significant amendments to the existing rules, said Uraloğlu.
He said the new regulations were drafted based on observations and needs within the sector. "With these changes, we will require operators to share usage data from e-scooter activities recorded in the Transport and Infrastructure Ministry’s transportation database with law enforcement and municipalities. This will help us increase safety by tightening inspections," Uraloğlu noted.
The amendments will also focus on maintaining traffic order and safety by enforcing speed limits.
"We will prevent e-scooters from entering prohibited areas. E-scooters detected on high-speed roads will trigger warnings to users from operators. Operators will automatically reduce the speed of e-scooters entering restricted areas," the minister explained.
Failure to take necessary precautions regarding speed limits will trigger an administrative fine of TL 6,923 ($194.57), he added.
To improve service quality for users, the regulations will ensure that complaints submitted to operators' call centers and mobile applications are resolved promptly. Users will be informed about safety obligations, and operators will provide real-time updates on battery levels, estimated travel distances, and current charges. A map service will also be offered to guide users, according to the statement.
Uraloğlu said incidents of e-scooter tipping or accidents will be recorded by operating companies and reported to the ministry's database on a monthly basis. He also noted that e-scooters in service must maintain a minimum battery level of 20%.
To address uncertainties regarding permits, decisions on e-scooter permits issued by municipalities will include details on parking and charging stations, if available, Uraloğlu said.
The so-called scooter sharing system has raised opposition in cities around the world due to reckless driving by users on streets and sidewalks and haphazard parking that often leaves public spaces cluttered.
That prompted some countries in Europe to restrict their use. In 2023, the French capital, Paris, banned rented two-wheeled vehicles following a referendum, while Madrid decided in September last year to ban them also.
Advocates of e-scooters say they provide a zero-pollution and cheap alternative to public transport or other mobility options. Rental companies have criticized the restrictions as overly punitive, pointing out that their vehicles are subject to speed restrictions and are geo-localized, minimizing risks of misuse.
