TL;DR
Powered scooters known as Autopeds were sold and used in London from 1917, becoming more common after import restrictions ended in 1919. They were petrol-driven, capable of about 10 mph, fitted with pneumatic tyres, and largely disappeared from UK streets by the early 1920s.
What happened
The Autoped, a US-designed powered scooter first made in 1915, turned up in London during the First World War and became more visible after postwar import controls were lifted in 1919. Retailers like Gamage’s promoted the machine as a time-saving, economical personal transport option; contemporaneous press pieces and adverts described a petrol-driven scooter that could reach roughly 10 mph and rode on 15‑inch pneumatic tyres. The vehicle featured in popular culture of the day — including a silent film — and even attracted official notice, with a report of a rider delivering parcels down Whitehall. By about 1922 classified ads show owners selling Autopeds cheaply and switching to cars. The article’s sources suggest that Britain’s wet climate may have contributed to the model’s decline, and a well-known photograph of Lady Florence Priscilla Norman, a suffragist, shows her posed on an Autoped she had been given.
Why it matters
- Shows that powered personal scooters are not a recent urban phenomenon — a similar idea existed a century ago.
- Highlights how technology adoption can be shaped by price, climate and changing transport preferences.
- Provides historical context for modern debates about scooters, regulation and urban mobility.
- Illustrates how popular culture and press coverage can propel a transport fad into everyday view and just as quickly out of fashion.
Key facts
- The Autoped was invented in the United States in 1915.
- Autopeds appeared in London from about 1917 despite wartime import restrictions and grew in presence after 1919.
- Retail price reported at £36 then, which the source equates to roughly £1,600 in present-day terms.
- They were petrol-powered and claimed to reach speeds of around 10 mph.
- Autopeds used 15-inch pneumatic tyres intended to help with comfort on rough roads.
- An electric Autoped by Eveready is mentioned in the source but may have been limited to the United States.
- The Autoped featured in a silent film and in press reports of deliveries to government addresses.
- By 1922 many owners were selling Autopeds cheaply and moving on to cars.
What to watch next
- Whether any surviving Autoped examples or verifiable UK registrations turn up in museum or archive records: not confirmed in the source
- Clarification on the existence and UK presence of an Eveready electric Autoped: not confirmed in the source
Quick glossary
- Autoped: A brand of small, stand-up powered scooter developed in the United States in the 1910s.
- Pneumatic tyre: A tyre filled with air that cushions a vehicle from bumps and improves ride comfort.
- Petrol engine: An internal combustion engine that runs on gasoline (petrol) to provide mechanical power.
- Classified adverts: Short advertisements in newspapers or periodicals used to buy, sell or announce goods and services.
- Suffragist: A person who campaigned for the expansion of voting rights, in this context referring to women's suffrage activism.
Reader FAQ
Were Autopeds electric like many modern scooters?
The Autoped sold in Britain was petrol-powered; an electric version by Eveready is mentioned but may have been sold only in the United States.
Why did Autopeds disappear from UK streets?
Contemporary sources show owners selling theirs by 1922 and switching to cars; the article suggests Britain’s wet weather may have been a factor, but full causes are not detailed.
Who is the woman pictured on a historic Autoped?
The well-known image shows Lady Florence Priscilla Norman, identified in the source as a suffragist who was given an Autoped by her husband, Henry Norman.
Did Autopeds significantly change urban transport then?
Not confirmed in the source
The e-scooter isn’t new – London was zooming around on Autopeds a century ago Published on 24th December 2025 by Ian Mansfield in History The e-scooters that clutter up pavements…
Sources
- The e-scooter isn't new – London was zooming around on Autopeds a century ago
- Autoped E-Scooters Thrilled Edwardian Elite
- The Motorized Scooter Boom That Hit a Century Before …
- Autoped
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