Florence to End Shared E-Scooter Rentals from April 1, 2026

From April 1, 2026, shared e-scooters will no longer be available in Florence, marking the end of a service that had operated in the city for several years. The decision, taken by the City of Florence in November 2025, is now being implemented as operators complete the removal of their fleets.

RidemoVi, one of the main companies active in the sector, said that by the end of March only a small number of its vehicles were still in circulation. The company confirmed that all remaining scooters are being withdrawn and that none should be left on the streets from April onwards.

Shift towards bicycles

As e-scooters disappear, shared bicycle services are expanding. RidemoVi reported a significant increase in its fleet over the past year, with hundreds of new electric pedal-assist bikes already introduced and additional conventional bicycles expected in the coming weeks.

This expansion is set to bring the total number of shared bikes in Florence to more than 4,000. According to operators, demand for bicycles continues to grow, suggesting a shift in user preferences within the city’s micromobility market.

Impact of new national rules

One of the key factors behind the decline in e-scooter use has been the introduction of stricter national regulations.

Italy’s updated Highway Code, which came into force in December 2024, made helmets mandatory for e-scooter riders. Operators say this led to a sharp drop in rentals in Florence, with usage reportedly falling by around 40% in 2026 and even more in March as fleets were progressively reduced.

Further changes are expected from May 2026, when privately owned e-scooters will also be required to have licence plates and liability insurance. These measures are intended to improve enforcement and road safety, but could further reduce the appeal of the vehicles.

Operators divided on demand

Not all companies agree on the extent of the decline. Another operator, Bit, reported to Corriere fiorentino a moderate increase in rentals in Florence in 2026, indicating that e-scooters remain popular among some users.

Although Bit is removing most of its fleet, it plans to retain a limited number of vehicles under a new long-term rental model. The service will allow users to rent e-scooters for periods of several months, with insurance, registration and maintenance included.

Meanwhile, Bird, another operator active in Florence, has challenged the city’s decision in court. A preliminary request was rejected in February, but the company has indicated that legal proceedings are ongoing.

Enforcement and safety concerns

The use of helmets has been one of the main issues cited by the city in its decision to end shared e-scooter services. Authorities found compliance difficult to enforce, with relatively few fines issued compared to the number of observed violations.

Data collected by a city councillor, reported by Corriere fiorentino, show that between January and October 2025, police issued 186 fines for riding without a helmet, along with smaller numbers of penalties for other infractions such as carrying passengers, riding in the wrong direction or using pavements.

What changes for residents and visitors

From April, residents and visitors in Florence will no longer be able to rent e-scooters through app-based services. Shared bicycles are expected to become the main alternative for short-distance travel within the city.

At the same time, privately owned e-scooters will remain in use but under stricter rules, which could lead to a broader transformation of how micromobility is used and regulated in Florence.

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