The e-scooter isn't new – London was zooming around on Autopeds a century ago

4 months ago

E-scooters similar to today's were used in London a century ago, known as Autopeds.
Autopeds were invented in the USA in 1915 and appeared in London by 1917, gaining popularity post-WWI.
Priced at £36 (equivalent to £1,600 today), Autopeds targeted wealthy buyers.
Marketed as time-saving, health-conserving, and cost-effective transport by Gamage’s emporium.
Autopeds could reach 10mph and were petrol-powered, with an electric version possibly available in the USA.
Featured in media, including a silent movie and used for deliveries to 10 Downing Street.
Declined by 1922 as owners switched to cars, possibly due to British weather.
Lady Florence Priscilla Norman, a suffragist, famously used an Autoped.
The article reflects on how Autopeds could have changed urban transport had they remained popular.
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