Government announces €150 grant for e-kick scooter buyers

Government has announced new incentives of €150 for individuals looking to buy their own personal e-kick scooter, as the ban on rental e-kick scooters comes into force today.

The initiative, administered by Transport Malta, is intended to encourage the use of vehicles without emissions while reducing traffic. Individuals who purchase an e-kick scooter for their personal use must register it with Transport Malta so that they will be eligible for the €150 grant. 

Transport minister Chris Bonett stated that while rental e-kick scooters are banned, using private e-kick scooters is encouraged. Bonett stated that government intends to keep incentivising alternative methods of transport which are more environmentally friendly.

When the ban on rental scooters was announced, cycling lobby group Rota stated that the ban was the result of a lack of vision. 

Rota said the rental e-scooter system today is not perfect and has put pedestrians at risk. But the outright ban is a result of a lack of political vision and unwillingness to regulate shared micro mobility, it said.