Mobility Scooters Market Size, Share & COVID-19 Impact Analysis, By Wheels (3 Wheels, 4 Wheels, and Others) End-user (Personal Use and Institutional Use) and Regional Forecast, 2020-2027

The global mobility scooters market size was USD 1.30 billion in 2019 and is projected to reach USD 1.85 billion by 2027, exhibiting a CAGR of 6.9% during the forecast period.

Mobility scooters are multi-featured mobility aid equipment that are powered by an ether battery while offering individuals with limited mobility the freedom and independence to move outdoors and indoors. The electrically powered scooters are available in 3-wheel or 4-wheel layouts. These power scooters are majorly required by the elderly population with impaired strength and balance.

The rising number of the aging population worldwide is likely to boost the mobility scooters’ demand during the forecast period. According to the World Health Organization (WHO), the aging population of 60 years and above is expected to reach 2 billion by 2050. The growing technological advancements and the gradual rise in the number of scooter manufacturers are likely to boost the market growth during the forecast period.

COVID-19 Pandemic to Shrink Mobility Scooter Demand Impacted by Economic Slowdown

COVID-19 pandemic has negatively impacted the medical devices market including assistive devices used by the disabled and elderly population. Many countries across the globe imposed complete lockdown measures to break the chain of disease spread. However, this has resulted in the disruption of the supply chain that involves a slowdown in the manufacturing process, halted distribution of products, a ban on import and export of devices, etc. This has eventually led to the reduced sales volume of the mobility devices such as mobility scooters leading to decreased revenue generation in the year 2020.

For instance, the Q2 report of Invacare Corporation, a leading provider of assistive mobility scooters reveals a sharply negative impact of the pandemic on the company’s financial performance. The mobility and seating product segment reported a decline in revenue in Q1 and Q2 of the year 2020. The company mentioned an overall decrease in the net sales of the product by 16.8%.

LATEST TRENDS

Increasing R&D Activities & New Product Approval Trend to Provide Growth Impetus

Mobility scooters are highly advanced disability assistance products that have been successful in providing independence to patients with compromised mobility. Similar to the powered wheelchairs, assistive mobility scooters are either battery-powered or electrically powered. There has been significant improvement in the features of the product such as the inclusion of digital health monitoring accessories such as USB ports and integrated tablets. Additionally, developers are focusing on developing the product with the ability to connect several apps and mobile phones to enable easy use. In the past, these scooters were unable to go on sand and grass without help. However, new technology is being developed with the increased speed of the scooters to overcome these hurdles.

The latest technological advancements in scooters include an increase in the speed of the scooters so that up to 3.7 mph they can pass easily over uneven pavements and take sharp corners. These innovations are likely to attract more users to adopt advanced mobility scooter products driving the growth of the market.

DRIVING FACTORS

Rising Awareness for Advanced Mobility Devices to Drive Market Growth

The proportion of the aged population across the globe is rising at a rapid rate. With the growing age, the geriatric population is more prone to mobility disorders, which is anticipated to propel the market growth during the forecast period. The increasing disabled population is likely to boost the number of people requiring these scooters across the globe. According to the U.S. Census Bureau report of 2017, 40% of American adults aged 65 and older are reported to have a mobility disability, while having trouble with walking or standing.

Mobility impairment may be caused by a number of factors such as congenital disorder, accidents, and orthopedic impairments, or neuromuscular disorders. The rapidly growing technological innovation in scooter designs and the introduction of several mobility products such as powered scooters by major companies are expected to expand the sales of mobility scooters in the forthcoming years.

RESTRAINING FACTORS

High Product Cost to Hinder Market Growth

Mobility scooters offer wide mobility options enabling disabled people independence, flexibility, and great means of transportation. However, these products are operational on battery or electrical power that makes them expensive. Additionally, the cost of the battery is 30% of the price of the mobility scooter leading to costly after-market purchases. The high cost of the products makes them unaffordable for the population residing in economically weak countries where there is limited spending on lifestyle-easing products and poor reimbursement policies.

SEGMENTATION

By Wheels Analysis

Rise in Affordability to Boost the Sales of 4 Wheel Segment

Based on wheels, the segment includes 3 Wheels, 4 Wheels, and others.

Among them, the 4-wheels segment held the largest market share in the year 2019. The growing adoption of 4-wheeled powered scooters among older people, the increasing spending capacity and affordability, and the rising awareness about the advantages of using them are likely to boost the growth of the segment during the forecast period. The 4-wheel scooters offer higher stability, are more rugged, and of an excellent choice for use on roads and rough terrain, making it the preferred choice for traveling over a longer distance.

