The most obvious comparison is an ebike, which would be superior in every way except one: portability. Where I live these scooters are popular, and people bring

The most obvious comparison is an ebike, which would be superior in every way except one: portability. Where I live these scooters are popular, and people bring them in elevators and park them inside. This is a real issue: bike parking is insufficient and insecure from theft in many cities. Plus, you need to charge it somewhere, and bringing a conventional bike to an apartment is often prohibitive. These make scooters much more attractive in practice than they otherwise should be. To me, a foldable bike (with larger wheels and a seat) and a moderately sized battery pack seems like a better compromise between safety and convenience.