Originally Posted by jon c.

If that were true, one might thing such scooter rentals would be economically viable in developing nations that don't have our "automotive economy."

The "problem" with these ideas is they're selling a product relatively few wish to buy at a price that is insufficient to meet operating costs. And there's little prospect of that changing. These schemes are only launched in more prosperous countries because those are the only places with investors who can sink money into the idea.