No... you're wrong, its not like that at all. If you expect to be able to use one of these machines as transport you have to be very smart.
The personal mobility retail market here is flooded with, larger framed ebike and escooter models, with unwelcome disproportionate features like mismatched frames and tiny sized wheels, or designed for sports and off road use, standard, and often under-powered, heavy large framed 'Granny' style bikes and small fold up ebikes and scooters with very little power output. These are designed to be used by average to tall adults. Anyone who falls outside of these proportions have to 'make do' with a machine with a frame that is really too large to use comfortably, or a tiny little scooter type machine that often is underpowered and uncomfortable to ride. Also there is a huge push to keep the prices high, so fewer people can afford them.
This initiative is about environmental 'health and safetyism'. The authorities and the industry work to a 'social narrative'. None of these institutions want to be responsible for the consequences of this mode of transport being readily available, or being attractive to 'troublesome teens and youth', who in their perspective, would be more likely to use them irresponsibly.
Historically, this technolgy has been around since the turn of the 19th-20th century. New York authorities banned it. see- "The first electric scooter, known as the Autoped, hit shops in 1915 New York;" for a fascinating history lesson.
The strategy has failed spectacularly. A proportion of people do absolutely use the new transport technology dangerously and irresponsibly. What has happened is a lot of needless and hysterical finger-pointing. Also trying to get suitable travel infrastructure developed so using cycle technology as a serious transport option isn't dangerous has been like pulling teeth. But it is happening. I acquired these machines because I'd had to stop driving. They were the best available choice at that time .
After owning 2 escooters which rattled themselves to pieces on the rough pavements, I stopped buying and have a new hobby designing my own machines for me to use. Embarrassingly, I bought a small quality beach cruiser pushbike which outperformed the available 250w machines mainly because the bodywork and the motor weight on the scooters cancelled out its ability to move with any better efficiency.
AT 250w which is slightly below the legal power limit, allowed to be used in public spaces in this country, means that both machines perform equally well until they hit a incline, and many 'low end' scooters are equally dangerous on steep downhills, and uneven ground due to a lack of braking power, and tiny wheels.
I found the pushbike had more climbing power than the escooter. But, a 250w ebike has the advantage of being able to use pedal power as well which makes a huge difference to performance. The particular escooters I bought have a 'plug and play' power train where the battery and controller is in a cased unit, attached to exterior of the frame; unlike many models which integrate the battery with the frame. This means they can be transferred intact onto another bike frame. The throttle works off the controller which in turn sends power to the hub motor. Brakes, and pedals work independently.
Although the legal power limit here is 300w, the market is small, so most machines imported are compliant with [lower]overseas standards. Anything more powerful is either restricted to 'off road' or has to be registered like any other car or motorcycle, and therefore children are prevented from using them in public spaces.
