The electric scooter industry has seen a mini-revolution since the past decade in technology and we as consumers are the main beneficiaries. Big advancements in battery technology have made scooters a viable choice in our daily commute by offering longer ride times and wider ranges. With rising gas prices and a difficult economy facing electric scooter for kids the work force, many Americans have considered alternative forms of transport-and in urban environments the scooter is rising in popularity. As the personal electric vehicle industry continues to grow and expand into greener technologies we will benefit further and so will our planet.

Electric scooters offer several advantages now that earlier generations could only have imagined. These benefits are over and above gas powered scooters in terms of cost and efficiency. Gone are the annoying days of the neighborhood kid on his noisy scooter. Most electric models are whisper-quiet with no impact to the environment or community. Here are several advantages you will find in today's electric scooters:

• Eco-friendly with zero emissions or exhaust gases
• Super-quiet unlike noisy gasoline engines
• Fewer maintenance costs as there are fewer moving parts
• Start-up is with a flick of a switch or turn of a key
• Operation is cheaper/greener than gasoline-even when factoring charge time
• Removable batteries simplify service if required

The benefits of switching to an electric scooter for your short commute extends further. In some office buildings they can even be ridden indoors-certainly not acceptable with gas-powered scooters. With lead-acid battery technology getting better and lithium-ion paving the way for the next round of power upgrades, we'll continue to see lighter, faster and more portable scooters in our cities.

While the scooter industry has seen vast improvements, there are still a few bugs to work out. Electric scooters typically have lower maximum speeds than their gasoline counterparts. Charge times can be long-typically 8-12 hours of downtime while the batteries refresh, and the capacity can vary in colder climates. There is certainly still room for improvement in our sidewalks and pedestrian areas before electric scooters can take over our auto-centric society.

However, the drawbacks are disappearing in an industry that has continued to innovate and improve on what may become our next real method of transport. The walls between what we consider acceptable in work transport and our needs as an eco-responsible community have come down and now is our time to re-evaluate and think differently.

Put simply, there's never been a better time to contemplate your commute and ditch the car in favor of an electric scooter. It's simple and affordable-and yes, it's fun!