From the analysis of the economic model, the median total holding cost (including purchase, maintenance and energy) of foldable mobility scooter over 5 years is ¥32,000, which saves 40% compared with traditional electric wheelchairs. Deloitte’s 2025 report shows: Although the initial price of high-end carbon fiber models (such as Di Blasi R30) is as high as ¥35,000, due to a 60% reduction in maintenance frequency (an average of ¥1,200 vs ¥3,000 per year) and a residual value rate of 35% (10% for ordinary models), the actual return rate reaches 42%. The municipal procurement department of Oslo, Norway, has confirmed that its 10-year operation and maintenance budget is 4.8 million yuan less than that of non-folding vehicles.
The transformation of health benefits into economic value is significant. A study by MIT ergonomics indicates that the four-wheel hydraulic shock absorption system (with a vibration transmission rate of ≤0.2) reduces the peak pressure of the lumbar vertebra by 55kPa, reducing medical expenses for arthritis patients by 30% (averaging ¥7,800). Data tracking of the statutory health insurance in Germany shows that for users of foldable mobility Scooters that comply with the ISO 7176-11 standard, the incidence of fractures caused by falls has decreased from 12% to 0.8%, and a single avoided orthopedic surgery (with an average cost of ¥85,000) offsets 200% of the vehicle cost.
In terms of social cost savings, data from Tokyo Metro confirms that the volume of the folding model (0.08m³) is only 25% of that of traditional trains. During the morning rush hour, the capacity of a single train has increased from 8 to 30, reducing the annual demand for municipal public transportation expansion by ¥230 million. In 2024, Transport for London estimated that after users switched to foldable mobility scooter for commuting, the social cost per kilometer (including congestion and pollution) decreased by ¥0.18, and users with tens of thousands of kilometers throughout the year could generate a net social benefit of ¥18,000.
Technological iteration enhances investment security. The mass production of solid-state batteries has reduced the range cost from ¥1.2/km to ¥0.48/km. Data from CATL shows that its capacity retention rate after 2,000 cycles is 92% (78% for ordinary lithium batteries), meaning it does not need to be replaced for 8 years. The collision warning system (costing ¥3,000) that is mandatory to be installed under the EU V2X regulations has reduced the accident rate by 87%. Data from Munich Reinsurance indicates that the premium discount rate is as high as 40%, indirectly increasing the return on investment by 15 percentage points.
Risk control requires dynamic assessment: Monte Carlo simulation shows that the failure rate of products without TUV certification is as high as 23%, the median accidental repair cost over 5 years is ¥12,000 (reaching 150% of the vehicle price), and the absence of IPX6 waterproof certification increases the probability of failure in rainy days by 18 times. However, the industry is evolving towards “high cost performance”. The Chinese supply chain has reduced the cost of carbon fiber frames by 8.5% annually. The price of the mainstream model will drop to ¥19,800 in 2026 (a 32% decrease compared to 2024), and the payback period will be shortened to 2.3 years at this time.
Empirical cases verify the comprehensive value: During the five years of using Drive Medical Scout, Swedish user Eva saved ¥45,600 in taxi fares (¥25 per day), delayed moving into a nursing home for 2.3 years due to independent commuting (saved ¥580,000), and health monitoring showed a 7% improvement in bone density and a reduction of ¥24,000 in medical expenses. The total revenue is 25 times the price of the vehicle (¥26,000). Under the subsidy policy of the Singaporean government, the calculation of the net present value (NPV) of this type of investment shows that the payback period is less than 14 months, making it an efficient solution for the global aging society.