The 3-wheel segment is highly suitable for outdoor light usage, having good maneuverability, and is more comfortable than compact model scooters. The growing number of players engaged in 3-wheel scooters is likely to fuel the segment growth during the forecast period.

By End-user Analysis

Personal Use Segment to Remain Dominant

Based on end-user, the market has been categorized into personal use and institutional use.

Among them, the personal use segment captured a significant share of medical mobility scooters. This is mainly due to the rising prevalence of mobility disabilities among the geriatric population, which in the future is likely to boost the growth of the segment at a significant rate. Rapid growth in awareness about the advantages of using scooters to regain mobility, specifically designed for personal use, is likely to propel the segment growth during the forecast period.

There are a number of lightweight scooters such as the TravelScoot, which is the world’s lightest electric mobility scooter used by the elderly population to travel long distances and making it easier to lift around several times a day. Such advancements are likely to boost the usage of mobility scooters for personal use. Moreover, with the growing economies of many developing nations, the purchasing power of these mobility assistive scooters for personal use is likely to increase during the forecast period, further augmenting the growth of the segment.

The institutional use segment is projected to showcase remarkable growth during the forecast period owing to the increasing preference for battery-operated scooters over manual wheelchairs among medical care providers in the elderly care centers.

REGIONAL INSIGHTS

North America market stood at USD 562.3 million in 2019 and is expected to hold the highest position in the global market during the forecast period. This is attributable to the initiatives taken by the government to support the accessibility of high-end mobility products among people that require assistive mobility aid equipment. Moreover, the increasing number of the aging population and a strong footprint of key players are anticipated to boost the market growth in the region.

Europe is anticipated to hold the second-largest market share owing to the growing adoption of scooters. According to the report by ClinMed International Library, around 300,000-350,000 mobility scooters were used in the U.K in 2017. The report further states that this is expected to rise in number with the growing number of aging people in several countries of Europe that is likely to favor market growth.

Asia-Pacific is likely to experience a fast-paced growth during the forecast period majorly due to the growing adoption of scooters as an assistive device among the population with lower extremities conditions and the rapidly growing geriatric patient population.

The market in Latin America is expected to grow considerably with the increasing economic condition, the growing prevalence of mobility diseases, and the high penetration of the products in the region.

The Middle East & Africa is likely to experience comparatively slow growth owing to the lower adoption of the mobility scooters and limited product offerings by key players in the region.

KEY INDUSTRY PLAYERS

Strong Product Offerings by Key Players to Consolidate Their Market Positions

Invacare Corporation, Van Os Medical B.V., Pride Mobility Products Corp., Medical Depot, Inc., and Golden Technologies are the leading players in the mobility scooters market with a strong brand presence combined with a wide range of product offerings. These players are likely to continue their dominance in the mobility devices area and generate strong sales during the forecast period owing to the development of highly advanced scooters.

Other players involved in the distribution and manufacturing of mobility scooters with a considerable market share include Afikim Electric Vehicles, Amigo Mobility International, and others.

LIST OF KEY MARKET PLAYERS PROFILED:

• Invacare Corporation (Ohio, United States)


• Excel Mobility (Van Os Medical B.V.) (Steenbergen, Netherlands)


• Pride Mobility Products Corp. (Pennsylvania, United States)


• Medical Depot, Inc. (New York, United States)


• Golden Technologies ( Pennsylvania, United States)


• Afikim Electric Vehicles (Jordan Valley, Israel)


• Amigo Mobility International (Michigan, United States)


• Others

KEY INDUSTRY DEVELOPMENTS:

• October 2020: The Government in England announced a new accessibility scheme through which scooter friendly stations are being developed to enable mobility scooter users in South Yorkshire to travel to and from 10 stations across the Northern Rail network.


• October 2019: A pilot project was launched on the World Day of the Elderly by the Government of Malta, where the elderly people with mobility problems can commute around Valletta with the help of electric scooters.


• October 2018: Pride Mobility Products Corp. and Quantum Rehab hosted Disability Mentoring Day. The company offered an opportunity to 18 students with disabilities using scooters as an assistive mobility device to be mentored by career professionals in various fields during Disability Mentoring Day (DMD) 2018. Through this, the students using mobility scooters were able to tour and explore their learning in careers in research and development, sales, technical service, and production. 

REPORT COVERAGE

The market research report provides detailed information regarding various insights into the market. Some of them are growth drivers, restraints, competitive landscape, regional analysis, and challenges. It further offers an analytical depiction of the market trends and estimations to illustrate the forthcoming investment pockets. The information gathered in the report has been taken from several primary and secondary sources.

Report Scope & Segmentation